Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-29
CHAPTER XIV
Patriotic Acuon of the Priests

CHAPTER A&IN
Patriotic Acuon of the Priests
TN CONSEQUENCE of the poemc raised by the Car
dnas journey and the publication Of his letter, "On
My Return from Rome, the occupying power redoubed
the rgor Of its affecting the clergy. In close
succession several priests and cercs arrested The
fury Of the German police let loose especially
against the great educational establishments at Brus
sells. On March 10 search, accompanied by good
deal of uproar made at the CollegeNof ST. Michael
At past five in the morning hundred policemen
and soldiers made raid on the establishment In spite
of the most minute search, lasting till midday they
only succeeded in discovering and carrying off booty
some copies of the newspaper Ibre Belgique Never
thelcss Frcre Devroye rector of the college, who had
just come out of prison, again arrested.
On April IA it the turn of ST. Louis's Institute
to receive visit from the German police. They
looking for student of philosophy, whom they
cccdcd in finding That evening Canon CocheteuX, the
director of the institute, and the Able rruyens were
taken to the Kommandantur.
The Governor General, in order to show plainly
that in pursuing the clergy he had chiefly the Cardinal
in view inserted official notice in the German press
and the censored press Of Belgium that arrests had
been made ecclesiastical establishment where the
Cardinal had apartments and where he stayed whom
he to Brussels.
On May % the military prosecutor asked for Canon
CochetcuX sentence of year and three months
imprisonment for having advised pupils of his establish
ment to join the Belgian army, and that the Able
Truycns should be sentenced to ten years penal servi
tude for having given the lads the necessary nstruc
tions for crossing the frontier
Tilt With Won Der Lancken
His Emincncc wrote to Baron der Lancken
pointing out the serious consequences that would result
to scholastic institutions from the arrest of their di
rcctors and professors There followed between the
Cardinal and the chief of the political department
correspondence relative the attitude of the occupying
power toward the clergy.
Archbishops House. Malines
May %, 1916
To Baron Won der Lancken. Chief of the Political
Department Government General Brussels.
My dear Baron-As a result of the confidential
conversation that his Excellency the Nuncio of Brus
sells has had the honor to have with and of which
he was good enough to inform me, have personally
supported Madame Wibins request to his Excel
lency the Governor General, Baron Bissing.
confident that this request will be favorably
ceived and thank you beforehand for the kindness
with which you have promised to support it.
But beg for more than this. I ask for your
support behalf of other matters affecting public
order and which deeply concern me. Numerous priests
engaged in teaching notably the rector and prefec Of
studies of St. Michaefs College, the director and
several professors of ST. Lous's Institute at Brus-
sells already in prison or threatened with i'm
prisonment. You aware that our teaching staff =
Is already greatly reduced, several of pro-
fessors in the army engaged as ambulance-bear-
ers or chaplans If the military authorities continue
to persecute clergy, we should be compelled to
face the painful contingency of having to close
ecclesiastical colleges
| particularly call your attention and the elem
ency of the Governor General to this situation the
moment when the military prosecutor is asking for
years of imprisonment against the director and
teachers of ST. Louis's Institute
Receive, Baron, the expression of my sincere
esteem.
(Signed) D. j. CARDINAL MERCER,
Archbishop Of Malines.
"Noe-Madamc Wibin asking for passport
Switzerland
The Chief of the Political Department of the Gov-
e,7n1ent General of Belgium
Brussels, May 81, 1915.
10 His Eminenoe Cardinal MERCER, Archbishop of
Malipcs
In dnSaUer to yopr EH,inence'a esteemed letter
Of the 23rd inst hare the honor to inform you that
haze given my support to Madame Wibins request
to the Governor General and also that this will be
granted.
The incidents that took place at ST. Louis's IN
ntitute are seaed BY yoar Eminence an occasion
for reOpening the question of putting the cergy
Under arrest If yoow En1ence tvW clloaU to speak
frankly fresh exchange of UielVa is in no aUay a-
acceptable to me. In fact since the beginning
of the occupation this question has interested the
German, quite keeny 1t has the ecclesiastical
authorities. II appears to neVertheless, that up
TO the present your Eminence has grasped quite
accurately the point of VieW from 1vhicb the oo-
cupying poWer regards the matter. EVen IN your
last loter you make ,aSe of the expression, "perse-
8 cution of the cler9y"
In no case can il be question of persecution.
When ciergymen condemned this is ia virtue of
the enforcement Of laps and DEGREES before which
everybody stands equality The military courts
take cc0gaiealce of qgrona-doig no snattcr avho the
caprlt may be-. II would BE- a fa0rart injustice for