Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-21
CHAPTER XII
The Cardinal Recommends to Baron Won
Falkenhausen the Religious Interests Of
Workmen at the Malines Arsenal and of
Persons Detained on Suspicion

Archbshop's House, Malines
May 12 1917.
THO His Excellency Baron Falkenhausen, Gov
ernor General, Brussels. '.f
Sir-Emboldened by your Excellency's expressed
wish to protect the religious interests of people,
l should like to recommend to your solicitude the
wor<men Of the central works at Malines. l refrain
from speaking of the conditions under which these
workmen have been engaged at the arsenal. But the
bishop of the diocese has been saddened to find that
it has been made morally impossible for these poor
workmen, who for the most part belong to Christian
families, to hear mass Sundays. Not only are they
deprived Of their Sundays rest, but their work begins
.at a. m.-too early for the first and only
ends at noon, too late for the last masses. ! have
also the honor of calling your attention to the spir
itual desttution of people detained suspicion. AS
long as their cases in process of investigation
they are precluded from assisting at mass and
thus hindered from fulfilling their religious duties
and deprived of their chief spiritual consolation.
may mention that the internal arrangements Of our
prison chapels are such to effectively prevent all
intercommunication between the prisoners. will be
obliged to your Excellency for your favorable atten
tion to both these petitions.
(Signed) D. j. CARDINAL MERCER,
The Governor General replied through the chief of
the political department that he would institute in
quiry into the points raised by his Eminence
When the inquiry, which lasted more than month
was concluded Baron der Lancken informed the
Cardinal that his request had been granted so far
circumstances would allow. AS matter of fact,
things remained more or less in statu quo.
The Cardinal, while thanking Baron Won der
Lancken for the patry concessions he had obtained
again insists upon receiving adequate satisfaction He
complains at the time, of the vexaous measures
to which he is subjected by the Government General
Archbishop's House. Malines,
July 10, 1917.
To Baron der Lancken, Chief of the Political
Department, Government General, Brussels.
Dear Baron--My vicar general has had the honor
to give you provisional to the letter which
10
Nevertheless, must revert to the subject matter of
your correspondence because attach great Importance
to it and thanks to your gracious intervention do not
| despair Of ultimately obtaining redress.
You are kind enough to inform that from a
religious point of view, improvement has been
| effected in the prison regime Though 1 must con-
fess do not exactly perceive in what this mitigation
consists, yet glad the lot Of the prisoners has
been softened and thank you for the efforts you
have made to bring it about.
AS regards the Malines arsenal, you alege that
before the war work was in fall swing and
went without interruption even on Sundays. In
this obliged to say you have been misinformed,
for it is only since the occupation that the workmen
have been deprived of their liberty to assist at
I am very grateful to you for having obtained
for them free Sunday out of four; but the fact
remains that the other three Sundays of the month
| they are compelled to work, and the government
| withholds facilities for performing their religious
| duties. The earliest said at $50; they
go on, together with the Sermon until 715 whereas,
| according to the regulations, the workmen are
obliged to sign on at the arsenal at Thus
hundreds of workmen precluded from obeying the
dictates of their conscience.
Your government plumes itself making the
| fulfment of their religious duties compulsory on
every one in your army. Why then refuse the Bel
| gians what you command Germans to do?
You appeal to pressure of work. Really, if
instead of opening the gates of the arsenal at M,
you were to open them at a. M. do you think work
would suffer seriously? Is It not already enough
strength every day of the week in the service of their
enemies?
said, Baron, that you have been misled by the
| people commissioned to inform you Does not the
incident brought to my notice yesterday supply an
! additional proof? I have not expressed to anybody
my intention of going to st. Gudue's the 21st Of
this month. decided the contrary, several weeks
age to sing the TIE Deum in my cathedral and have
informed the Metropolitan Chapter of my decision.
/ The author of the report which annoyed you has
therefore invented his story in every detail and 1t
is upon reports of this nature that the German Head
quarters are disturbed threaten fix their decisions,
| etc.
Again, on the 18th instant, after the funeral of
the late lamented M. Schoiaeert at st. Gudule's ]
lunched in the strictest privacy with friend Just
! as was taking my seat again in my carriage, was
amazed to see a group of about twenty people Of
| the lower classes prowling about just outside the
house. Their presence Was accounted for by two
armed ssntres, who lying in wait for my exit
and spying on my movements. l saw these two
sentries with my own eyes, and bearing arms, too!
Is this meant for joke?t But if some day the
joke becomes tragedy, who is to be made answer
able for 1t?
n T.,