The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-12
CARDINAL MERGER
ENDS HIS VISIT HERE
Entertained by Pennsylvania
Society and Gets Gold Medal
81 From Schwab.
TELLS OF CHURCH BELLS
His Appeal Stopped Them
From Being Melted by Ger
= mans for War Purposes.

Luncheon with the Pennsyl vania So
ciety at the waidorf-Astoria and visit
to the New York Founding Hospital
ended yesterday for Cardinal Mercer Of
Belgium series Of New York engage
nonts which have occupied almost every
moment OF his waking time for week.
He started yesterday afternoon on
trip which will take him through much Of
this State and Pennsylvania and to sew
eral cities of the middle West. The Car
dinal will return to New York November
a ana shortly afterward will sail for
his home In Belgium.
To the list OF stories he has told rela-
tive to the German occupation OF his
country, which have interested 30 many
audiences and pointed 80 many morals
OF the war, he added another yesterday
Mt the luncheon Of the Pennsylvania So
ciety. 1t was about the church bells
of Belgium and followed reference by
Charles NJ. Schwab. who introduced the
A, Cardinal, to the fact that Pennsylvania
had been able to contribute SO heavily
In weight Of steel and other war metal
to the winning Of the war Mr.. Schwab
presented to Cardinal Mercier a gold
medal Of the society. saying that It SYM
bolized, among other things. the indebt-
cdness Of forgers OF metal to him who
had lent the war SO great a spiritual
illumination.
81 am not sure" said Cardinal Mer-
rier In accepting 1t, that may not put
forward some pretensions as a contribu-
tor OF metals myself. During the Ger
man occupation requisition was made
for the bells of our churches, as the
metal was wanted to ne melted down
for the manufacture of Hun cannon.
protested, but the military men laughed
at my protest. Then thought the prob
lem over a while and resorted to other
rneana
81 remembered that Won Hertling, who
was then the German Chancellor, had
feen student with me at Louvain Uni
versity and was also of the Catholic
faith. So wrote him a letter and ar
ranged with the Bishop of Monaco that II
certainly would reach his hands in Ger
many.
II reminded him that we had been
young men together and were now old
men, both of US due within a very short
limo to appear before the tribunal of
Gods Justice. That is never a thought
acceptable to q parsonage high in the
German state. and I smiled as thought
of how Won Hertling would feel when he
read It.
Your Excellency.' I wrote him, the
church bells OF Belgium are consecrated
to the spreading Of Gods word and
TO the cause Of eternal Justice. How
wfll you like 1t when you stand before
the Judgment Seat to have all these
bells ringing out against you the accusa-
ton of your sacrilegeT
"Von Hertling," the Cardinal con-
GUIDED. smiling. never answered my
communication, but soon an order
reached Belgium which stopped the
seizure OF the bells. Our bells, then. were
meyer turned into cannon against US
Am I not, therefore, something of a
contributor Of bronze metal. to the holy
cause of victoryT'
gsiCardinal Mercier went from the Penn
ey1vania luncheon to the Founding Hos
pttal. where he sang benediction and
gave his blessing to the children. HI,
last contact with New York life was a
Journey to his train In Jersey City b,
the police boat Patrol He was to havt
scrossed the river in a ferryboat, but that
was made impossible by the ferrymen',
strike.