The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-05-12
OrIemonski
Tells OfTrip
tcOntInned rom Page y


The account Of Stains stand on
the Catholic church was given by
the priest in prepared statement
he said the Russian Premier signed
on May s.
The statement quoted Stain as
saying he regarded himself as ian
advocate Of the freedom Of con-
science"
Father Orlemanski, whose trip
had aroused criticism at home, said
ile made the trip at the personal in
vitation Of Stalin--which he had
sought-.to study the Polish ques-
ton. He. said ne had the permits
sion Of the State Department.
private Citizen"
He went, he said nut as q rep
resentative Of the Catholic church
nor as an Ambassador Of the United
States Department, but as q private
citizen
IT am not a Communist and I
plainly said so in Moscow In my
public address to the Polish army"
he said.
Father Orlemanski said that in an
interview with Stain he asked these
questions and received the following
answers:
@. do you think it admissible
for the Soviet government to pur-
sue q policy Of persecution and coer-
cion with regard to the Catholic
church,"
A. LAS an advocate Of the free
dom of conscience and that Of wor-
ship I consider such a policy to be
inadmissible and precluded."
Q. do you think that the CO.:
operation OF the Holy Father Pope
Plus XII in the matter of struggle
against coercion and persecution OF
the Catholic Church is possible?"
A. II think it Is possible"
The questions and answers were
signed by Stain, he said.
Stain told Orlemanski that he
had no objection 70 publishing the
questions and answers and left that
to the priests discretion.
Prepared Statement
In a prepared statement, Father
Orlemanski added:
II am an American and I lay
stress on this one point, namely:
went alone to Moscow and I came
back alone. I belong to no clique,
no faction nor party. In my 80
years of priesthood this was my first
vacation. A mission to Moscow to
help my Church and Poland.
Let us scrutinize some of the
statements made by fellow priests.
Here is number /: Rev. James M.
Lawler, assistant general secretary
of the National Catholic Welfare
Conference related: The world
viewing militant atheism of the So
Wet government for years must be
cautious in estimating such state
ments as Father Orlemanskrs.
(Newsweek, May 49,
Surely, Father Lawler, you are
doing the talking but mine is an
official historic document. should
answer you thus. Number on my
program was to bring you an Off
cial announcement on the subject
in question. Talk, criticism, will
bring us nowhere unless we act. !
have acted. Can you or any other
Catholic ask or expect more Of me-?
Are you convinced that my mission
to Moscow was a success?
Here is No. 2:
THE Rt. Rev. Michael ]. Ready,
National Catholic Welfare confer
ence Secretary, quote: Indicating
the Hierarchy's views Monsignor
Ready blasted the trip as politi-
cal burlesque' I must say that is
unbecoming to use such vulgar
words. My priestly life will not be
undermined or destroyed by such
innuendo. Nevertheless, Monsignor,
I assure you that 1t was not a
'burlesque but high class opera.
II am sure that the American
public will understand my position
and give credit where credit Is due.
Wonderful News
II have wonderful news on Po-
land, but this will come at later
date"
Father Orlemanski said he would
leave Chicago at 2:30 p. m, EWT,
for Springfield.
In starting the trip. he said, he
Travelled from Springfield to Chi
cago and from Chicago to Great
Falls, Mont, and from there to
Alaska. The trip from Alaska was
made in a U. s. Army transport
while the return trip from Moscow
to Fairbanks, Alaska, was made in
a cargo plane.
II paid out my own good Amer
lean dollars for all travel in the
United States" he said. II did not
pay a fare for travel on the military
planes but 1t didn't cost either gov
eminent anything as the planes
were making the trips anyway"
Borrowed $500
After arriving from Moscow in
Fairbanks Father Orlemanski ex-
planned he was out Of money and
borrowed 5000 from a Catholic
U. S. Army Chaplain in order to
get home.
Father Orlemanski said he had
.wc conferences With Premier Stain
and that each lasted two hours and
Is minutes. He talked in English
through an interpreter. he said.
After the first conversation Stain
asked him to prepare list of ques-
tons and that he returned to his
hotel and did so. He then submit
ted the list of questions to Stain
and Stain answered them, later
making it an official signed docu-
ment.