Evening star., 1941-10-18

between the Catholic clergy and the
Nazis. Cardinal Van Roey, Arch
bishop Of Malines, recently refused
to approve recruiting of Belgians in
volunteer legions to fight holy
war" against Russia. He is re-
ported to have been threatened by
the Nazi authorities, but no action
has apparently been taken against
him.
The Bishop of Bruges, another
leader of the resistance, has for
hidden all teachers in the denomi-
national schools to attend meetings
of the Flemish nationalists or to read
or circularize their publications.
The bishop himself is a Fleming,
which makes his action doubly sig
nificant.
The Belgian clergy is actively op-
posing Nazi sympathizers and politi-
cal conformists. Leon Degrelle. the
Rexist leader. is in special disrepute.
In Barine-rAlland. where Degrelle
recently spoke, the dean hastily
called parish meeting at the same
hour and warned his parishioners to
put up their shutters to indicate
the general reprobation of this
anti-patriotic individual"
Ferment In France.
Evidence has also come out OF
France of the growing ferment in
the churches and the increasing re-
sistance Of the younger clergy to the
Petain regime and the Nazis.
The most prominent leader of the
resistance among Catholics is Msgr.
Bruno de Solages, rector of the
Catholic Faculty at Toulouse.
Reports indicate conflict between
the older and younger clergy in un-
occupied France, the older support
Ing Petain and the younger vigor-
ously opposing him.
In occupied France the Catholic
lalty Is finding inspiration and sup
port for their resistance to Vichy
and Germany from the younger
clergy.
Norway Resistance Continues.
Recent dispatches from Norway
have been limited. but available
reports indicate that the bishops are
maintaining their oft-repeated stand
against the Nazis and Quislingists.
In Holland, also, the Protestant
clergy and the Catholic hierarchy
are keeping up their resistance
Trades against their refusal to en-
courage participation in "the fight
against Bolshevistic Godlessness"
appear frequently in the German
controlled press.
Little news has reached this coun-
try OF the status Of the churches in
zecho-Sloyakia. but according to
New York Czecho-S -Slovak sources
the churches are in the forefront
Of the resistance movement. It is
reported that the Czech Brethren
group-a Moravian body-is leading
the Protestant opposition. while a
number of Catholic priests have
been thrown into concentration
camps because of anti-Nazi activity.
Three Of the leading representa-
tlves Of the Czech government in
London are Catholic priests. They
include the Prime Minister. Msgr.
Jan Sranek; the secretary general
of the Slovak Catholic party. Msgr,
Paul Machacek, and Msgr. Frandi-
SEX Hala. The avoWed anti-Nazi
sentiment of these men probably
gives impetus to the opposition of
the churches in Czecho-Slovakia to
NaZi-ism.
The Churches and War.
In the United States interest was
centered on the reaction of church
groups to the war as religious bodies
got into the full swing of their fall
conferences.
A relaxation Of the previous paci-
f1st stand was diScernible, but there
was no evidence that the churches
are going over to the side of inter-
vention. Action taken by. confer
ences in various parts of the coun-
try indicated three general types of
sentiment on the war situation:
/. An outright anti-war stand,
such as that adopted this week by
the Rock River 1ll) Conference of
the Methodist Church, which said:
I'VE deplore administrative acts that
step by step are involving us In
shooting wars"
2. A decision to issue no pro-
on the war in cases
where a great deal Of difference of
opinion exists. This was illustrated
at the Central Kansas Conference
of the Methodist Church, where.
for the first time in many years. no
statement on the war was adopted |
because of diSSension among mem |
oers of the Resolutions Committee. |
3. Adoption of type of resolu-
ton which leaves the whole prob
lem up to the conscience of the in
dividual. Action of this kind was
taken this week by the Genesee
Conference of the Methodist Church
and the Presbyterian Synod of
Catholic Clergy Against War.
The Roman Catholic clergy, in q
conducted poll announced |
this week, overwhelmingly voted |
against participation of the United |
States in a shooting war outside !
the Western Hemisphere and
against extension of aid to the |
Communistic Russian government"
The poll was taken by the Catho- |