Show MERCIERS MERCIER'S LETTER IS I DISAPPOINTMENT I J i IN ROME ROM E Pastoral P. P st al Lacks Strength and I Vigor of Previous Utterances Utterances Utter Utter- Italians Say ances I I 4 ILi LONbON N ON April 4 Cardinal Cardinal I Mercier's Merciers ers er's pastoral letter which 1 evoked a a. remonstrance fromI from I Governor General von Bissing l last st month has just been received received re re- re- re here After expressing joy at b being back among lis l 13 fellow countrymen countrymen country country- men inen and stating that his Ills journey to h had bad d been blessed beyond what he had dared to hope the Belgian cardinal car dinal dma turns to the position of BelLet Bel Bel- glum gium i Let us even suppose that the finish or the issue of the gigantic war now I being fought in Europe and in Asia Minor olinor should be uncertain one fact I i 1 is already established in civilization and history the history the moral triumph of Bel Bel- BelI I gium glum In unison with your king and andI I government you have made immense I sacrifices for your country Peoples abroad understand your spirit of sacrifice sacrifice sac sac- you are admired and your genI generation gen gen- I has taken its place gloriously i In history Is not that a conquest DIY my nil brethren Are you not the most roost glorious of conquerors I I 1 know that you rou weep that the hearts of mothers and wives are broken that lives are being lost on onUle I the Ule banks of the The imprisonment imprison ment meat of our nation on our own soil is sadly prolonged We Ve shall win but we are not yetA yet A at t the of our sufferings France Great Britain and Russia have pledged themselves to make no peace until Belgium Belgium Bel Bel- Bel- Bel gium glum has recovered her entire inde lode independence independence and been largely fied fled Italy in turn has adhered to tills this pledge Our future is not in doubt but we must be prepared for forit it q April 3 i Vi Via Paris April April 4 The The text of Cardinal Merciers Mercier's pastoral pas pat 1 toral letter is awaited here with keen I Interest and there are many conjectures I I t tures as a as to why the printed copies I which the cardinal was to send to the Vatican have not reached their desti desU nation The Thi text of the document mt was made known in Rome to certain dignitaries rles and was considered exceedingly moderate It is said that no allusion whatever was made to Germany in a direct way through a sense sens of courteous recognition by the cardinal ardinal of the fact that the German authorities had not nol prevented him from rom visiting the pope The Tile document as his 35 seen here was in two parts the parts the I. I fat dealing with the popes pope's attitude I I toward Belgium as expressed to Car CarS CarSI I Mercier the text of which was submitted to the the pope himself and the thes s second cond dealing with matters purely i e ecclesiastical concerning Belgium and j civilians It was indeed noted that i so o was the pastoral that it s seemed emed to lack the strength and vigor b f his previous utterances On March 20 a letter addressed by Governor General von VOll Biasing to Car Car- Mercier in connection with the Jatter's latter's pastoral letter was published Th The letter said in part parL eminence in pastoral letters in political statements against which I decidedly protest It Itis Itis itis is quite inexcusable that your eminence eminence eminence emi emi- nence should raise unjustified hopes hope r regarding the issue of the war Thus for tor Instance your eminence has mentioned mentioned mentioned men men- Inaccurate utterances of persons per sons ions who are not in touch with events and d who certainly be called experts You speak of the possibility that a decision such as as you rou desire could be expected by the spreading of diseases By such arbitrariness you cause among a credulous population noxious excitement and induce them to oppose the administration work of those hose who are In occupation of the country Especially Inadmissible in a pastoral letter is a hint at menace to the religious liberty of the people of the country occupied In these circumstances I shall henceforth sternly prosecute any political ity Uy and any stirring up of hostile sen sea against the authority of the occupying power which authority is Is' Is legitimate according to international law Jaw I warn your eminence I to desist from political activity A report published in ju n Berlin regarding regarding re re- re- re garding Cardinal Merciers Mercier's pastoral letter said that according to ad advices vices from flom German officials In Brussels the cardinal stated in It that if he once doubted the tile final victory his faith had now been restored as a result of his conversations with North Americans and South Americans who had Inspired inspired inspired in In- him with unshakable I conri deuce dence ence in Belgium's victory |