Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-06
MERcIER'S SPIRITUAL SWORD
PROVED UNCOMFORTABLE
His own Story Of Belgium stirrinely
Demonstrates the Weakness Of Mate
rial Weapons When Unsup-
ported by Rlaht and Truth

~ man who died before his nation
was disgraced, "but stronger still is re-
sistance." The war proved that. 1t was
an epic of resistance.
1t is familiar belief that endurance
is made potent by weapons, by concrete
instruments marshaled with skill,
welded with emphasis, welded into
material organization.
These indeed are powerful agents. But
it was not by these alone that civiliza-
ton was saved. 1t was an unseen sword
that made victory inevitable.
There were statesmen who raised it
o. blade of spiritual puisssnce-there
werG soldiers of many lands who bore
it proudly into battle, there were men
and womer innumerable who disdained
to sheathe it through the bitterest of all
the worlds agonies.
There was in Belgium Desire Joseph
Mercier. n
The strong lance of justice was his,
unviewed and unconquerer'o Others
have hurled it before the great cardi-
nal, but to him was given command over
three factors making for superb accuracy
of alma mind, a soul and a pen.
Thus equipped, he waged fight that
has few parallels in history. 1t is, more
over, unique in warfare in that the rec
ord of it is unbeatable.
What happens in the clash of armies
in battles is the stuff of argument for
centuries. Interpretation" however, is
powerless to becloud the truth of Cardi
nal Mercier's utterly fearless resistance
to the oppressors of his native land and
his undaunted defense of his enslaved
compatriots. For crystallization of his
lofty purposes is revealed in the ex-
traordinary series of letters which he ad-
dressed to the agents of the occupying
power.
The German rebuttal is of equal au-
thenticity. The authorship of the return
correspondence cannot be questioned. The
result is not merely documents in the
case but the case itself.
1t is this unequivocal disclosure of
history which this newspaper is priv-
legged to present to its readers. Of all
the many chapters of the war which
have already been set down, here is one
Ill WIliCll LuS lIlSlpdlo dlS llOC dohSu w
tell what they think they did. Nor does
the personal equation of a chronicler
coquette with truth. The annals stand.
The collected correspondence corrobo-
rates many general impressions. Ever
since the news of the Christmas pastoral
of 1914 leaked out of Belgium early i'll
the next year the world has known
something of the courage and patriotism
of Cardinal Mercier.
1t was known that for four and half
years he was, so far as material forces
are concerned, at the mercy of the Ger
man invaders. Yet throughout all that
tragic season no coercive physical hand
was ever laid upon him by any repre-
sentative of the foe.
The primate of Belgium never re-
called a single flaming utterance. His
faith in the eventual triumph in the right
never wavered and he never flnched
when the expression of that conviction
became necessary to hearten his coun-
trymen. The slenderest opportunity for
alleviating in any way their lot was
ever eagerly seized.
Why did the confident Won der Goltz,
the stern Won Kissing, the intolerant
Falkenhausen, delegates of nation that
had mastered half Europe, fail to dis
may this incessant questioner of their
authority? The unseen sword is the only
answer. 1t challenged every new iniquity
of their invention and it was welded
with consummate skill.
1t is evident now that there were two
wars in Belgium. King Albert stood
firm in the marshes of the User. He
fought with guns. The cardinal estab-
lished his position in Malines and fought
with voice and pen. The conflict was
opened with the arrival of the first gov
ernor general of Belgium, Won der Goltz
Pasha.
With magnificent adroitness the prel-
ate opened an offensive with demand
for a guarantee that there could be no
deportations of Belgians. The extracted
promise intrenched the cardinal, and
with it, when reputation took place, the
subsequent authorities were repeatedly
plagued. 1t was so with many other
despicable German maneuvers. The
cardinal was not only brave, patriotic,
spiritually exalted, but he was master
of the technique demanded by the char
acter of this singular drama.
The strategic brilliancy of the prelate
is displayed at every turn. There are
episodes in which the oppressors, capital
izing brute force to the utmost, refused
to be swayed from their fell designs or
to recall their despotic flats.
There are other scenes, however, in
which even the ruthless Won Kissing is
embarrassed. Occasionally he dispatches
the cynical and clever dlettante, the
Baron Won der Lancken, 10 argue the
matter out with the fearless cardinal.
Invariably the legate retires, outmatched
and discounted by the noble candor and
the spirited logic Of his antagonist