Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-31


stone of individual liberty.
secret police and the infoimers.'
in the heat Of delivery and which cannot be taken
literally when it is question of estimating the
general spirit of social class, the preaching of the
clergy has not overstepped in safeguarding patriot
sm the limits which have just defined score Of
times ! have personally examined the sermons that
have been denounced by the civil authority by the
military courts | have always found that the &C
cused preacher had simply affirmed without affront
to the occupying power, that the Belgian fatherland
is whole and united that the sole legitimate authority
for the Belgian conscience is King Albert his gov
ernment his magistracy and his army.
VOn der GOltz's Promise
Were you willing Excellency, to grasp this ele-
mentary truth of Jurisprudence the conflicts be-
tween would come to end.
Your predecessor, the late Baron der Goltz,
had understood it. 1t is rash thing for you to wish
TO do violence to the nOblest feeling of peoples
conscience. II ask of no one he said in proclama.
ton issued at Brussels September 2, 1914, I ask of
one to renounce his patriotic sentiments"
Your Excellency has not disavowed this noble
proclamation
1t is in showing respect for patriotic feelings
that the occupying power will find the most solid
guarantee for public order The Belgian bishops
ticpated this respect when, February s. 1915, in
the agreement to which your letter alludes they
wrote: The bishops have intention to strike blow
at puDc order; ana IL ever a member Of the clergy
in this regard forgetful of his duty. if the
German authorities regarded him as such, ask
but thing, namely, that the be brought
before the bishop of the diocese to which this
ber of the clergy is found to belong
Your Excellency appeals to Article XLIlI of The
Hague convention and reminds us that Belgium
party thereto. We aware of it. We make all
the articles of the convention our own and earnestly
demand their application, But this Article XLIII
precisely requires the occupying power to insure as
far possible public order "by respecting, except
the of absolute necessity the laws force in
the country occupied"
Apply to us the Belgian constitution wherever it
refers to the liberty of religious preaching, bring be-
fore ecclesiastical court doubtful cases. In this
way you will do what is most prudent and most just
to insure the order of public life "by respecting.
save in absolute necessity, the laws in force in the
country"
Has not the method adopted by the Belgian epis-
copate and followed by the clergy established its repu-
tAtlon! Very soon two years will have elapsed since
our people have hac to put up with the foreigner his
acquisitions, his domciliary visits his threats his
condemnations; but net single revolutionary blow
has been struck Not one of your soldiers has been
mOlested
In my own turn, Baron I confidently state my
conclusions. We are bound both of u.s. one in the
civil and military order, the other in the religious
and moral order to work together for the public vel
fare. As our point Of departure let us take the law
| mean the law both natural and international which
recognizes the moral sovereignty Of Belgium as a
country Without attacking the occupying power and
beyond any danger of revolt let this Christian pa
triotsm be maintained which, in pastoral letter
long before the war; did not hesitate to call re-
ligious virtue, l. e., "the piety of patriotism"
do not deny that you have your part to play
when you close all avenues leading abroad and you
arrest those Of fellow countrymen who attempt
to cross the fronters but do not treat as traitors
these heroic young fellows who the risk of their
liberty and their life, have the ambition to go and
enroll themselves in armies. Tolerate no longer
the military courts that regard the purest civic vir-
tue treason.
No longer condemn the teachers of youth for
having approved, or for not having disapproved, a
legitimate desire for the exercise of vaor; do not
infct imprisonment fine for their failing to de-
nounce to the vengeance Of your tribunals pupil,
perhaps spiritual SON.