The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1918-09-14
'ROMAN|STS' FRANTIC
DEFENSE OF THE Pope
The Pope's Princes in America
Coloring Facts in Efforts to Hide
Pro-Germanism in Vatican

press shows occasional symptoms
Of losing its grip. With increasing
Frequency, a courageous newspaper,
6r other periodical here and there,
eludes or defes the censor and dis
Hoses a small fraction Of the papal
intrigue in causing and continu-
ing this fendish war on de-
nocracy.
Even the Romanized interna-
ltonal news corporations have at
times failed to head off important
messages incriminating the pope
which their reporters give to the
world. These failures so enrage the
distinctively Roman Catholic pa
pers as to keep them busy hurting
at the offenders volumes Of. brim-
stone and fire.
On August "a, Cardinal 0'Con-
nell of Boston went on typical
rampage in his newspaper, The
Pilot, over an editorial headed,
"POPE BENEDICT, THE HUN
AND PEACE PROPAGANDA"
which he says recently appeared in
Investment News of Chicago. The
very heading of the editorial is so
timely and fertile that it leaves 7"
doubt as to the force and justice
of the editorial itself.
But the irate Boston Irishman,
under headline that covers the
first two columns of his paper,
chastises with scorpions the Offend
ing Chicago publication and its
doughty editor. In the course Of
his labored diatribe, the cardinal
Incorporates a letter wherein An.
thony Matre, national secretary of
the Catholic Federation, assailed
the Chicago editor with walls Of
papal wrath.
The editorial complained Of al
legged, among other things, that
Cardinal Mercier of Belgium re-
ceived little sympathy and less sup
port from the vatican in his efforts
to save that brave little nation from
rape and devastation BY the Huns.
This allegation touched an ex-
ceeding tender and malignant spot
in the papal record, and it drew
furious anathemas from the Ro-
man apologists.
According to press reports at the
time. Mercier not only failed to re-
ceive support from the sovereign
pontiff, who was apparently busy on
behalf of seditious Ireland, but the
pope met the laudable efforts Of the
Belgian cardinal with overt and
positive opposition and reproof.
The following message which ap-
peared April 13, 1916, in the New
York Times states the attitude OF
Benedict XIV toward Belgium:
POPE ANGRY WITH MERCER
London, April 12.--According to
reports circulating in vatican cir
cles the pope is annoyed by what is
called there Cardinal Mercier's Tex
cessive activity" He sent fresh
message Of moderation to the Bel
gian primate, but so far the pcntiff
has resisted pressure from many
quarters to disavow Mgr. Merciers
attitude.
The pontiff doesn't wish to resort
to any action which might imperil
even apparently the neutrality Of
the Holy See, but he firmly believes
that the resurrection of Belgium is
-, not being assisted by the hostile at
Ttitude of the population to the pres.
ent occupants, which, it is held, can
only delay it by hindering the eff,
forts of those working for its at
tainments.
So did the pope urge Mercie1
and the Belgian people to offer nc
resistance to the ruin Of their coun-
try and the outrage Of their homes
and people then being wrought by
the Huns. Belgians were directed
to submit in meekness to their
brutal enslavement and wait fol
the resurrection" Of their country
at the hands of its Hun occupants
4 Complaint is next made because
the Chicago editorial alleges that
President Wilson delivered a stun
ming rebuke to the pope in reply tc
the vatican peace note. The abso'
lutte truth of this allegation has
been accepted by the world and car
not be successfully denied. To bt
sure, the president did not descend
from the proprieties Of his exalted
station and deride the pope person
ally, but his masterful and states
.,6shanlike reply was, in itself, q mos
timely and perfectly unanswcrabl'
rebuke to the papal note and thu
policy it espoused.
In the effort to make the expos
ures of the pope's true position
seem other than facts, Anthon,
Matre wrote Secretary Tumulty t.
know if the president ever deliv
cred a stunning rebuke to tn