French News Leiter

NO POLITICAL COMMITMENTS French Bishop's Stand
By M. MASSIAN1
PARIS
Mgr. Louis Rastouil, Bishop of Limoges, has recommended his clergy not to become members of Liberation Committees !,et up in all communes pending regular elections of
municipal officials. He stated that "the pastor should maintain his independence " and not risk a possible harrier between him and his people, or a loss of confidence among " souls and families that have a right to all* his ministry."
In various communities members of the clergy have been appointed to these Committees. which must be represented of different shades of opinion. One of their responsibilities is to determine and prosecute persons guilty of collaboration with the enemy during the occupation. "Such a mission," Mgr. Rastouil says, " is incompatible with the mission of peace and forgiveness proper to the minister of religion. The priest is, and must remain, everybody's man. He visits the prisons, assists those condemned to death, and consoles their families," "It is a good thing," the Bishop of Limoges adds, " that above and beyond mcn who do not cease to quarrel and disagree, someone can be found who always consoles, soothes and pardons, and who continues to emceed the Master's words of love: ' Love one another?"
600,000 CIVILIANS
It is estimated that 'no less than 600,000 French civilians arc being held in Germany as political prisoners. This number 'does not include prisoners of war or forced labourers deported to work in factories. These civilians are intereed in 168 camps, only two of which—the camps where important personages such as Prefects of Departments and former Government officials are confined—have been visited by chaplains. The continued and persistent requests of the French Episcopate to be allowed to supply the remaining 166 camps with chaplains have been rejected.
(Among the interned civilians are Mgr. Gabriel Piguet, Bishop of Clermont-Ferrand, the Rt. Rcv. Bruno de Solages, P.A.. Rector of the Catholic Institute of Toulouse, and former Premiers Paul Reynaud, Edouard Dela. dies, Albert Sarraut, Edouard Herriot and Leon Blum.)"
REPATRIATION
When the war ends. no less than 17,000,000 prisoners of war, forced labourers and deported political prisoners will have to be repatriated from Germany, according to International Red Cross statistics.
The general organisation of this gigantic repatriation is under the control of Anglo-American authorities. However, the French Red Cross and General Chaplaincy for French Prisoners are organising missions to follow the Allied troops on their advance so as to care for French-speaking repatriates. Among the prisoners are about 2,900 French priests,