The Menace

THE PAPIST THREAT
BEING CARRIED OUT
World-Wide Propaganda Made
Against Great Britain
From the Belfast (Ire.) Weekly News.

The Roman Catholic bishops have declared in favor of an independent Ireland. For while they do not use the word independent their meaning is clear and unmistakable. During recent years their attitude has kept pace with the progress of the Sinn Fein movement, and there can be little doubt that their actions have been inspired by the Vatican.

When it became evident that the Central Powers could not win the war, the pope was compelled to reconsider his position, and he set his heart on being represented at, or even dominating the peace conference. This was an open secret, and as long ago as the August of last year dark hints were thrown out as to what would happen if the pope's ambitions were not gratified. In that month the London Daily Telegraph published a remarkable series of articles, which were nothing less than a threat of what would happen unless the wishes of the Vatican were complied with. In giving them to the world the Daily Telegraph intimated that they came from "a well-accredited Roman source," and it was quite evident that the writer had access to thoroughly reliable sources of information. He spoke of the "enormously powerful authority controlled from this one centre," and he painted the following picture of what might happen under certain circumstances:

"German intrigue will be waiting on the doorstep of the Vatican, German missionaries will be crowding up the gangways of all their ships to spread their Germanism the world over; there will be German priests from Poland, the Slav states, everywhere where we want liberty. We have only to antagonize the Vatican and they will have full play to do their part toward the Germanization of the world in preparation, it may be for the next day."

This was a pretty plain hint as to what the Allies, and especially Great Britain, might expect unless the pope was admitted to the conference. The Allies antagonized the Vatican, and the threats contained in the passage quoted have been carried out to the letter. Difficulties of all kinds have confronted the Allies at every turn, and the wrath of the Vatican has fallen with full force upon Great Britain. In revenge for his exclusion from the peace conference the pope and his advisers are doing their best to separate and divide the Allies, and at the same time to strike a blow against Protestantism. To achieve this it is necessary to sow discord between Great Britain and the United States, and this is the real meaning of the clerically inspired campaign across the Atlantic and the blessing that has been bestowed on the aims of the Sinn Feiners. The Vatican is out for revenge and conquest, and there can be no doubt that it is behind the activities of the Irish bishops. It has virtually declared war on Protestantism, and it has played its cards so skilfully that many so-called Protestants are assisting it.