The Cordova daily times., 1919-09-17
CARDINAL MERGER


 guardian of the welfare of 2,50O,O0O Roman Catholics in the little king stayed the German avalanche, Car dinal Desideratus Mercier was born on November 22, 1851, in Braine d'Alleud, a village only a few miles from famous Waterloo, says an Asso- ciated Press correspondent.
 Typical of the heroism of King Al bert's countrymen, this physically frail but Intellectually powerful pre- late of the church, stirred the whole world to admiration of his courage when, on the first war Christmas, in 1914, with Germans everywhere in Belgium, he issued his famous pas tOral letter denouncing the invader and urging his people to resist in these words:
 Germany has violated her oath We can neither number our dead nor compute the measure of our ruins. Quered provinces. The authority of the invader is no lawful authority Therefore, in soul and in conscience you owe it neither respect, attach ment nor obedience."
 Later, in protesting against the deportation of the Belgians for forced labor he threatened Germany with "the reproduction of the civilized world, the judgment of history and the chastisement of God"
 Fifteen thousand copies of the Cardinals letter were seized and destroyed, the printer was arrested and fined and the brave priest was kept a prisoner in his palace by order of General vOn Bissing until a re traction of the pastoral had been signed" The Cardinal not only re fused to retract his statements but he became even more defiant.
 He was given his liberty finally and continued to use his voice and pen against the mailed fist" in crys tallizing world opinion against the Central Powers. All during the war however, he was subjected to petty prosecutions and his secretary anC other aides were thrown into jail. He went through the bombardments o1 Antwerp and Malines and braved the perils of the common soldier.
 Cardinal Mercier was created anC proclaimed a member of the Sacred College on April 15, 1907. Before tha he was professor in the University of LOuvain, which was repeatedl. pillaged and desecrated in the war The prelate's distinguished servict for Belgium throughout the war ha been told in frequent news dis patches. Less is publicly known o his early record as a churchman.
 The cardinal studied at St. Rom bouts College, Malines, and the dlO cesan seminary in the same place He was ordained to the priesthood April 4, 1874, entered the seminar. at Malines in 1877 as a professor o philosophy, after taking a course il o+ hn IT1aiU itu nf I in and five years later was called to thu university as professor %Of ThOmisti or liberal philosophy. In 1886 Pop Leo XIII appointed him a domesti prelate, with the title of monsignor.
 He comes of a distinguished relie ious family, other members of Whicl have won horsors in the church. On uncle, the Rt Rev. Adrian Croquet born in 1918, was pioneer mission ary among the Indians for thirty eight years in the Canadian North west. He died in Belgium in 19O; and it is the cardinals wish to visi the scene of his unc1e's labors.
 Cardinal Merciers visit to tn United States is largely the result o opportunities from all sections of tn country. AS President Wilson is al sent from Washington, the Cardina will pay his first respects to Cardina