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i
BE FAIR TO PRIESTS,
Cardinal Opposes Plan to Force Pledge From. Clergy Not to
Undertake Anything That Would Embarrass German
Administration in Occupied Territory
. Explanatory
rpHE extraordinary battle of moral courage against brute force traceable throughout all the relations of the
Cardinal with the German masters of Belgium began quietly in u time of lull.
Some Ave weeks before Von Blssing'fl first letter wn? dispatched to the Cardinal, the little Belgian army
had inundated the tiny strip of territory still left King Albert and had gloriously succeeded in driving the Ger
mans back across the Yser.
The victory had signal strategic Value for the Allies, but it did not seriously jeopardize the German
satrapy in Belgium. By far the greater part of the country was cynically treated as a conquered province to (
be Incorporated into the German system.
Ultimato absorption in the empire was frunkly contemplated. At the worst, the territory was to be used
as a pawn.
Field Marsha? Kolmar von der Goltz as the first governor general had but a brief tenure of office. In
tho first days the uncertainty of his position fdr tho decision oFtho Marne was not yet made moved him to
bo somewhat careless of promises. v
The Cardinal was quick to scrutinize every pledge 'and to estimate its value. Tho time inevitably camc
vhen ho justly accused tho occupying power of repudiation of its own woids.
Von der Goltz, however, enjoyed u high reputation as a field general. He had fought in the Prussian,
war of 186G against Austria, he had served ugiinst France in 1870, and in 1883 he went to Constantinople to
reorganize fhc Turkish army. Ho did a workmanlike job, as was evidenced when the Ottomans, after thirteen
years of his training, scored an easy triumph over Greece in the biief war of 1897. Von der Goltz Pashu
became the baron's eastern title.
On December 3, 1914, the baron was transferred from Brussels to the Itussian front.
The aged pasha he was seveilty-two headed for a while tho Turkish troops in. Mesopotamia, and, in
the spring of 1910 he died of typhus fever at Ottoman headquarters in Asia. Ho is not to bem confused
With his kinsmap, the younger General von der Goltz, whoM-rcently defied the Allies in tho Baltic region.
His role in tho Mei'cicr drama was prefatory. A chief actor entered with tho arrival of Baron von
Bissing, o!d like his predecessor, and destined also to die before thu German collapse. His name is in
famously associated with the fate of Edith Cavell.
Physically he was a spare, figuie with black hair, turning to gray. "He had an aged and leather-like
complexion and was clean shaven, save for a thick junker moustache. He had tho reputation of being scrupu
lously clean. His mouth was stern, but without the slightest suggestion of subtlety.
This fact has acute bearing on every step of his protracted dealings with the fine, keen and superbly,
virile mental make-up of the archbishop of Malines. On points of remorseless, logic the great prelate worsted
the visually impressive Prussian repeatedly.
Von Bissing's complete surrender of his plan to extract loyally pledges from the Belgian clergy before
sanctioning the payment of their salaries comes as a climax to the correspondence incautiously begun on Decem
ber 28, 1914.
The backdown of the German Government at perhaps the peak of its power in Belgium vas a significant
Index of dramatic capitulations still to come.
Cardinal Merciers Story
Including his correspondence with the German
authorities in Belgium during the war, J.914 to
1918, edited by Professor Fernand Mayence of
Louvain University and translated by the Benc
dicAine Monks of St. Augustine's, Ramsgate,
England.
CHAPTER II
IltC Cardinal Asks Vou Bissing's Authority lo
Send Belgian Priests Into Pri&on-
, ers' Camps in Germany
' Archbishop's House, Malines,
December 16th, 1914.'
To His Excellency Baron von Bissing, Governor Gen
eral of Belgium. '
Your Excellency The numerous Belgian pris
oners of war in Germany, notwithstanding the priest
ly care which 'tne German clergy may be lavishing
on them, are, on account of their ignorance of the
language, deprived of religious succor.
, A sound organization of the care of souls would
require the sending to Germany, fpr the term of
hostilities, of a few Belgian priests conversant with
both our national languages.
As your Excellency is concerned about the,, re
ligious interests of our people, would you not con
sent to take stepsvith, the Imperial Government to
obtain for some of our priests authorization to at
tend to our prisoners?
For this I should be extremely obliged to you. '
Kindly accept, your Excellency, the expression of
my highest esteem.
(Signed) D. J. CARDINAL MERCIER,
, " Archbishop of Malines.
Kdltor's Note This letter remained witfibut an
THE DAILY NOVELETTE
THOSE MINCE PIES
Ily MARY MM Ell
COVERS were, laid for three. Eric
'Dorr declares the minco pies led up
to It. Sirs. Deane sljly hints some
credit is" due lier since she herself was
indirectly responsible for the unlimited
rap jet at the head of the stairs. Miss
Barbara, however, keeps mum. It hap
pened like this:
Eric had fallen asleep over a came
of solitaire. He awakened with a start
when tlie improvised table across Ills
knees, with tlio cards atop, tumbled
noisily to the floor. He frowned at his
watch. Eight o'clock !
The stuffy little room boasted one
window, and toward this Eric im
patiently stalked. Flinging it wide, lie
stood there against the casement in
haling deep draughts of the chill No
vember uight air.
He was pood to look upon, was Erie.
Not exactly handsome the features
nero much too bron?ed, and then that
scar near the temple, l'ct from the
tousled red balr to the slippered feet
there was an indefinable something.
Maybo it hub the lad's elcuu-limbed
stalwnrtness you gloried in. Maybe,
too, it was the trim crectuess of the
lithe young body that mudc jou In
stinctively senso the well-worn khaki
outfit tucked away in the trunk in the
corner.
Suddenly Eric sniffed eagerly. An
aroma, a delicious homely smell, filtered
into the room. It was the unmistakable
odor of mince pies. Craning his neck,
he beheld several Bucculent brown things
on thq ledgo of tho window directly
below. The sight "well-nigh made his
mouth water and he gorged himself
mentally, tho while he registered u vow
to include this particular tidbit in his
luncheon menu on the morrow. And
then ,ho smiled wryly.
He liked his present quarters im-
mcnscly. Mrs. Deane, tho landlady,
was a rare motherly soul. And there
was Tcddyboy across
" niuiiie. xeuujuoy ns seou,
brown-cjod and wistful. Yesterday thu
child had said :
"Wisht Corp'ral Jim'd come home for
the party." Eric's hand had trembled
Uh it stroked the soft, yellow hair.
"Corporal Jim" would never como homo
alas !
Such morbidness! Eric swung
around. Those miuco pies had upset
him. Ho would go for a stroll.
He found the hall In darkness au
unusual thing. There was a gusjet at
the head of the stairs, he Encw, unci
.groped his way along. Suddenly he
btood tense. Once again the pungent
odor of minee pies, this time permeating
the stale atmosphere of the hall, as
sailed his nostrils. A wave of home
bickuoss surged oer him and ho tank
weakly down on the top btair.
A door below opened softly and
some oue swiftly nscended the stairs.
Dazedly, Eric drew aside. Immediately
there was a smothered shriek and, with
presence of mind, Erie leached out.
Her surprised cry had betrajed her
sex, while the quivering of the silpplc
joung body, helil close, told him she
was a mere slip of u girl. The thump,
thumping of the bundles as they bound
ed downward proclaimed a previous
shopping expedition. And then she
laughed, a little sheepish laugh, which
straightway broke the tension.
"All right, kiddie," ho told her,
"hold tight, I'll light up." Tho light
flickered garishly.
She was a dainty creature, to be
sure. Sweet and pretty. Hut n kid
die! Tlio mischievous twinkle in her
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Because this is lo bi a
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124
tfc- US. ,!&.
at aajv iiwr.
Comment
answer. Liter Vnn Hissing informed tlic Cardinal that
tin1 steps whjch lie liail tiiken at headquarters to comply
with His Eminence's request liuil not been successful.
CHAPTER 1IT
Salaries of the Clergy
TN ORDER to obtain their salaries, the officials of the
Belgian state who remained at their posts under the
German occupation had to sign a declaration by which
they pledged themselves not lo undertake or omit
anything which could embarrass the German admin
istration in occupied Belgian territory. The Governor
General wanted to subject priests lo the same formality.
The Cardinal fought against this energetically; he drew
attention to the fact that ministers of worship in Bel
gium are not official and that their salaries were paid
them by way of compensation. Von Bissing replied that
he did not share in this view, but that he would never
theless beatisfied with a declaration from the Cardinal
that the Belgian bishops had no' intention of disturbing
public order. He would consider this pledge as binding
tho whole body of the Belgian clergy.
The following are the letters exchanged on this sub
ject between the Cardinal and the German administra
tion: , '
Brussels, December 28th, 1914.
The Chief Administrator Attached to the Governor -General
n Belgium.
Order No. 11a 1057. "?'
To Hie Eminence Cardinal Mercier, Malines.
I inclose for your Eminence's perusal a copy of a
communication made to the ministry of justice. I
would request your Eminence to take all the necessary
steps to make the members of the Catholic clergy sign
llfa declarations which are the subject of tljo in
closed communication. If your Eminence will consent
lo sign this declaration, I would ask you to send it
on to me and immediately to notify the official whotc
duty it is to pay you your salary. I, likewise, would
ask you. to carry out these same instructions in the
rase of the higher clergy.
dark, paiixv e.es made him ohuoMe iu
wunll. Then, with u guilty flush, he
noted the misi'ellaneouK collection of
eatables adorning the talrs. Through
its covering of stiff brown paper the
leg of a plump chicken protruded. Mid
way bcibw reposed u bunch of celery.
And cranberries! There were other
things; clusters of grapes, oranges, a
bottle of )lles lay at his feet. Me
chanically, he stooped.
"At least there's this," ho began
shamefacedly.
She bestirred herself. "They're all
of them all right. I shall wnsli them,
of course; one musu't be too wasteful.
Mrs. Deane is out," she apologbed,
"and I was to light up. But I'c been
cooking and I thought you" she
blushed for no npparent reason "most
of tho roomers arc away, I was fetch
ing these things up for Teddj boy's
inspection. We're to have a regular
purty tomorrow.
"I'm glad it wasn't my mince pics,"
she dimpled at him.
"L'm-m, jes, I smelled 'em," he
slacked his lips bojlshly.
"Oh, Captain Dorr," irrelevantly.
"Teddjboy told me all about jou.
You've a room directly over my kitch
enette. I hope I don't disturb jou,"
anxiously.
He hastily reassured her. She smiled
her appreciation, then suddenly her face
grew grae.
"Teddjbov sujs'you were at S
whore our .lim was k-killed, I we
miss him to!" This in defense of the
sudden rush of tears.
He sensed the inevitable heartache.
"Are jou sure jou want the details?"
he usked gently. She nodded bracly.
Ho tried to tell her. .
"And ho wus there, brave laddie, in
the thickest of the fray, gallantly fight
ing, when " His voico trailed off
huskily. "If only we might have ex
changed pluccs," lie added a bit fiercely
"lie had so much to live for, whilo 1 I
tho hall, dear,
By.
ALBERT PAYSON
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MERGER'S
The declarations of the other ecclesiastics arc to
bn cottectcd and sent to the coniietent agent of the
treasury and to the official in charyc of the payment
of salaries.
A list of the names of mch ecclesiastics as have
signed the declaration must be drawn up in the same
order as appears on the pay Hit. This list must be
sent to me. Your Eminence will also be kind enough
to compile and forward me a list of the ecclesiastics
whose salaries arc not io be paid.
Concerning the drawing up of the pay lists, I
wokld ask your Eminence to come to an understand
ing with the provincial presidents of those Gcrnum
civil adminis'lrations who exercise their functions in
your diocese.
For the Governor General,
'. i ' (Signature illegible).
Tlio following communication uas inclosed with
the preceding letter:
Brussels, December iiSth, 191.',
hi view of (he fact that ecclesiastical salaries aro
relatively small aifd that, in consequence of the war,
a great many ministers of uorship have had every
other source of income considerably diminished, I con
sent to the priests being paid their salaries, in full, so
long lis they have not been paid from other sources, '
viz: in the provinces of lirubanl, llainault, Samur,
Limbourg, Liege and Luxemburg, from September
1st, 1014, and in the province of the two Flanders
and of Antwerp from October IU. The proposal to
L.pay ecclesiastics their, salaries clcii in part from
July 1st,- 101 J, cannot be entertained, us by this ar
rangement they arc already priiilcgcil in comparison
with yll those who arc ordinarily receiving remuner
ation from the state; for the German Goicrn'mcnl has
only taken in hand the admimttrution of the stale
revenue of Ilelaium since September 1st, for a part
of Belgium, and from October 1st for the other part.
In co)iscqucncc, it is imposiiblc for it to pdy the sal
aries of the preceding months.
To receiie their salaries, ceelesiastics must sign
the following formal pledge:
CARDINAL GIBBONS'S PREFACE
September 16, 1919'.
J .am very happy to fce able to recommend to the American.
reading public thiB authorized, official and authentic, story'
cfjmy "beloved and esteemed brother, Cardinal ltercier'3 eexv
ience during the Great ivar.
In it ihe reader willTreallze the full' meaning' of Wis
Cardinal's attitude during '.the war, and possess a true historical1
accpunt of the ereat' moral fight tfhioh'.waa carried on by fiiitf
as Belgium' spiritual leader.'
X
hud nobody ho cured. But I escaped
unscathed," bitterly.
"But " She wondered at tils' sear
near his temple.
"Oh, that?" casual like "Bayonet
thrust," Mircinclly.
"O-o-oh!"
They had finished the task now. The
bundles were heaped on the bottom
stair. There was an nwkwnrd pause.
Eric found his heart pounding ftiriouslj,
she looked on wan and droopj -IiLe.
"He often mentioned Teddjbcur out
then-. And jou he called jou 'Bab
bie.' "
A ipicer, throaty sound issued from
her lips like u sob held iu check. Then
she faced him bruely.
COLGATE'S IMPROVED PROVERBS NO. 4
Iv T is -art
it HUK ut i
?- ' vl itPPKlfi V
BBmmCsmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmKJsVj MM I I !" " i '
More
PLEA TO VON BISSING
"A'oi lo undertake anything against tho German
administration in the occupied Belgian territories and
to avoid anything that could in any way prejudice its
interests."
Those ecclesiastics who have resigned or who
have abandoned (heir posts, or who through foreo
of circumstances are hindered from filling them, shall
vot'rcccivc their salaries. The sumo applies to those
who have received their salaries from other sources.
The ecclesiastics must give tho agent of the treasury,
or the official vi charge, a written declaration testify
ing that they haic not yet been paid.
Those ecclesiastics who shall act contrary to their
pledges will be punkhedaccording lo the laws of war
and will be deprived of all further salary.
1 have communicated tht present order to Ilia
Eminence Cardinal Mcrcicr, Archbishop of Malines.
to the bishops of Bruges, Ghent, Liege, Namur and
Tournay lo the presidents of tho synods of the Prot
estant churches, to the council of administration of
the Free Protestant Church, to the central committee
oj the Anglican Church and the chief rabbi of Brus
sels. I hare acked them to take the necessary steps
to colled the declarations of the ministers of wor
ship and to hand them over to the officers whose duty
it is to pay the salaries.
1 inclose with this communication the pay lists of
the clergy of East Flanders, requesting that the
otder may be carried out. For the other provinces, I
have given ordcro to the various presidents of the
German civil administration to arrange wlh the eccle
siastical authorities about drawing up the pay lists.
As soon as these reach mc, I will hand them over to
the minister of justice.
For the Goicrnor General
(Signature illegible).
Appeal for Fairness lo Clergy
Archbishop's House, Malines,
January 27th, 1910.
To His Excellency Baron on Bissing, Governor Gen
eral, Brussels.
Sir A communication from your administration
informs us that the German Government of tho oc-
?j3tdtttttrfefc
"l'e just got to keep a stilt upper
lip, for Toddboj's Mike," she said.
And then iidili'd something that thrilled
him clear through.
"You might come to the orgy tomor
iow. We'll set another place. There
used to be three "
He had to Miy something.
"Er-er," incoherently, "mightn't tho
outs get 'cm,
She stnrcd,
sweet smile,
u sunheum on
T4me
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cuplcd part of tho country offers to arrango for tho
payment of the clergy's salaries from September 1st
or October 1st, 1914, but on condition that tho various
members of tho clergy sign a declaration by which
ihey pledge themselves not to undcrlako anything and
to refrain from everything which might bo prejudicial
to the German administration.
Certain considerations which hae, I believe, es
caped tho civil administrator's notico will mako tho
juridical and legal status of tho Belgian clergy clear,
and will, I feci sure, receive your Excellency's atten
tion. First. Ministers of worship arc not state func
tionaries. Second. Their salaries arc paid them as an In
demnity in compensation for confiscated ecclesi
astical properly.
Tho members, therefore, of tho clergy neither
take an oath nor give een a pledgo to tho Belgian
Govcrnnienf, but aro merely bubject, like ordinary
citizens, to tho general laws of tho country.
First. I saidyour Excellency, that ministers of
worship in Belgium are not public functionaries.
Our Court of Appeal hat. explicitly recognized
this in its decree of March 4th, 1847, iit which it af
firms' that by virtue of tiieir office ministers of wor
ship have no executive authoiity, nor do they exer
cise any. In fact, only those can bo regarded as such,
says the decree, who cither directly or indirectly aro
delegated by the law or by tho Government to exer
cise any kind of authority; and ministers of religion
hae certainly no function of this nature.
Second. I added that the salaries aro paid to
ministers on tho ground of indemnity. In tho terms
of Article 117 of the Belgian Constitution, "salaries
and pensions of ministers of worship aro charged to
the State; the necessary bums to meet these are in
cluded in each year's budget.''
Ancient Privileges of Priests
Tho discussions preceding the framing of this ar
ticle show that the Congress looked upon salaries and
pensions for thu clergy as a compensation on tho
grounds of indemnity for the ancient privileges of
which the Catholic Church was deprived at tho time
of the confiscation of ecclesiastical property.
From the very beginning of our national inde
pendence, His Highness the Prince do Mean, Arch
bishop of Malines, anxious to guarantee to the Catho
lic religioil that full and entire liberty which alone
can secure for it peace and prosperity, wroto to tho
National Congress as follows: "Tho Stato has appro
priated ecclesiastical property only with tho obliga
tion of providing adequately for the cost of public
worship and tho maintenance of its ministers; as 'wit
ness the first article of the French law of November
2d, 1789. The Holy Seo on its side only ratified the
alienation in the interests of peace, expressly stip
ulating that the Government should undertake to pro
vide the clergy with a competent balary, as evidenced
both by the 13th and 14th articles of the Concordat
of 1801, as also by the Bulls referring to these. In
order to provide against unjubt preferences and on
tho plea of these salaries, lo prevent any agent of
tho executive power from interfering witti tho free
exercise of public worship by bringing to bear any il
legitimate influence on tho opinions and conduct of
ecclesiastics, it would bo needful that tho apportion-"
ment of these subsidies be fixed by law."
In fact, thd legal Government has never exacted
from the clergy a declaration antecedent to any pay
ment of salaries. If tho German Government wero to
exact it, it would impose on the clergy a status in
ferior to that guaranteed them by tho Belgian Con
stitution. I firmly trust that the Governor General will give
his fair-ifiinded attention to tho views herewith ex
posed and will admit their soundness.
I beg your Excellency to receive tho expression of
my greatest esteem.
(Signed) D. J. CARDINAL MERCIER,
! Archbishop of Malines.
See tlio discussions of the National Congress, by
Huytteus, Vol. 1, p. 525.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Copyright. 1019, tV Pvbllc Ledger Co.
Cavuright. Canada. 1319. by Public- Ledger Co.
iiifmialloHUl CavvrioM, 1910. bu Publla Ledger Co.
those mince pies, I mean?"
then Hashed him u shy.
not unlike the glimmer oT
a misty morn.
"Why why what a boy you arc!"
she said shakily.
Tho net comnlcto novelette Solving
I tho Problem.
HAWOBTU
pAGER hands will strip the tree of its treas
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tree itself will come to an ignominious end in
the rubbish heap.
But pictures of the tree, of the children at
play with their new toys, pictures of all that
makes a Christmas merry will live forever.
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