The Washington times., 1919-09-10

TOTHANKU.S.
FOR WAR AID

NEW YORK, Sept 1O.-Cardinal
Mercier, Belgium's priest militant
who stood for fifty-one months as a
bulwark between his people and their
oppressors, arrived in New York last
evening on the transport Northern
Pacific as the guest of the American
nation. He was met at quarantine by
the police boat Patrol, carrying the
members of the New York and Bal
timore committees and the Belgian
legation.
This afternoon he goes to Balti-
more to be the guest for a week OF
Cardinal Gibbons.
New York; haven't seen much Of
it," he said today, "but what 1 have
seen is wonderful-such traffic in
your harbor, so many ships, such a
movement" and he waved his slender
hand with an aIl-embracing gesture.
"And this isn't really New York
yet" he continued. "I try to pro-
nounce the name Of the port, but
always forget-Oh, yes. 'Obokeen,'
and am / not right?" And the car
dinal laughed delightedly.
What is the principal object Of my
visit to America? To thank your
people on behalf Of mine for all they
have done for Belgium, that is my
first task and privilege. Then 1 shall
ask for help in the work Of rebuild
ing the University Of Louvain. Our
people are ready to undertake the
task as they are ready to work to
put their country on its feet"
Like Medieval Saint.
The cardinal who is one Of the
great outstanding personalities Of
the world war, is tall, very slender,
with an erect, graceful figure and
the features of a medieval saint. He
wore q long black cassock piped with |
red, a long silver chain with a cruci- |
fix about his neck and red silk |
gloves. On his head was a cIose-fit- |
ting red moire cap and he carried |
in his hand his cardinals hat Of black |
beaver with a cord Of red and gold. |
'I am astounded at the movement |
I hnd here" he said to q group Of |
reporters at Archbishop Hayes resi- |
dence. "It Is wonderful. I have had |
delightful journey on board your |
transport, and I come full of grati- |
tude toward your people. could |
not fancy reception such as I got |
here. Since long have wanted to |
come to tell your great people my |
admiration for your work in the |
wer-I have followed the work Of /
your splendid army and navy, but |
particularly, in the name OF all my |
people, not only Catholic, but Protes- |
tant as we'll, 1 want to express our |
gratefulness for the enormous serv- |
ice rendered US by the institution |
Of the commission headed by Mr.. |
Hoover. The presence Of this COM
mission in the early days OF the war |
prevented the Germans from taking |
all our food" Here the cardinal |
paused. II am a little moved, feel |
a great emotion" he said somewhat |
brokenly. II felt on landing on your |
ground that IL was an historic mo-
ment in my life. People who have |
not known our necessity can
never realize the extent OF the serV-
ice rendered Us by America
America and Belgium are two ma
tions, one weak the other strong. |
They should work together more than |
ever, the weak one supported by the
stronger"
Not On Special Mission
as it true that you are coming to
America partly on a mission for the
Vatican, your eminence?" Cardinal /
Il am here on no special mission" :"
was his reply; only as a Belgian in /
the name of Belgium"
What do you think OF the league
Of nations?" was the next question.
Now, really" he said, laughingly,
you can't expect me TO answer so /
many serious questions in ten min
utes." His reply was substantially
the same to a query on my part as to
what he believed would be the future
attitude of the Catholic hierarchy in
entente countries toward the hierarchy
Of the central powers. He added, how
ever. II could not understand in any
instance why there were no more pro-
tests from certain individuals in those
countries who realized that a crime
was being committed against civiIiza-
ton"
Cardinal Gibbons is an old friend
Of Cardinal Mercier. He met him at
Rome during the consistory of the
Sacred College, resulting in the cleo
tion of Pope Benedict XIV, and later
the Cardinal was his guest at the
Episcopal palace at Malines. II re-
member so well waiting for a train +
on the railroad platform at Malines
with him." he said. we walked UP
and down together-the Cardinal was
l did my best, 1 could hardly keep
up with him"
Tells of Arrest.
Cardinal Mercier also gave the fol-
lowing account OF his reputed arrest
in December. 1915, following the pro-
hibition by the Germans of the cir
culation Of his famous pastoral let
ter, Patriotism and Endurance" in
which he encouraged his people in
their passive resistance to German
cruelty and oppression. AT 6 o'clock
in the morning on a Saturday. as l
was preparing to say mass, three Of
fceTs appeared and announced that |
I must go to see General Won Bissing
in Brussels 'When% / asked. AT
once they said. 1t is impossible l
answered. I can come Tuesday, not
before We will let you know they
said, and went away, but they sent
a man the next day and the next to
see that I did not leave my palace.
Then the Associated Press sent me a