BELGIUM’S INVASION.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1922, Page 4

BELGIUM’S INVASION.

GERMAN- RUTHLESSNESS. >

PAPAL NUNCIO’S REPORT,

j By E. .J. H. Dulieii). I mil glad to have Hie opportunity of making known in Australia the .original and unpublished text of the report sent to Pope Benedict XV. oil December G, 1 Oil, by his nuncio in Belgium. It is most interesting to remark that the nuncio waited until out of‘Belgium to write his letter. To those who do not already remomher clearly which were the victims and which the guilty, this report made by an impartial, representative of a spiritual power, should he dedicated.

“The Hague, December (i, 1914. “To his Most Reverend Eminence, the Cardinal Pierre Gasparri. Secretary of State, Romo. “Most Reverend Eminence, — “Now that T am at The Hague and that it is possible for me to epiimninieate with your , Eminence at Rome, I feel myself better able to write on the matters which have occurred in Belgium in the actual circumstances of tho war. “In the first place I cannot lull confirm what has been said in the Belgium newspapers by the commission of infliiiry established for this purpose, as to the violation both of the rights of people and of the rules of war. Perhaps the details' set out in the said papers and reported hv the commission may not lie admitted as exact in every small particular, hut upon general facts absolute accuracy has been reached. .Moreover, wu may also add that naturally in thb headlong rush of events numbers of facts were over looked and many must remain unknown. The hostile troops committed counties* irregularities in Belgium wherever they met resistance, destruction of villages, massacres ofeivillans, murder of priests, profanation of churches, burnings and plunderings, and the very worst deed* which an unbridled soldiery can comic iI. And this not being the exception but the rule, and done every time with the officer’s sanction, wherever the troops mei with resistance and especially when they suffered defeat, one feels that orders must have been given lor slaughter, destruction, and the use of terror upon the population throughout the whole march.

“I must remark, on the oilier hand, that despite the accusation of the invaders, the Belgians dhl not act as the Germans pretend they did. wishing to justify their own conductT The Belgians did not make reprisals or commit cruelties on the enemy. The temjiefaTllcnt of the Belgians, inclined by nature to mildness, is in opposition to such methods. “Here and there a civilian may. perhaps have fired mi the invading (roups or sheltered Belgian nr Allied soldiers in order to help them in th"ir military operations against the Germans. Bui this does not ill any way excuse the hn'rbanms fashion systematically employed by the enemy troops in making innocent civilians responsible and shooting them or submitting them to deaths still more cruel.

“Belgians have eiiduied and are still enduring al these things as war goes oil, though having no responsibility in tins war. as ri.'i v body knows.

“Belgium has plains been a pacific nation which never interfered in the conflicts between other nations. Throughout all she has kept absolute neutrality. Before the war she had never concluded public or secret treaties favouring any nation. Consequently it is false and calumnious' to fry to make the world believe in a pre-war understanding lietween Belgium and England or France. “This being granted, I must say that Belgians, in spite of so many bitter trials, would have liked and would like the Holy See to show itself in some small way at least, as being oil their side. Theie is instead a belief, and there has been since the inception of the war, that the Iluly See favours Germany. I did, of course, my best 1o show the absolute impartiality of the Holy See. and tl jo sympathy that it always felt and still feels for Belgium ; hut I have tq eon less that my words were not sufficient to reassure them. Seeing themselves neglected and kept into the hack grounds, the Belgian Catholics are still feeling resentment and suffering from a kind of disillusion. They resent being treated without the eolisidei at ion which they could justly claim on account of the injustice of the war as far as they are concerned, and

on account of ti:e prelection due to their weakness.

“In regard to this, bitter representations have been made to me by notable individuals and even bv Ministers and officials. They say in substance -‘Since we bare been an independent conn try, we, Belgian Catholics, have ever sbov. n 'absolute fidelity to the Holy See. Me delentied its right with our blood by contributing the greatest number <d nieii to tlie pontifical troop!). We protest, and shall ever protest, the present situation of the llolv See. We have always cheerfully given our mite, and, as a Catholic Covernmnt. wo have done our utmost for thirty years to maintain the best relations between Church and Slate. This being so, in Ibis unjust war. which strikes in the most brutal way at our national existence, do we not deserve considerably sympathy and protection?’

“In vain did 1 make it clear that Hie Church Imd wide interests oi the greatest importance that she i the mother of all and that injustices cannot he redressed at once nod judged from one point ol view alone, but that it befits the (’hurt'll to act with prudence so as to be aide to exert more surolv her benelicient influence, f icpeat it, T was unable to appease my interlocutors, or to bring them to my point of view. What began greatly to linger them was, as 1 cabled to the late secretary, IT. K. I ■'errata, life news that the ‘Ossorvatnro Romano’ had republished from a German newspaper a calumnious article on Belgium, and that the Indian Catholic Press inclined rather more towards Germany than towards Belgium. Another cause ol dissatisfaction was 1 so report, spread over Belgium, that some dignitaries id the (Tmreh. at the time of the conclave, had uttered some unfavourable appreciation oil Belgium, calling extravagant the patriotism of the Belgians, and accusing them ol carrying things too fur ill their desire to express their hostility to the Gorman claims. And, as it usually happens in such casts, especially when malignant voices try to make anti-religious passions interfere, these rumours have grown up to sm li an extent that people in certain occupied districts have collie to think that Biime is inclined to believe lies labricated ill Germany, ail'd that even •I*, Ur's ponce’ are spent to support the Germ; v’V- The correction made by the •(Isserviiiirs*).. Koiiiaiio.’ the day after the publication of the aiticle accused ol falsitv, aml that 1 notified to the Government. as well as other proofs of the sympathy of Home with the valiant -Belgian people, and above- all, tin* fallicilt and loving goodwill showed many limes I,V the Holy Father to the said people, have cheered up the minds.

“The position being, however, _ that the Belgians bad such cruel experiences as to their territory (which lias become in certain parts quite a desert, and whereas the Germans, lighting ill the territory ol others, have not sulleied). Belgians feel that they have a greater riidit to protect ion and pity. ~-r lake the liberty, therefore, of submitting |o the enlightened judgment ol mv superiors the question ol knowing if,' in spite of the fact needed under H'e circumstances, it would not be possible for the Holy See to make its voice more strongly heard in favour ol a country unjustly attacked, and so harshly trca.t-

■ I annex herewith tin- lasi ropnrl received this -very day from the commission of inquiry above mentioned. This commission is composed ol members belonging to the different political parties and presided over by alr-( ooieman.

State Minister, and former President of tiic Chamber of Deputies, well knotvn for liis dear intellect, his prudence, and integrity. ••Botvin;' to kiss your Sacred Purple, 1 have. the*hnhur to subscribe myself with reverence, t'e vci.v humble, devoted, and obedient servant of your Most Bevorciid Kminoiu-e, “Jean Carol, Arehhishop ol Nice, •‘Apostolic Nuncio.”