Bishop Speaks

One of the Vatican's most trusted servants in the U.S. raised the first forth right, authoritative Catholic voice last week against any idea that Hitler's war against Russia was a holy crusade. Two months ago this same bishop--the Most Rev. Joseph Patrick Hurley, who was dispatched from a Vatican post to St. Augustine, Fla. last autumn -- was the first to proclaim Naziism a worse enemy than Communism.

In a radio address on "Papal Pronouncements and American Foreign Policy," Bishop Hurley cried: "Crusade forsooth! Not God, but the enemy of God, wills it; its standard is not the Cross, but the swastika which a great Pontiff called 'this foe of the Cross of Christ'; the rape of Poland is scarcely a recommendation for Christian knights; and the recluse of Berchtesgaden is badly cast for the role of Peter the Hermit. . . . America's attitude toward this new war should not be swayed by Nazi propaganda; it must be based on purely strategic considerations. The Nazi remains Enemy No. 1 of America and of the world." lics"

Of a the "small but noisy group of Catholics"-- the Couglinites and Christian Fronters who currently stooge for the crusade idea -- Bishop Hurley said: "We have suffered long from their tantrums. We have blushed for shame when they acted up before company as tantrum children will do in any family. Years ago they established the crank school of economics ; latterly they have founded the tirade school of journalism; they are now en gaged in popularizing the ostrich school of strategy.

"The school may change its curriculum, but the same professors hold the chairs, for they are specialists in the universe of knowledge. Many Catholics are inclined to apologize for them; but I think that is unwise. They are embarrassing but not significant, and quite harmless as long as their tantrums do not lead them to break the furniture. They will disappear in time like those other exhibitionists -- the marathon dancers and flagpole sitters -- who amused America for a while and vanished."

More startling was Bishop Hurley's view that President Roosevelt alone should decide upon the U.S. entry into the war: "It is up to him to safeguard the interests of the nation in times of great emergency. . . . He must be ready to act fast and decisively should the need arise. . . . The problem [of entering the war] should be left to the Commander in Chief who alone, in loyal communication with Congress and in consultation with his military and naval advisers, is capable of bringing us safely through. . . .

"It is not the business of a churchman to call for war but neither may a churchman do anything other than encourage a government to protect ... its sacred national interests. ... I believe that our Government in this awful hour may with justice say to certain churchmen: 'Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's! ' "

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