Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-12
}. j. CARDINAL MERcIEP

AfcnDSnOp OF MallneS.
The Governor General shrked the discussion II
the closely knitted arguments of the Cardinal he mere
y opposed his former considerations, as expounded
almost word for word in his dispatch of October 26.
Government General of Belgium, Brussels
Novenber 49, 1916.
To HIS Ensinence Cardinal Mercfer Archbishoo of
Mdlincs.
beg to acknowledge the receipt of your Eu,i
neces e9tceed letter of the 10th i1s also the nate
Whicb you sent on the 18th inst 10 erpLdn the delo,
IN the arrivot of yow letter. 0Iy ansocer is as fol-
loeCG:
Your Entinence aOrOte to me on the 18TH Of Oc-
tober last NTH the Object Of putting a,, end to The de-
portdtton o. Belgian unemployed into Germany. IN
reply Of October 49, UiHe ftiagly realiving youy
Emtnences standpoint set forth the reasons arhjch
induced the occupying poWer TO form its decisions
SPectang the unemployed. These decisions cere not
come to arbitrarily, VithOut ample inUcstgutio
Of hls difficult problem, but on the contrary the
result Of an o1haustive study of all the aspects of this
question: The necessity of the steps tokeR rec
o9ni%ed as unavoidable In Short feel justifed IN
referring your Emnence to the considerations aUhich
set out IN ny letter Of October &C. The reasons you
dtege for combating them rest either the mistaken
Interpretation yOu giUe Hen or are derved from,
theories ,ohich from their pery nature cun,ot od-
NIT, for such WideSpread unemployment an Belqiu,u
IS a serious IN the body polite, and from this
point Of VieW benefit Voud be conferred on the IN
employed If scork provded for them IN Germa1,y
In thaS sense the steps taken by means con-
tra'y to the desire expressed to your En,inence the
Uery moment / orrjccd IN Belgium 10 7emedy the
eUits the 1Var has inflicted on the Belgian people.
must also maintain that your Ensinence fails TO uder
stand the reality of facts aOhen you seek to DENY mn
efforts to restore the economic life of Belgium-ef-
forts Yhich hare often been croUned aCh success and
also Chcn yOu sag that far from fGuorng the reeto-
ration Of industry the occupying power has endeav-
oTed to create an artificial state of unemployment
England has imposed unacceptable conditions on the
importation of materials into Belgium and on the
erportutiom of manufactured goods. These questions
at the proper moment the subject of constant
negotiations WHh the competent authorities of Bel
giunI and neutral countries I lUW not enter into
details; that 2could take too far afeld content
myself lCub repeating that IN their ultimate analysts
the deplorabIe conditions that obtain IN Belgium are
result of the English blockade just as the confsca-
ton of material aOas measure also dictated
by that policy. Again, absolutely convinced that
from the economic point of ricw the occupying poaUer
guarantees to Belgium all the advantages which can
be secured for her, taking into account the distress
caused by England.
In carrying ou The steps taken aOith regard to
the unemployed, my officials hare met With long
series of difficulties enaiIg aOyaaces aChich hare
reacted also upon the Whole population. An that
could hare been uvoid~d, had the rarious municipal
bodies shown good 1ciH and facilitated the execution
of these measures.
In the actual circumstances 1t tCaa needtm to
adopt general measures the first result of Vhich
lUGs to obHge persons other than the unemployed to
ansOer the roI-caH But arrangements Cere made 10
preclude all possibility of error, but those belonging
TO certain professions Cere dispensed from oppea1Hg
aphae genuine appeals either heard at once or
passed on for inuesti0atioR.
From all the abope facts, your Eminence VW
perceive the impossibHtg of complying ,cih gour
desire to rtt stop to the line Of action ace haze
decided upon but, the contrary, the crecutiOn of
these measures IN spite Of all the difficulties meet
eoth cW be carried ont in the bea' interests of aH
(SigHed) BARON VON Kissing,
CONTINUED TOMORROW
Ta.oda b.s Jaahio Tefoer