in is hopelessly divided: Conservative, against
Conservative; Liberal, against Liberal. The usual German
propaganda is furiously at work, all the paraphernalia, bought
newspapers--bribes. Roman Catholic prejudice against former
French Governments is a great stumbling block in the way of the
Allies in Spain, for that country became the refuge of many
orders and priests driven from France. Many of the Spanish
Catholics still resent the action of previous French Governments
towards the Catholic Church.

But whatever may be the faults of the French Government in this
particular, whether it or the teaching orders went too far--the
Roman Catholics of Spain sooner or later will realise that, after
all, the bulk of the French and Italian and Belgian people are
their co-religionists, and they will recall the attempts of
Bismarck to master the Roman Catholics of Germany and to bind its
priests to the will of the Imperial Government, attempts recent
enough to keep the Catholics of Germany still organised in the
political party which they created in the dark days of Bismarck's
"war for Civilisation," as he dared call his contest with the
great Roman Catholic Church.

Spanish and other Catholics throughout the world will remember
this and will remember, too, that from every valley of the
Protestant section of the German Empire the eye can see a
"Bismarck Thurm," or Bismarck Memorial Tower, erected on some
commanding height by the admirers of the dead Iron Chancellor.

I believe that after the war the Roman Catholic Church in France
and Belgium will be on a healthier, sounder basis, that it will
have more and more influence with the people, that it will be
more popular and respected than before, unless some act on the
part of the Pope should lead the French and Belgians to believe
that he favours Germany. Priests are not exempt from military
service in France and these Abbes, fighting, dying, suffering
wounds and privation, working cheek to cheek with the soldiers of
France, will do much to bring about the change. I met a number of
these priest-warriors in the prison camps of Germany. They are
doing a great work and have earned the respect and love of their
countrymen--their fellow prisoners.

Several of these soldier Abbes were prisoners in Dyrotz, near
Berlin, and I remember how they were looked up to by all the
soldiers. What a consolation were these noble warriors who fought
a two-fold winning fight--for their country and