The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-04-16
BY Or. Frederick Funder.

NflcHid correspondence N. u. w. y.
News Service.)
AT moment when anticlericalism
is rife and Socialism is at the pitch
of it's power, the biggest political fig
ure in Austria is Catholic priest
DR.. Ignaz Seipel.
AS chairman of the Christian Social
party of Austria, this young cleric
he is but "A years old-is perhaps the
most potent personality in the state
today. His political foes admire and
respect as well as fear him; his
friends follow wherever he leads. Not
only among his own people is he rec
ognized as large factor in the fate
Of his country, but even members of
the foreign missions in Vienna seek
and accept his counsel in the most i'm
portant questions of Austrias exter-
nal relations.
Europe is quite familiar with the
story of DR.. Seipel's rise from the
quiet retirement of a PROFESSIONAL ca
reer to the stormy heights of nation
al politics, but I feel that Americans,
too, would find interest in this polit-
ical epic.
1t is natural that a man of DR.
Seipels place and power should be
the target of all sorts of charges. He
is accused of harboring the most ex-
travagant and incongruous schemes.
He is trying to crush the Republic
and to restore the former monarchy
he is attempting to checkmate the
union of Austria with Germany; he is
the foremost champion of France.
Yet the authors of all these contra
dictory accusations coincide in regard
ing Dr. Seipel as a man of force and
genius.
After a political career of little
more than two years, DR.. Seipel has
come to be one of the outstanding
characters among those clergymen
who have turned their minds to pub
lie interests.
Honored by Emperor.
DR.. Seipel was born in Vienna. In
1899, after having studied at the Wen
ma University, he was ordained priest.
For some years he served as priest
and mentor as we'll as chaplain of the
Vienna Archdiocese, and as instructor
in a Vienna intermediate school. Next
he was appointed professor of moral
theology at the University of Salz-
burg. In 1917 he was called to the
University of Vienna.
Public attention was first focused
on DR.. Seipel during the war when,
with DR.. Lammasch, he pleaded for
a reasonable plan of peace against
the wild demands of the Pan-Ger
mans. He drew national notice to his
activities again when he contended
for a revision of the laws of nations
in conformity with Christian princi-
pies. Finally, his espousal of a pro-
gram for the substitution of new
order for the former Austro-Hungari
an monarchy gave him prominence
throughout Europe.
Emperor Charles gave the young
priest his implicit confidence, and
when Austria, in 1918, experienced
her gravest crisis, and DR.. Lammasch
was at the head of the Government,
DR.. Seipel, still in his character of
professor of theology, became Minis
ter of Public Works. This was the
last Cabinet of Old Austria. Days of
storm and terror shortly followed.
The flood of revolution surged over
the land, and dashed its waves against
the Castle of Schoenbrunn, the home
of the Imperial family.
But eighty-six members of the I'M
perial Guard stood garrison at the
Castle when the tempest broke. DR..
Seipel stood in the midst of tragical
decisions. The history of those dark
days has not been written, but when
hereafter it is told, it will recite how
a pious Catholic ruler, inspired by the
noblest intentions, who committed
mistakes more from benevolence than
from severity of reaction, and who is
still taxed by the Pan-Germans with
having shown too much eagerness for
peace, became like some heroic fig
ure of the French Revolution. -
DR.. Seipel was an eyewitness of
those momentous and melancholy
events which even in official circles
are not yet fully known. He can tell,
for example, that Emperor Charles,
rather than add drop to the blood
that had already been spilled, refused
the offer of trustworthy regiment
of Hungarian Roumanians to defend
him. The Captain of this regiment
by whom the proposal was made, be-
came later the Premier of Roumania
DIR. Manu-.
When the Emperor suspended the
last Austrian ministry, he bestowed
on DR.. Seipel the highest title and
dignity of the old Monarchy-that of
Privy Councillor On the establish
ment of the first Austrian National
Assembly, DR.. SeipeT was elected
from the first electoral district of vi
emma. This district is the home prin-
cipally of "intellectuals." Since that
time he has continued in the Assem-
bly,. He is the only minister of the
Old Monarchy to retain his influence.
Has Defeated Social Democrats Plans
DR.. Seipel has spoiled all the plans
of the Social Democrats, such as those
for the specialization of the means of
production and for embargoes on fac
tories and the like. He proved the
impossibility of all such schemes and
convinced the people of their econom-
ic consequences. No plans of the kind