Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-27

COUmlIJeu n Slngle revolutionary ACT
Its only crime is that it will not die. The only
crime ascribabe to us-publc administration, magis
trates, clergy, hierarchyis that persist in think
ing and saying: Belgian people in the indssoIubIe
union of your two races-WallOon and Flemish-yOu
shall not die, you cannot die"
have carefully read your accusation of March
10. ! think can sum up in few words the charges
against me which it contains.
Your EXcellency says you were deceived at the
time of my coming back from Rome. You expected
from me, you say, attitude full of moderation.
incidentally, the letter of March Is mentions the
collective letter of the Belgian hierarchy to the Ger
man bishops
Then it finds fault with me for my having mis-
used the passport which allowed me to carry out my
journey to Rome.
Lastly and above ALL you find fault with
for having INDUCED in my last pastoral in "remarks
of purely political nature"
Your Exceency expected then from me- you
say "an attitude of moderation" at the time of my
return to Belgium.
You wish, no doubt, to give thus to under
stand that your side you intended to act toward
with peculiar kindness.
To tell the truth, | have not Deen aware Of it.
When Tuesday, February 29 at a. m. 1
entering Brussels went at to St Louis's Insti-
tutc there said mass and peacefully spent some
hours OF the morning. Meanwhile five spies kept
watch OH the institute, and when | proceeded to
return to my cathedral at Malines at II, two police
men in plain clothes, placing themselves at my side
escorted to within few yards of my arch-
episcopal palace Indeed they so very pressing
in their attentions that they could have overheard
private conversation had | not warned my friend to
lower his voice.
And your ENcelency will moi have forgotten that
March 6, few days after my return and there
fore before the publication of my pastoral, which
not read in the churches until the 18th of that month
the newspapers in the service of the German Gov
crnment announced to the country nine fresh
demnatous to DEATH six of which were followed by
instant executions at Mons, for acts which were
Jcl
were denied tn, consolation Of making their last
confession and final condolences to Belgian priest.
Your Excelency knew of the collective letter Of
the Belgian cpiscopate to the bishops Of Germany at
the nor, ,ent when you kind enough to grant me
passport for Rome. Besides ! have still to learn
that brotherly exchange Of letters between mem
bers of the Catholic episcopacy falls unde. the pro
visions of the penal CODE or is forbidden by nterna
tona law. On the other hand it harmonizes entirely
with the spirit and traditions of the Church.
Mercier'S Patriotic Restraint
7 am well aware that toward the end of my stay
in Rome the German press eXerted itself to bring
about the withdrawal of my passport and tried to
turn to my disadvantage the collective letter of the
Belgian episcopate to the bishops of Germany and
my interview with NJ BRAND
But the collective letter which had not hindered
my departure from Belgium could not consistently
hinder my return As to my interview with NJ
BRAND, had any inkling of what took place
at it, and could not therefore be justified in claiming
that it served political ends.
The truth is that during the whole of my journey
| practiced reserve to extent such many
thought excessive. | remember hearing diplomat
cXclam, Can it be then that this poor Cardinal Mer
cier during his stay here in Italy is still prs-
of the Germans?" granted no interview, dev-
cred speech, did not depart single mile from my
itinerary. was too anxious TO furnish pretext for
fresh incident such $ might be put forward
plea to bar my return. ] fOresaw the danger and
was forearmed
The German press nevertheless, has discovered,
so 1t seems, political discourse which | am be-
ieved to have delivered at Florence, "ene politschc
Rede in elmer Nonnenschule.' The fact is that paid
visit TO the Sisters of Providence at Badia d Ropo,
in the suburbs of Florence; they conduct board
ing school for young girls. When | entered the play
room the "Brabanconne" played, one of the girls
read me address which | answered with sym
pathetic reference to absent country, but with
out uttering word that could wound any Moth
ing more. There, elsewhere, I preserved the re-
serve which my dignity and my own interest de-
manded.
The third complaint in your allegation of March
Is, the chief one and the one most enlarged upon, is
also the most vague and intangible.
I am accused of "ndulgng in purely political
criticisms, of "havng given example of insubordi
nation,' of "having pursued an unbridled polt-
cal propaganda but is taken TO define
the meaning of the abstract term political"
The specimens they bring forward of such pro-
paganda enable nevertheless to con lecture the
sense of the accusation.
1t that have acted politically when sin
contemplating the result of the war / have sought
to raise unfounded hopes contrary to the stern
reality of facts; when in order to find ground for
these hopes 81 have quoted inaccurate statements
emanating from incompetent persons; finally when
said that "the decision looked for might be brought
about by the spread of epidemic diseases"
But what evil is there, pray, in encouraging suf-
fering people? Should I better second the policy of
the occupying power if drove the Begans into a
state of Encouragement and despair?
His Conviction of Victory
Deep in my breast l confidently look for the
of cause. This confidence is based on mo-
tives of the natural ORDER which in my pastoral
refrained from developing precisely to avoid the SEM
bance of meddling with the calculations of politicians
the plans of headquarters 1t is based besides on
supernatural motives of which my conscience is the
sole Judge. / cherish this confidence. 1t sustains my