Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-15

IContinuation of Chapter XXX-The Deportation
Of the Unemployed
DOLITICAL Department of the Government General
of Belgium, Brussels
l. 9fS. January @S, 1917
To His En,ime,,ce Cardinal Mercier, Archbishop of
ualines.
The Governor General has directed to inform
your Enyinence of the following facts: TO enable him
to select those of the unemployed 1Co are to be de-
po,ted from MalineS and to facilitate the inUestgd-
tion of each individual case, the KaeSchef summoned
yarious classes of persons to the Meldean each
on different day during the month Of December, and
among these included ecctesiastics Everybody
enjoying immunity from deportation aUas required
as has been eGpresay stated il public notice-to
hare his identity card stamped IN special 1oay at
the Meldedmt. The said notice further stated that
any hindered from appearing IN person could be
represented By another reasons for his nonappear
cnce being gven The priests IN question could doubt
less haze availed themselves of this regulation but
then preferred to absent themselves from the bureau
and did not appear second date assigned to them.
These priests uftercard sent to the Kreische letter,
IN aUhich they declared that their attitude IN not
swering the had been dictated By their u-
Wiltngness to cooperate IN the measures adopted
against the unemployed As, according to the 1Uording
of the notice posted up the question of the co-opera
ton of priests did not arise the otives assigned
not admissible consequently the Kreschef had to
knowledge that the priests by thei, nonuppearance
had contraVened his orders and by sentence of the
Governor General each of them nulcted IN fine
of 100 marks.
The Governor General deems it fitting to inform
your Eminence of these facts. HIS Encellency cannot
but perceive open contradiction bettveen the priests
declaration signed in the first place By Canon Vrdn-
ken and the proposal made by your Eminence to seeE
the advice of the priests IN the selection of the unen
pIoyed In your letter of November. 29, your Emil
said: "Priests avho knolD the common people
better than any else aUould render valtGbIc as
sistG1ce IN making these inquiries. Why is this aid
refuSed? Taking into consideration these aUords of
your Emnence, the Governor General finds their re-
fSal to obey the Kreischefs formal order altogether
inerpcabLe and therefore regrets his inability to
remit the fine imposed upon them.
offer your Eminemce the expression Of my sim
oere esteem and yours deUoted[y,
(Signed) LANCKEN.
The Cardinal merely acknowledged the receipt o1
this letter of January % from Baron der Lancken
He replied to the interim Governor General of Belgium
Baron Huene, upholding the conduct of his priests
and pointing out how odious were the steps taker
against them by the Governor General.
Archbishop's House, Manes,
January 81 1917.
To Baron der Lancken, Chief of the Political
Department of the Governor General of
Belgium.
! have received the dispatch of January % you
We're good enough to send me on behalf of the
Governor General.
honor to address to his Excellency deals with such
delicate questions that it appears to me more
udlcious to write to him directly the subject.
Receive, sir the assurance of my sincere esteem.
(Signed) D. J. CARDINAL MERCER,
Archbishop of Malines.