Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-01

Government General of Belgium, Brussels.
mP. A. I. $685. June 2S, 1916.
TO HIS Eminsnce Cardinal Mercter Archbishop of
Malines.
acknowledge receipt of your Emnence's
teemed letter of the 2Srd inst First of al to avoid
uR confusion ask you to note that IN letter Of
June mo- 5193) did not depore the severe and
deserued condennGions incurred by priests before
military courts; simply manifested ny lively regret
to discover that in certain dioceses, M spite Of all
my efforts to get superior ecctesiastics to influence
the priests subject to them the number of breaches
against my regulations committed By members Of the
clergy had not diminished
Even lately ecclesidStics hdUe not hesitdted te
profune the sacred character of their churches by
poisoning therein the spirit of the Belgian people and
Inspiring it '0th hatred From the pulpit they haze
- hurled against my country and The occupying potoer
insults and baseess accusations. They ought to be
punished for haUing been not the authors, at least
T. the propagators of publications vley insulting.
NJ We could tolerate the assistance giuen By
priests organizations having for their object
to injure Germany and increase the forces of our
enemies already considerable, By permitting Bel
81 gians of military age to the frontier.
q Although do not indulge the hope that these
o. fresh declarations ,OiU result in changing your Emit
nemces opinion the grave breaches of which mem-
beys of the clergy to render themselves
" guilty get cannot omit REPUTATION Of the mistaken
Notions which to form the basis Of your Judg-
frent
&F regard it my chief duty to protect most
energeticay the part of Belgium which occupy
the German interests of which his Majesty the EN-
peror has made the guardian. should fail in this
duty if in compliance uoth your Emncnce's uoshes
that endanger the security Of the empire and those
fbE toho urge the people to commit them
ter Be also impartial enough, my Lord CARDINAL to
respect patriotic feelings tOho not only
all homage to the patriotic demonstrations Of the clergy
ot and people of Belgium in general but encourage them
un circumstances Which of nature to create in
~ tolcrabe situations As to the rest of my letter.
feel bound order to avod Observation-Disclosures 0hich
might easily hare unpleasant consequence for those
ura concerned to make the fooOnS statement During
the Occupation the only legal political in the
occpped territory is 0hat erercie To this power
oohe obedience due and not to the king of the Bel
co,o ,idns and his government, Whose power in the
~SI1o ped territory is IN fact and IN luW extinct Should
h6 obedience be not Wlltngly given, an, then
pelkd to esact it by the enforcement Of the German
pendt tatUs.
Leui These laws are applicable to all the inhabitants
Of the occupied territory ~hout any exception as 10
th persons. The courts only do their duty Vhen they
enforce these d,Os justly and Oithout consideration Of
peron arraigned According to the principles of
hi German Jurisprudence they must not yield to any
fuence permit themselves to be enticed to deliUer
m juddntent according to instructions.
"a On nyseF alone rests the responsibility for the
maintenance of order and the 0eIare of the popun
to it belongs alone to judge of the fitness
ed of the steps that must be taken for its preservation
IN EhaUe ceased to appreciate the Belgtdns' pa
r triotism have forbidden ats legitimate display
n 1t is gears since accepted the office
of Governor General If during that time in spite of
ap the instigdtion to hatred and passive
ye against the state Of things caused by the
al sh opdtio the Belgian people haze remained calm,
pnoto nd acknowledge, given proof of being better
hot sposed todrd must surely be Gscri6ed to the
haze taken, steps that just but Uhch
her. srecessy times renders IN doing
performing duty, 10htch Is to match
ver the ,Cedre of the land intrusted to and
.hs fulfllnent of tOhich haze much at heart.
Otdrt fpresen to your Ennence the expression of