A violent attack on the Church and the Papacy, which were accused of being responsible for the outbreak of war, was made on Sunday over the Germancontrolled Radio-Paris.
The sreaker was a German, Dr. Friedrich, and it is believed that this broadcast may be the inauguration of a third phase in the Axis policy towards the Church. Ever since the invasion of Russia, Axis propaganda has endeavoured to persuade the world, and especially occupied countries, that the Church was spiritually on the side of the anti-Bolshevik Axis. With the imminence of attack on Italy and the liquidation of the Comintern, Goebbels may feel that it will pay him better to lump the Church with "the other enemies of Europe and of a peaceful order."
" A careful perusal of the Papal press, the reports on interviews of high ecclesiastied authorities with Pius XI and the study of the enzyclicals, have enabled me now clearly to realise the crushing responsibility of the Church in unleashing the present war," stated Dr. Friedrich. "Just as the Vatican had condemned Fascism, it had to condemn, inevitably, National Socialism. Was it not a fact that these two eevolutions were going to attempt to restore the consciousness of their own dignity to all men, and thus to come into conflict with the Church in the spiritual sphere?
" As soon as the Fuhrer assumed power in 1933 the Vatican let loose its hostility. The triumph of the National Socialist Party resulted in the collapse of the Cetholie Centre Party ; this Party was the keystone—similar to the Radical Socialist Party in France— which up till then had tried to ensure the hold of the Vatican over the regime of the Weimar Republic.
" In spite of all efforts on the part of the National Socialist Government. in spite of the signing of the concordat by Cardinal Pacelli and Vice-Chancellor von 'Papen on July 19, 1933, the Vatican press launched violent attacks against the young German regime. With the support and encouragement of Rome, many German Catholics took up an open fight against the National Socialist State.
" There were altercations between the German Cardinals and the authorities, and finally a circular was issued by Marshal Cloering which, in view of the attitude assumed by the Church, gave orders to combat any political activity of the clingy. Thus, war was declared—a sly warfare on the part of Rome, an unshakeable firmness of purpose on the part of Germany.
WEEPING CARDINALS
" In December, 1936, a law on the education of youth was published which stipulated that German youth was to be educated in the Hitler Youth, oatside the home and the school, and educated in the spirit of National Socialism physically, intellectually and morally. Some German Cardinals protested against this law and found nothing better to do than to go to Rome to weep before the Pope. After their interview with the Supreme Head of the Church, they distributed through all priests in Germany the encyclical mit brennender Sorge. which had been secretly distributed among the priests themselves during the night. You will admit that these were rather strange methods. This document was secretly brought to Germany, printed in the greatest secrecy, and in it Pius XI not only condemned the totalitarian conception of the State, but also the principles of National Socialism, particularly on blood and race,
PRO-SEMITE POPE
" Since Germany desired ,the union of all peoples of the same blood and race, the Pope launched a violent campaign against racialism through his press. On June 29, 1937, he said in an address to the pupils of the College of the Propagation of the Faith: ' Mankind is nothing but a siegle universal race of human beings. It has no room for separate races.' On September 16, when the heads of the Belgian Catholic
Radio had made him a gift of a Missal. he reminded them that all Christians rightly gave the title of patriarch to Abraham, from which he drew the conclusion that Christians should not take part in the anti-Semitic movement.
"As to this, I shall quote the text as given in La Croix on that day, because this statement will permit you to realise more clearly the responsibility of the Church in the present war, and its partisanship against National Socialism in favour of the Jewish international; ' No, it is impossible for Christians to take part in anti-Semitism. We allow everyone the right to defend himself and to take measures to protect himself against any menace to his legitimate interest, but anti-Semitism is inadmissible. Spiritually we are Semites.' . This confession will open the eyes of anybody who still dares to doubt the fact that the high clergy have been Judaism!.
" You know only -too well what has happened in the meantime. You have been able to see it with your own eyes, and to find out who are the teal enemies of religion and peace. There existed a tradition accusing Germany, making her responsible for all evils. But don't you think that, in the light of the documents I have just quoted to you, the responsibility of Pius XI for the origin of this conflict is overwhelming? National Socialism tried to '5ettle`all conflicts with the Church the Church rejected the hapd offered to her. May she not bear the responsibility for this in the annals of history?"