New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-08
CARDINAL MERCER
ENJOYS ADVENTURE
Tells c. F. Scott of Diem
ma i'm Which He Placed
Germans.

London, Feb. THE situation re-
mains acute. II the supply Of food is
diminished Belgium will starve."
This message was cabled to-day by
ex-Representative Charles F. Scott. OF
Kansas. who is returning after IN in
spection Of relief work in Belgium and
France. to Ex-Governor Walter R.
Stubs of Kansas.
While at. Malines Mr.. Scott called on
Cardinal MERCER. He was accompa-
MED by Dessain, the printer, who was
fined for printing the now famous pas
toral letter of the Archbishop. De-
scribing his interview with the prelate,
Mr.. Scott said:
Cardinal MERCER lives in fine old
palace. The throne room has a big
hole in the roof and this, with other
holes in the walls, to say nothing of
broken windows, tells the story of
stray shells which Tell around the pal
ace. No German soldiers were seen
on guard.
"The Cardinal obviously enjoys the
dilemma in which he has placed the
Germans. His eyes twinkled as he
told the story of his latest adventure.
AT o'clock one morning, said the
Archbishop, German officer and two
soldiers brought a communication from
the commander asking him to deny
statements that he had been derived
of his personal liberty. The denial
which had been prepared consisted Of
four or five typewriter sheets.
Cardinal MERCER said he requested
his callers TO return in the evening for
an answer, but the officer declared they
must await a reply in the Cardinals
room. At the Archbishop's request
telephone confirmation Of this order
was received. Describing his subse-
quent experiences the Cardinal said:
1t Is true no manacles were used
TO restrain me, but | was to have per-
formed service at Antwerp and was
not permitted to go there. For three
days ! was restrained in my palace.
Two days later | was asked to modify
my letter and wrote another. II the
Germans are clever they will publish
my first pastoral
THE Archbishop smiled as he made
the final statement. Asked II he had
any message for Americans, he said:
Nothing except TO give the people of
your great country assurances OF our
gratitude. We would have starved had
IT not been for you. The work of
your relief commission has been very
efficient
$50 far "a | could see, Cardinal Mer-
cler was free TO come and go as he
pleased, subject, ] presume, TO the
usual restrictions imposed on Belgians.
Men are at work bracing the walls of
the cathedral and tearing down the
parts which must be removed. Al
pears that the beautiful building will
be saved. The damage to it is esti-
mated at 100000.
"The people in and around Mnlines
appeared as depressed as any saw in
Belgium, which is saying more than ]
can describe. They wander aimlessly
through the streets, where bands OF
wretched, ragged children beg from
every one in sight Elsewhere | WAS
struck with the courage the Belgisns
show in efforts 10 rebuild their homes
ard resume their normal life, but, OF
course, they are utterly dependent
upon supplies brought in by the COM
mission.
AT one of the villages near Malines
! was told Of an insane asylum, with
200 or 800 inmates. which was in the
line of German fire. The Belgian
priests. nuns and nurses determined TO
take their charges 10 a place OF safe
~. The lunatics, cowed and shocked
into a condition of apparent sanity,
marched Gut under a fire OF bullets
and shraprel with the steadiness OF
trained soldiers.
when you have seen Wise, with its
population of 1900, now reduced to
hundred odd families. existing in its
almost total ruins; when you have seen
once beautiful Dinant. now just a heap
of jumbled debris; when you see one
old woman with spade trying to till
five-acre field; when you see for