Evening star., 1942-06-13

| OUTSIDE, Hlcll III oeiA'Ao
and agents of the Gestapo mingled
with the early morning crowds
knowing this, worshippers in the
dimly lit churches grew taut as
words of defiance. spoken by their
priest, and written by Bishops OF
Holland. bade them beware OF the
enemy who had come to persecute
and despoil their church.
What they did not know, as they
listened intently to the pastoral
letter. was the secrecy and spirit OF
determination which had made 1t
possible for them to hear the out
spoken message from their spirit
nal leaders. Only a few hours be-
fore, a high official of the German
Gestapo had stalked arrogantly
into the palace of DR.. de Jong. He
demanded to see the archbishop
at once.
The agent of the Gestapo was
angry. The German secret police
had only just learned that, in spite
of all their cleverneSs, a pastoral
letter. signed by the Dutch Catho-
lie Bishops, was to be read that
morning from the pulpits OF all
Dutch churches.
Nazi Left Cooling His Heels.
A document that had been writ
ten. printed and distributed with
such efficient secrecy could not but
be dangerous to the occupying
forces Of Nazi Germany. 1t must
be suppressed and the archbishop
must see to it Immediately that
none of his priests read it in church.
The demand was made in bully
ing tone. But the archbishop
listened courteously. He assured
the Official that the matter could
not be dealt with as expeditiously
and easily as the Gestapo seemed
to think.
There would have to be a delay
while he consulted his co-signa-
tories.
The archbishop left his visitor
alone and considerable time
elapsed before he returned He
apologized. At such an early hour,
and the day being Sunday. the
1 telephone service was not as one
might wish. However, if the gentle
man would be patient little longer,
he would try again to make a con-
nection.
/ But an angry Nazi official. left
cooling his heels for hours, could
become too furious even for dig
nifed and courteous archbishop to
placate. When DR. de Jong returned
with yet another expression Of re-
gret. the Gestapo agent sprang to
his feet shouting: The letter must
on no account be read in public.
If it is, there will be heavy conse-
ouences.'
OutmdHtuNefS ucStdpO'
The archbishop sighed and looked
at his watch. That is regretta-
BILE" he said, for now fear it is
too late. The letter has already
been read at all our early masses"
Too late. indeed, for even as the
Gestapo official made his way back
to headquarters, all Catholic Hol-
land had been keyed to stiff resist
ance to Nazi tyranny by the ex-
plicit condemnations of its bishops.
They had been told that no Dutch
Catholic could join Nazi organiza-
tons except under pain of being
refused the sacramentS.
The bishop had struck an effec-
tive blow at attempts to popularize
National Socialism in Holland.
From the pulpits of Holland on
that August Sd morning, workers,
miners, teachers and others had
been told they must not enroll in
the one big Nazi workers associa-
ton that was to do away with all
other Dutch unions. There was to
be no compromise in Catholic Hol-
land with Nazi principles.
The bishops condemned the moral
persecution waged against Holland
and the church. I'VE raise our
voices in protest against the in
justice inflicted upon tens of thou
sands-to force them to accept a