Evening star., 1942-07-04

said to be deliberately f1outing:
church regulations so they may &C
cuse the Catholic authorities OF
political interference. This is being
done chiefly through persistent at
tempts to secure burial with full
military honors for Belgium Nazls
and other Belgians who have died
fighting for the Axis in Russia.
The Nazls started turning religious
services into political demonstrations
many months ago. These demon
strations were usually preceded by
party gatherings in town halls, ad-
dresses by party leaders and Ma
tional Socialist parades. AS a result,
Cardinal Van Roey, Archbishop OF
Malines and Primate of Belgium,
issued an order that no military or
political honors are to be allowed
at requiem masses and burials OF
National Socialists. The order also
specified that Nazis are not to at
tend the church service in uniform,
that the coffin may not be drapeo
with the Nazi flag, and it prohibited
the singing of political songs in the
church during the religious cere-
mony.
AS a result, whenever a Nazi OF
the Catholic faith has died in Bel
gium, trouble has sprung up IN the
district. In many instances, parish
priests, entering the sanctuary Tor
the requiem mass, have found the
church full of uniformed Nazis with
their flag. In such cases priests
have usually refused to offer the
mass.
Focal Point for Disturbances.
The Nazis are now said to be
making this the focal point for dis
turbances and for propaganda
against the church and the clergy,
who are made to appear unsynnpa-
thetic to the people, disloyal, hostile
to new IDEAS, plotters against the
occupying power, pro-British and
Russian.
A London Catholic paper, the
Universe, describes this campaign
as a carefully manufactured anti
religious atmosphere, and declares
that "the time for the Nazis to
strike directly at the church has
arrived" The publication reports
that the Nazi-controlled press IS
Screaming with indignation and
accusation with the radio and
military administration following
suit.
The German military chief told
the Belgian Parliament last month
that military tribunals are to be set
up to deal with these matters and
that such actions by the clergy will,
in the future, be judged by the laws
of war.
Meanwhile, the Belgian Nazi pa
per Vooruit declares that secret
groups calling themselves "Crusad-
ers" have been established by the
clergy of West Flanders to fight
Nazi ideas. The paper complains
that Belgian clergy are using scouts
and Catholic youth groups to spread
poisonous and secret pro-British
pamphlets"
THE strongest opposition against
- National Socialism comes from
the clerics and the various organi-
cations they establish" the paper
adds.
Possibility of strong action by the
Nazis against the church in Belgium
Is believed in some quarters here to
be heightened by the invasion jit-
ters of the Belgian occupying ad-
ministration and by the refusal, last
week, of King Leopold to indorse
ReXist Leader Leon Degrelle as head
of new government favorable to
the Nazis. Degrelle has been ostra
cized by churches and priests
throughout Belgium.
The Belgian development COIN
cided with violent campaign
against the Vatican and the Roman
Catholic Church by several Fascist
newspapers in Italy including the
Regina Fascista, owned by Cabinet
Minister Roberto Farinacci, and the
Critica Faracosta, chief theological
paper of the Fascist party. The lat
ter accused the Pope of "culpable
neutrality" m the war, and, accord
ing to the London Catholic Herald,
uttered threats against the Pope.
Faiths in Britain Agree.
Leaders of the Roman Catholic,
Anglican, Free Church and Jewish
groups in Great Britain are now
united on statement of peace aims.
The chief rabbi of the British En-
pire, DR.. j, H. Hertz, has officially
indorsed the 10-point peace aim
manifesto which was issued in De-
cember, 1910, under the signatures
of the Archbishops of Canterbury
and York, Cardinal Hinsley and the
moderator of the Free Church Fed
eral Council.
The chief rabbi issued his indorse-
ment in declaration which said
without subscribing to any ideas
and implications of a doctrinal
character in those pronouncements,
Jews solemnly indorse their fine
plea for the primacy of the spiritual
in the life of men and nations, as
we'll as their reaffirmation of the
| absolute reality of everlasting dis
tinction between right and wrong in
human conduct"
The 10 points consist of the five
peace points issued by Pope Plus in
December, 1889, and five additional
standards based upon the Oxford
declaration adopted by the World
Conference on Church, Community
and State held at Oxford, England,
in 1887 and attended by official dele
| gates of 119 non-Roman Catholic
communions from 45 countries.
First step to obtain action on
postwar issues by the three faiths