Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-29

TO accord special privegea to the cteygy TO grant
them after conriction systematically, so to say the
remission of their punishment 1COuld be to ride
straight toCdrd the oUerthror of Justice.
Naturally yoW Enlinence drows attention to
the injury caused to the ecclesiastical education and
you find therein an adequate for claiming
ceptous in favor of the clergy The qJd15y of this
must no, be diSregdrdsd. Bu it is precisely
for that that, according ny vjelc, priests
shoud, first and foremost attend 10 the performance
Of their duties and not TO the risk of condemHu
ton think am all the better authorized to speak
in this aUdy, seeing that their crimes all things con-
sdered, bear forsooh the character of political DEM
Onstrdtion.
. In taking steps against clergyD,en tCho
guilty of any infringement of the lar, the judicial
authorities of the occupying poWer do not apply any
principle Uhich IS not an keeping 1Dh BegiGn Leafs
iotion. The penal code expressly pupishes attacks
made in the ofTegious scjriccs, either against
The government against act of public authority
I need hardly tell your Eminepcc that no one
more than the Governor General deplores the ncccs-
siiy of enforcing the code against priests. He regrets
10 the clergy Thus losing the respect and sulyng
the dignity oppertdining to the ecclesiastical state.
For this is most desirable that for the fuirc
priests should not commit any breach of the d1U and
that TINS the occupying po'cer should not be con-
strained to infict punishment on them. As justice
must pursue its course 1ciH inpdrtinlity Il is only
by preventing that it is possible 10 0roid
the consequences resulting from the political action
of the clcrgy and TO gam that end there is only
mcdRa nan,ely thdt ecclesiastical authority should
see TO 1t that the chergy comfnc themselves TO their
religions duties
The Governor General has previousy tried to
gain some cooperation toWard this end. ,pay in
form your Emincnce that he is inclined TO give it
another trial. With this end in ueaO, he is about to
address letter 10 the bishops He avU Explain the sit
nation to them and ROW ent,eat them to influence
thei, interiors IN order to bring crimes and
demnations to an end.
I should be content could hope that my frank
and Straightforward explanation might contribute to
disSpate all evident Observation-Disclosures The occupy
ing poacer, permit myself to repeat much regrets
being obliged to condemn guilty priests chiefly be-
cause ii az the clergy representatives of the
social order the moral authority of tvhich should
remain unimpared.
AS, on the other hand the ecclesiastical authori-
ties realize that these convctions entail Craze incon-
reniences cannot help openly stating to your Emil
that in all this ,Uoud like to keep in vie,V our
common interests. ! also think that ny straight
for1Card language cannot but faror mutual under-
standing and perhaps promote collaboration IN
'ohich neither party mould sacrifice anything to the
other
present to your EO,inence the expression of NM
distinguished consideration and haze the honor to be
yours rery deUotedly,
(Signed) LANCKEN
Political Department Of the Government General of
Belgium. Brussels, June g. 1916
To His Em,inence Cardinal Mercier Archbishop of
haze the honor to inform, your En.inence that
at the moment of forWdrdng you my letter Of May So
had not then learned of the folowing case; that is
the only aUhy did not mention it. Last San
day solemn religious ceremony took place in the
Cathedral of Ant1Oerp IN the presence of you, Enni-
nence.
The SERMON 1Chich 1Uas preached on the occasion
by Frere PauaOels turned IN great part on pureEy
political topics do not 1Cish to enter into Details
bat simply to state, the fact that the preacher de-
oI oJrso,
that the presence of your Einence lent TO this mani
festation special significance. OiH be difficult for
other priests not to perceive IN this sermon an en-
coUGgtng example. Accordingly the occupying poVer
cannot ao'O this incident to unnoticed and 1t
should at dltb rate hare the assurance that Frere
Paues has been nvited By his ecclesiastical supe-
riors to limit has acvity to his religious duties
Up to now haze mentioned this incident to no
one In the general interest should be glad to learn
that your En,ience has taken care TO restrain Frere
Pdu,ces from iHdulgimg for the future IN like man
itestations
(Sisned) LANCKEN.
Archbshop's House. Malines,
June 8, 1916.
To Baron Won der Lancken, Chief of the Political
Department, Government General, Brussels
My dear Raron-I very grateful to you for
having seconded my request in favor of Madame
Wibin and her children and shall be pleased if you
kindly convey my thanks to the Governor General
/ given permission months ago to
visit two priests imprisoned at st. GILES. At this
moment several priests of my diocese are detained
in the prison. notably, unless l am mistaken
Frere Devroye, Canon Cocheteux, the Curates Wit
temberg and Van Houdt perhaps others whose names
have not reached me.
shall have several hours of leisure at Brussels
on Wednesday, June 81. You would greatly obge
me if you could authorize to visit on that day
at p m German time) the priests of my diocese
detained in the prison of ST. Giles
I shall have the honor Of answering separately
the questions of general interest which yonr die
patches No. 5095 and No 1920 treat Of
Accept Baron, the assurance of my sincere
esteem.
(signed) D. j. CARDINAL MERCIER
(TO BE CONTINUED)
copgriahh Iala bN rubIo L.edesr 30. n w --. 4