The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-02-24
STRONG APPEAL or
THE BELGIAN BISHOPS
From the Philadelphia Ledger.

Few documents that the war has
brought forth reflect the true nobility or
those VINO have suffered great WRONGS IN
and have the intense pathos tn At Is re-
Yealed in every line of the appeal OF the
Roman Catholic episcopate Of Belgium to
their brethren of Germany. The Bel
gians ask for a hearing and for fair play.
and demand of the Catholics In Germany
that they shall no longer believe the afro
cious official calumnies hurled at Belgium,
truly the kingdom of grief" by the Ger
man government I'm its various official
publications.
The eloquent appeal, whose language
would turn heart Of stone Is signed by
Cardinal Mereier, archbishop of Malines;
Anthony, bishop Of Ghent; Gustaye j.,
of Mssn aSsr Louis Ssb6 Bishop
Liege; Amedee Crooy, appointed bishop OF
| Journal. Every effort has been made by
| the German government to prevent its
| simple recital of the colossal outrages
| against faith and civilization perpetrated
| by the German armies in Belgium from
being made public in Germany or any
where else. In adJuring their members
| OF their Swn communion in Germany not
| to accept the official ISLANDERS by which
| the German war office added insult to in
CLAN as proved, and in denying these al
legged acts of barbarism, the appeal says
| that the priests and prelates of Belgium
all rsfnts these tales tales and they .solemnly
Ollie clergy and hierarchy Of Germany, II
| they still profess to accept and incuicate
the lies. is that they must consider the
| entire Belgian clergy as perjured." Un-
less they do that the appeal says they
| will have to accept, and the civilized
world will not be able to refuse, the con-
vestigation."
The document not only shows how Bel
GUM has been dragooned by the German
many, complacently accepting the German
governments statements OF every contro-
verted issue In the case Of Belgium as
gospel truth, have done their co-religion-
lists in Belgium q horrible wrong. The
| Belgians have not only been wronged but
refused redress, since, as the appeal notes,
they have been denied a hearing again
and again, while the German government
and the German clergy, accepting the Of
| fetal version as final, have published their
views broadcast. This contrast is set out
as follows in the appeal:
| Now, whereas you have I'll liberty
to flood neutral countries with your
publications, we are imprisoned and
reduced to silence. Hardly are we
permitted to lift up our voices in
m them is checked off: that Is,
parodied by paid spies: protesta-
| tons of conscience are qualified re-
volts against Inst p1o ItonS authorities;
| frontier as contraband. So you
alone enjoy freedom OF speech and
| Of the pen.
Sent out at last to protest against an
lntolerable situation, just what effect this
| noble appeal will have on those to whom
II is addressed Is not clear. Naturally,
| while sent to the prelates of Germany II
is meant for the head of the church Of
Rome and for the whole world. Judging,
however, from what the appeal Itself
| notes of the almost callous indifference Of
| the German bishops to the mournful plight
of their brethren in Belgium. It will fall
on ears officially deaf by order Of the
German government 1t can not. how
ever, but have profound effect on the
| vatican, and will impress oil outside Of
| German influences as one of the most
moving historic appeals for simple justice
| Yer made.