The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-02-05
10000 CATHOLIC
PRIESTS NOW IN
WAR IS TRENCHES
Their Bravery Great, De-
clares DR.. Evans In Ad-
dress AT Lancaster.
TEUTONS SEE MISTAKE

/ The following report on the exper-
fences of the Rev. b. d. Evans of
Athens which he detailed recently at
the Boys Industrial school at Ian
caster, is taken from the Industrial
School Journal:
The address of the Rev. b. ID. Ev-
ans of Athens on his experiences in
France was an inspiration to all who
heard it. No less interesting We're
the remarks he made to small
group Of officers which gathered in
the chaplain's rooms after the chapel
service. DR.. Evans is as fascinating
in conversation as he is in public
speaking. He has set of the French
government photographs which show
Hun. The beautiful cathedral at
Rheims is only battered she'll The
delicate, carven tracery on the front
of the ediiice has been largely de-
stroyed. But one peculiar fact, hard
to account for, is that in all the ter
rife bombardments the cathedral and
its environs have been subjected to,
not one shell has struck the heroic
statue of Joan of Arc.
DR.. Evans says that there are 10000
Catholic priests in the trenches in
diers. The bravery and sacrifice of
these men of God has fired the imagi-
nation of the whole people. Offering
themselves freely on the firing line,
| living the soldiers life, dying the sol
diers death, these modern heroes of
the cross embody and eyempllfy the
sacriicial life and death of the Mas
! ter Their influence is deservedly
/ great and out Of that influence should
grow a nobler and better France,
spiritually reborn in the womb of
war.
! 1t was one of Doctor Evans espec-
| ial ambitions to see Cardinal Mercier,
Pelgium's heroic primate, in order to
express to him American gratitude
for the uncompromising stand which
the cardinal has taken as regards the
German conduct of the war. OF
course, to do so required permission
to enter the German lines, DR.. Ev-
ans went to Havre, France, where
the Belgian government has its seat.
There he saw Brand Whitlock of To
ledo, Americas ambassador to Bel
! GUM, and Paul Van Dyke, brother OF
Henry Van Dyke, former ambassador
to the Netherlands, and made his re-
quest for safe conduct to Antwerp
An investigation was made by the
authorities and DR. Evans was inform
ed that his activities as speaker
were known to German officialdom
and orders had been given that if he
should ever be found on German ter
ritory he should be shot forthwith
Naturally, that ended his chance OF
seeing the great cardinal.
Reports of German atrocities in
northern France have not been ex
has seen incontrovertible evidence tC
that effect. There has, however, beer
a marked decrease of them Of late, as
the Hun has come to a realization
that an account is to be required o
him when the war ends. That ac
count is long and bloody enough with
ont further additions
DR.. Evans found in Europe a bitter
ness against Germany so deep as tc
battle description. The demand there
for the dismemberment of the Ger
man empire is well.nigh universal
Everywhere is sorrow and suffering
but no one thinks or plans for any
; thing less than a complete victory
; Nothing less can repay the tremen
dous sacrifice already made,