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TEMPTATION TO SURRENDER

It is possible that one day the West will be presented with the temptation to sur render to the Communist power, rather

than to risk losing all. Perhaps some high leaders will give a counsel similar to the one presented to Fray Kordecki by a Po lish noble: "The continuation of the re

sistance can only stir up the violence of vengeance. It is better to make an agree ment with the enemy while you are still intact. Act as the others have done, for

your own good...The aim of a religious

order is to abstain from temporal matters.

What do you have to do with the turbu

lences of war, you whose rule calls you to solitude and silence?" At that moment,

the fate of the whole country of Poland hung in the balance. To find out how Fray Kordecki responded, see "Czestochowa," page 13.

DEFAMATION CAMPAIGN

FORMER TUCKER ESTATE: This is the new social headquarters

of the Foundation for a Christian Civilization. The application for zoning variances in Bedford, New York has led to a great publicity uproar of defamation against the Foundation, the American TFP, and the TFP's in distant countries. What is behind

the uproar? How have the entities of Catholic inspiration re sponded to this "McCarthyism from the Left"? — See page 4.

m

i GERALD

RAFSHOON

in

his

Washington office. This is the man

who keeps everyone marching in

m

Ml

hi

Wj,

the same direction in the Carter

..1

Administration. How great is his power? — See page 25. See also

\

Back Cover.

•CffrTAr-

Oiusaiie foR R Chrastisoi Civilization

April—June 1979

Volume 9, Number 2

EDITOR: John Hart ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Thomas Bell

Eugene Kenyon

Jeremias Wells Murillo Galliez

Principles, Symbolism, Tendencies PHOTOGRAPHY:

"McCarthyism from the Left" Against Entities of Catholic Inspiration

Edward Thompson Preston Noell CIRCULATION DIRECTOR:

The Foundation for a Christian Civilization

Gerald Campbell

Completely Refutes Series of Thunderous Slanders

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS!

London: Jules C. Ubbelohde The Issues Are Settled but the Calumnies Continue. ..

the Foundation in Face of an Enigmatic Campaign Crusade Protests Against Slanders; Recalls Main Points of the Foundation's Position

Paris: Guy de Ridder Rome: Ronaldo Bacelli

Madrid: Jose Luis de Zayas Montreal: Michel Renaud

Sao Paulo: Jose Lucio A. Correa

Buenos Aires: Jorge M. Storni

Czestochowa

Caracas: Pedro Morazzani

By Prof. Plinio Correa de Oliveira

Santiago: Jose A. Ureta

Brief History of the Image

Montevideo: Raul de Corral

Bogota: Julio Hurtado

The Siege of Czestochowa

Quito: Juan M. Montes La Paz: Julio Bonilla

By Plinio Corrca de Oliveira

Jerry in the White House

By Thomas Bell

Forgotten Truths: *Tt is Lawful for Judges to Inflict Punishments" — St. Thomas Aquinas The Little Barrel, a Medieval French Tale

We mustfight, in order that God give the victory.

St. Joan of Arc

Crusade for a Christian Civilization, P. O. Bo.\ 1281, New Rochelle, New \'ork 10802.

Issued quarterly. Subscripti()n(six issues): USA $9.50, Foreign $ 10.50(Europe by Air Mail $17.00). When changing your address, please send both new and old addresses.

Some back issues available;descriptive price lists available upon request.

OUR COVER: Face of the

miraculous image of Our Lady of Czestochowa.

Principles, Symbolism, Tendencies THE "NATURAL LOOK" AND THE "CONNATURAL LOOK"

of nature are the grandeurs of Christian Civilization to lead the soul to a serene

contemplation of the majesty of the How often we encounter the expres

Creator.

sion "the natural look.- We hear it on

television, on the radio, in the movies, in conversation; we read it in books,

THE PUNK: CONNATURALITY PAR EXCELLENCE

magazines, papers. We see it featured in the advertisements from day to day, promoting cosmetics, clothing, sports, nature study, health foods, and enter tainment. It appears to involve a whole

Visualize a man with grease paint on his face, wearing a garbage bag strewn with garbage.

The request would be an imposition if such a creature did not already exist.

life style.

Amateur artists frequently like to paint clowns, because the grease paint completely depersonalizes the face, thereby making few demands on the skill .

' .<• 1 '. vw.,

of the artist.

Natural dignity

Furthermore, it can produce mon

ofa

strous tribalistic effects.

Christian man

And then there is the mime who, in

addition to painting the face, takes away who lets his hair go wild and who be

the voice.

comes connatural with dirt.

These are symbolic and tendential figures.

How easy it is for the "natural look" to become the "connatural look"!

And there is more to be said.

Man has a soul that can not be satis

personalizes himself with tribalisticpaint,

But what about the creature who de

fied by any kind of naturalism. It hun gers for the marvelousness of the super

self with garbage.

There is in the totality of his aspect

natural life. Above the greatest vistas

a connaturality with all that is most

makes savage gestures, and covers him

fummMtmumciA

Advertisements promote the "natural look," tending toward informalities.

Indeed, doesn't all of this symbolism exert a strong pull over the tendencies?

Obviously, we may be attracted by these appeals as a reaction against so much that is anti-natural in society. But we must ask ourselves why all this pro motion, why all this symbolism? To what end is it trying to influence me?

Dancing in garbage bagS: a scandalous

symbolism

One must make a distinction between

that which is in accord with nature and

civilized — for example, a rugged peasant who reflects the dignity of Christian Civilization or a well-terraced and culti

The treasures of Christendom reflect the

vated set of forms in a garden - andthat which is merely barbaric — the one

perfections of God.

2 CRUSADE

THE DIGNITY OF HUMANKIND

DEMANDS COURTESY AND

CEREMONY

repugnant to the spirit of man. It is the connaturality par excellence of the punk.

When a person speaks to him, he does not answer, merely grunts or spits. In this way, the punk shows his hatred for the human condition; he wants to be like

â&#x20AC;˘ It^

the animal that doesn't talk. He who is

connatural with dirt hates the beauty

mw.

ihat is the reflection of God. He hates

God. His hatred goes deep, and is ex

pressed by the totality of his being.

Do fashionable persons who wear gar

bage bags and dance with one another God made the world with a great dig

The mime, a tendential

figure.

was encouraged by the movement of

nity and respect. Courtesies and cere

this word like a minuet through the so

monies are but a reflection of this dig

cial hierarchies.

nity in the human convivium.

This may lead us to consider the sim

How many children are no longer being diverted from barbaric tendencies by the' constructive influence of the

ple courtesies.

There was a time when it was cus

tomary in America to say "please" be fore making a request of another per son. But this custom appears to have al most completely passed away.

In spite of the smallness of this form,

courtesies? How much child abuse is worse because of their absence?

The use of the courtesies is more

difficult now. But where they do appear, they are even more appreciated by those who suffer from the lack of them. They

we do not want to underestimate the

represent a good gesture, a good symbol

the meaning of the symbolism, the ul

seriousness of its loss. How many pro vocations to ill-temper have been avoided

ism â&#x20AC;&#x201D; something of benefit to the whole society. Moreover,love of courtesy leads

timate force of the scandal they are giving?

by its use? How much graciousness, how much refinement, how much gentility

to a love of ceremony, a sense of sacrality, and a deepening reverence for God.

before the cameras of publicity consider

..N

THE PRINCIPLE OF IN FORMALITY TAUGHT BY

EXAMPLES AND SYMBOLS

When a priest dresses as a layman, a president wears jeans, a college professor appears in overalls, and a garage mechan ic abandons his uniform and works in

the grease in faded denim shorts, ex

amples of informality are already suffi cient to show a principle that is o] 1 to the ordered seriousness necess., civilized life.

>

For some time, there has been a cult

of informality whereby people encourage others to loosen up their clothes, take off their coat, their tie, etc. In addition to representing a breakdown of disci

pline,these tendencies promote conformism to. low standards and easily lead to hippism and worse disorders.

Men can not fall into these bad ten

dencies without ultimately embracing revolutionary ideas to justify them.

The clothes are symbols and men in

time become like the clothes they wear.

And what is worse the liberal process progressively feeds on itself...

Progressive liberalizations ofinformalities, tending. .

CRUSADE 3

IIIcGartliyism from the Left" Against Entities ef Catholic Inspiration ."rr

"McCarthyism from the left" was the expression that one lawyer used to char acterize the defamation campaign pre

sently being waged against several en tities of Catholic inspiration: The Foundation for a Christian Civilization, the Institute Our Lady the Queen pre

the institutions requesting the variances.

BEING SETTLED,

and explanations that were given, they soon began to spout vague, slanderous,

THE DEFAMATION CONTINUES

and contradictory accusations, totally unsubstantiated by any evidence, proofs or facts.

sently in formation, the American TFP, and several other TFP's.

THE PAPERS AMPLIFY

What has become a truly enigmatic and frenzied publicity uproar was al

THE SLANDERS

ready incipient when the Foundation

IN SPITE OF ALL ISSUES

Ignoring all of the reasonable answers

In spite of the fact that all accusations

had been completely refuted by the Foundation and that all issues had been

settled, the enigmatic defamation cam paign continued, echoing from paper to paper the way a physical echo rever berates from mountain to mountain.

This same lack of regard for truth,

rented the former Tucker estate in Bed

evidence, and the innocent was dis

ford, New York, a property recently

played by various newspapers that joined themselves to what soon became

THE FOUNDATION DE NOUNCES ARTICULATED

an articulated campaign of defamation.

One of these papers. The Reporter Dispatch, published a series of thunder ous slanders against the Foundation and

CAMPAIGN

purchased by Mrs.VirginiaTatton.Among the uses proposed for the property is that it serve as the site for the Institute

Our Lady the Queen, a private school

for boys in formation.

The Bedford Zoning Board was ap proached for zoning variances in respect to these institutions.The Foundation and

the school answered all of its questions

and met all of its requirements without delay. In addition to presenting many samples of its cultural works to the Zon ing Board, the Foundation provided it with many letters from prominent Amer ican citizens testifying as to its impec

cable reputation and the high social value of its works, From the very beginning, the Foundation made clear to the Board its nature and its ideals and the fact that it has collaborated with the American

TFP, a legally separate entity with sim ilar ideals.

A SMALL GROUP

OF OPPONENTS TRY TO

PREVENT THE GRANTING OF THE ZONING VARIANCES

Nevertheless, for some inexplicable

the various TFP's.

another document — "The Issues Are Settled But the Calumnies Continue. . .

THE FOUNDATION REFUTES THE CALUMNIES

In a masterful document,the Founda

tion completely refuted these noisy calumnies,demonstrating that aftermuch searching the opposition had never un covered anything against the Foundation or the American TFP and had stooped to the low tactic of trying to show guilt by association by smearing similar or ganizations in faraway countries. In the interest of justice, the Foundation refu

the Foundation in Face of an Enig matic Campaign." This document, which

was reproduced in the local papers, ex posed the strategy of the defamation campaign whereby it was trying to ob scure the carefully reasoned position of the Foundation in a cloud of confusing and meaningless statements.

CRUSADE DEFENDS THE FOUNDATION AND THE AMERICAN TFP

the maligned organizations, substantiaating its case by the presentation of

Unwilling to remain silent at such a time. Crusade for a Christian Civilization prepared a statement in defense of the

over 2,000 documents.

Foundation and the American TFP. The

ted all of the accusations made against

declaration of Crusade summarizes the

key points in the position of the Founda THE REPORTER DISPATCH

tion, asking the Board and the citizenry

REFUSES TO PUBLISH

to hold these firmly in mind and not to

THE REFUTATION

reason, a small group of opponents arose

in order to try to prevent the granting

Accordingly, the Foundation de nounced this articulated campaign in

be distracted by the cloud of smoke

raised by the defamation campaign.

The very newspaper that published

The three documents referred to in

of the zoning variances to the Founda

this series of thunderous slanders re

tion and the school. This small clique

fused to publish — even as a paid adver

did not merely ask questions, which would have been reasonable and just, but

and abundantly documented refutation

this article are reproduced in the follow ing pages.

Crusade asks Our Lady of Fatima to strengthen Her sons in this struggle

sought to create a whole climate of innu

of those calumnies, which the Founda

and to grant the requested zoning vari

endoes aimed at casting suspicion upon

tion prepared.

ances as soon as possible.

4 CRUSADE

tisement •— the serene, well reasoned,

THE FOUNDATION FOR A CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION

Completely Refutes Series of Thunderous Slanders In view of the inexplicable uproar and confusion created by a small but active group of opponents to simple requests for zoning variances on the former Tuck er property, The Foundation for a Chris tian Civilization deemed it necessary to

present to the public a clear explanation of the situation.

nored by the press and by our opponents.

This strange emotional attitude is be yond our comprehension.

The burden ot proof rests with the accuser. While our opponents have proven nothing, we, on the contrary,

present a cascade of documents. It is our pleasure to file with the Zoning

will not disturb the neighbors,but rather will enrich the cultural life of Bedford.

The proposed use will safeguard the rural character and charm of the estate and its wildlife habitat which is a con

tinuous source of well-being and esthe tic pleasure for the people of the area.

The bridle trails will continue to be avail

We have listened patiently for five

Board over 2,000 official documents

able for the enjoyment of the many rid

months now to a real cascade of distor

that prove what we have been saying.

Strangely enough, amidst all the

ing enthusiasts in the area. The magnifi cent woods and landscaping that would be destroyed in a development will be preserved and taken care of.

The unique main house, already a part of the history of Bedford, will be preserved, restored, and decorated. In this way, each succeeding generation may learn to appreciate an important era of the history of the United States qnd

tions, smears, defamations, and falsifi

cations against the Foundation and the organizations with which we have worked.

In spite of the fact that we had answered' all these gratuitous allegations complete ly and courteously, we see with sadness

slanders and allegations, almost nothing is being said about the Foundation and

the pertinent legal aspects of the applica tions. All the legal requirements for the applications of the Institute, Our Lady

that our opponents repeat these same al legations unceasingly and evermore loud ly even making use of the pages of cer

the Queen and of the Foundation have

tain local newspapers.

diversionary tactics by attempting to

The repetition of vague and unjust al legations unsupported by witnessess and

create an issue about odd philosophies

the spreading of gossip and anonymous letters has created the highly emotional

been completely fulfilled. As this fact is undeniable our opponents are using

and actions they would like to ascribe to us.

American Society for the Defense of

What we are requesting is very simple and makes good sense. An estate of near ly three hundred acres with an immense main house of some sixty-five rooms, and with other large buildings can no longer be zoned for single family use

Tradition, Family and Property (TFP),

because of the economic realities of to

climate of a real witch hunt. It is becom

ing clearer and clearer that we are facing an orchestrated and large-scale storm of defamation. The Foundation and the

an edifice whose design and decoration reflect important aspects of our Ameri can heritage and Christian tradition.

The public benefit of the Foundation is explicitly recognized by both the Fed eral and State governments in conferring upon it a tax-exempt status. (We cite this as reference only. The property taxes will continue to be paid, since the

property is privately owned and only leased to the Foundation.)

with which we collaborate, are victims

day. We are proposing a limited insti

of simultaneous attacks that upon analy

tutional use, establishing the offices and

lectual activities of the Foundation serve

sis show themselves to have several points in common: the same technique of in

cultural activities of the Foundation for

the common good of the countrv

a Christian Civilization in the main house;

whole as well as those citizens of th

and a very small school in the winter cottage, which is itself a lovely man

who will participate in our public lectui cs series. The library of choice books

sion of some twenty-odd rooms. No new construction is proposed.

which is already on order and program med for future acquisition will be an en richment of the cultural patrimony of

nuendo, distortion, and unfounded gen eralization.

In spite of our answers, including a clear explanation of the Foundation's history, purposes, methods, philosophy, and associations with the various TFP

movements, the opponents and also var ious reporters feign a strange ignorance of the capital points of our position.

For instance, they continued to base their opposition on the most irresponsi

this area.

The activities of the Foundation for a Christian Civilization will consist of

historical and cultural research, writing of books and articles, office work,forma

the TFP of Brazil, despite the fact that in the hearing we brought to their at

tion of a library, development of artis tic works, including musical activities, composition, concerts and a choir; pub lic lectures, and two major annual semin

tention official declarations completely

a

THE FOUNDATION WILL BE OF BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY

ble stories about another organization,

exonerating that worthy organization.

This important statement has been ig

Furthermore, the cultural and intel

ars. These activities on such a large estate

THE PROPOSED USE FAVORS

THE HEALTH,SAFETY,AND WELFARE OFTHECOMMUNITY

In these times of moral decay and' growing crisis of the family, it is critical ly important to offer young people meaningful alternatives based on reason and reality. The best protection young CRUSADE 5

people may have against falling into drug addiction, depression, cults, and so on, is a solid formation in the perennial values

well as other necessary work on the es-

"tate. The residential aspect is obvious ly secondary.

of Christian civilization. This is exactly

what the Foundation provides for the public in general and what the proposed school will offer to its students.

The welfare of the community will

certainly be enhanced by the sound idealism and the high moral character demonstrated by the Foundation mem bers and volunteers. Their charactermay

mental and spiritual welfare of mankind and indirectly its physical welfare. It is, therefore, obviously an eleemosynary

corporation in the fullest sense of the THE.FOUNDATION IS AN ELEEMOSYNARY CORPORATION

"The terms 'philanthropic and elee mosynary' often denote a purpose to

term.

THE FOUNDATION'S USE WILL PRESERVE AREA PROPERTY VALUES

promote the welfare of mankind by

In spite of the fact that the Founda

works of charity and sometimes they are

tion presented a detailed site plan, our

be measured by their comportment in

used in a broader sense to denote an un

opponents and the "expert" witnesses

the face of the insults and gratuitous

selfish purpose to advance the common

they brought to the hearing admitted

slanders that are being raised against them. That they answered with modera tion, patience, dignity, and serenity was even pointed out by one of our oppo nents at the last hearing. Furthermore, Mr. Richard Lawrence, a member of the

Town Board, was cited by the Patent

Trader as describing the conduct of the Foundation people as "quiet and un obtrusive" {Patent Trader, Dec.6,1978).

Reports from former neighbors, even in openly slanderous articles, had to recog nize this fact. We are filing with the Board

letters from former landlords

testifying to the character of the Founda tion members and its volunteers.

During the nearly six years of opera tion of the Foundation, its history and the conduct of its officers and volun teers have been such that even Mr. A1

Green, our most vocal opponent, de

clared in the last hearing that the Foundation's past is "lily white."Furthermore, all the allegations against the or ganizations with which the Foundation has collaborated are completely unsub stantiated, as will be demonstrated in this document.

In spite of a strenuous effort, anony mous documents, and a campaign of slander that created an artificial fear and

tension, our opponents were able to

gather only seventy-four signatures on a petition against us although they claim to have "200 people" supporting them.

Even then, several of these signatures

The former Tucker estate. Nevx social headquarters ofthe Foundation.

were not from residents of the area.

THE FOUNDATION WILL USE THE PROPERTY FOR INSTITUTIONAL PURPOSES

good in any form or manner" as defined

in the case of Westchester CountySociety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

A detailed site plan has been presented

their total ignorance of the Foundation's proposed use of the estate. They failed to show any comparative studies of sim

V. Mengel, 54 N.E. 2d 329,331. 292 N.Y. 121. (See also Rotch v. Emerson,

ilar situations.

105 Mass. 431,433. Taylor v. Keep, 2

the fact that the Foundation and the school are small cultural institutions

purposes. It has been stated clearly,

III. App. 368,377. La Salle National Bank V. The Thresholds, 327 N.E.2d 22, 28. The Trustees of Dartmouth College

on several occasions,that the Foundation

V. Woodward 4 Wheat. 518.)

pletely secluded from the neighborhood in the midst of a wooded park.

for the use of the buildings. This plan demonstrates that the greater part of the square footage will be allocated for office and study and not for residential

Furthermore, they did not consider operated by a few people on a huge estate. Besides, the buildings are com

wants to establish its headquarters on the property. We foresee an eventual seventeen persons active in study, re

the knowledge of the sound principles

There will be fewer people working

of the natural law and Christian doctrine

and living on the property than during

search

Now since the Foundation promotes

and

in their wise social applications based on

some twenty persons involved in main

two thousand years of experience, it

the height of the Tucker use. The max imum proposed occupancy per acre is at

tenance of the buildings and grounds as

manifestly and directly promotes the

least 500% less than the density that

and

6 CRUSADE

administrative

work

could result from subdividing the estate into two and four-acre lots.

Some realtors declared at the hearing

that the presence of any institution al ways depreciates property values in the jsurrounding area. However, any one who has ever looked for a house knows that

realtors always emphasize the presence of nearby cultural institutions and schools as real values to a prospective, buyer.

Dr.William Mitchell,M.D. Orthopedic Surgeon, Fort Worth,Texas

Mr. Philip A. Moran, Sr., Graduate, Business Administration, Loyola Uni

versity, Chicago, 111.

The staff of the proposed school will be comprised of: Mr. John Hart, B.A. Southwestern

University; M.A. Louisiana State Uni versity,experienced,certified teacher; editor and author.

SCHOOL STAFF

IS WELL-QUALIFIED In order to make the relationship be

tween the proposed school and the Foundation clearer, we present a brief background.

The Foundation had organized,in dif

ferent parts ofthe country, a number of summerseminars for young people which Mr. Charles Laczkoskie helped to run. A

Mr. John Spann, B.A. St. Vincent College; M.A. St. John's University, Honors Fellow, NDEA Fellowship.

J. Edward Parrot, B.A. University of Dallas.

Philip A. Moran, B.S.C. Loyola Uni versity.

Jeremias Wells, Boston University and Northeastern University, field engineer.

Charles Laczkoskie, Mattatuck Com

group of parents were so impressed with the improvement in their chUdren during those sessions that they asked members

munity College.

Philip B. Calder. Julius Hartt Con servatory of Music; composer, choir

of the Foundation to start a small school.

Some of the members of the Board of

director.

the Foundation agreed to assist in set ting up a school, but with the under standing that the school would be a separate entity having to stand on its

ATTEMPTS TO SMEAR FOUN DATION BY SMEARING SIMILAR GROUPS

As our opponents were unable to

coordinate the project. Both the parents

demonstrate anything against the Foun dation and its directors, they tried to slander the American Society for the Defense of Tradition,Family and Proper

way he interacts with young people and his honest, upright, and responsible When the school opens, it will be run by the Board of Directors previously an

ty (TFP). As they were also unable to find anything against it, they attempted to show guilt by association by smearing

nounced. Prior to the opening, Mr.

similarorganizationsin faraway countries.

character.

tion.

At the last hearing it was stated that the school was unnecessary because the demand for schools is.falling! Interest

THE FOUNDATION AND THE TFP ARE SEPARATE ENTITIES The Foundation and the American

ingly enough the New York Times of March 23, 1979 printed a first page arti cle demonstrating precisely the contrary, eg. "Applications for admissions to pri

TFP are separately incorporated notfor-profit organizations.The Foundation was incorporated in 1973;the American TFP was incorporated in 1975. They

vate schools in the counties surrounding New York City are on the rise, largely as a result of dissatisfaction with the public -school systems whose advantages had

have different boards of directors, and

different purposes, although they are in spired by similar principles and hold similar Christian ideals. As we stated

orginally lured families to the suburbs.

several times during the hearings, the

Thomas Wilcox, a spokesman for the National Association of Independent Schools said: 'Applications are up on a

Foundation often collaborates with the American TFP.

nationwide level from 10% to 60%,and

in the Northeast, it is all but a deluge."

As announced,the Board of Directors of the school will be:

Dr. James Kelly, Professor, Depart ment

of Philosophy, Providence

Our opponents and some newspaper men have accused the TFP's of being ex

tremist and fanatical groups..Now, the definition of fanatical is "to be unrea

sonably zealous." The TFP's are primar ily intellectual, civic, and cultural move ments basing their positions on the na tural law and Christian principles. They arrive at their positions by analyses based strictly on right reason and logic. Thus, by definition (and in practice) the TFP's are the opposite of extremist and fan atical. This is clearly demonstrated by their numerous campaigns, books, and articles. We are filing over 200 clippings from the South American press at testing to this.

In spite of this, unsubstantiated and ridiculous allegations of violence have been raised here about the Brazilian and

in over twenty years of active public life, no member of either group has been con victed nor even accused by any author

ity of any crime or violence. If their methods were what their detractors al

lege, there should be a long list of police cases and arrests. But no such record

was pointed out by our opponents nor could it be pointed because no such record exists.

Laczkoskie is being advised by a parents' committee and directors of the Founda

THE TFP's -PEACEFUL ORGANIZATIONS OF CATHOLIC INSPIRATION

Chilean TFP's. But, as a matter of fact,

own feet. Mr. Laczkoskie was chosen to

and the Foundation officers admire the

various TFP's are honorable, highly

respected and responsible groups, it seemed good for us to refute the spuri ous allegations which have been raised against several foreign TFP's.

Although the various TFP's share similar ideals, the TFP's in each country are autonomous organizations fully

It was alleged, for instance, that the TFP's of Brazil and Chile are "para

military organizations."In both countries paramilitary organizations are prohibited by law and are actively prosecuted. This same prohibition holds for possession of automatic weapons or any kind of para military training. The TFP's use only

peaceful and legal means. Agaii ' is attested to by their clear record a led above.

2,000 LETTERS FROM BRAZILIAN AUTHORITIES PROVING PEACEFUL AND ORDERLY CHARACTER OF THE TFP The Brazilian TFP has on file over

responsible for their own actions.Strictly

2,000 official letters from authorities

speaking, therefore, neither the Founda tion nor the American TFP have any obligation to respond for or defend the

all over the country attesting to the or derly, legal, and peaceful character of the TFP's activities over a period of many years. Copies of these letters,

College, Providence, R.I. Dr. William Luckey, Professor, De partment of Government Politics, St.

goals or actions of foreign groups.

Foundation is based on its relations with

several of which have been translated are on file at the office of the Bedford

John's University, N.Y.

the TFP's, and since we know that the

Toning Board. We have also filed sever-

However, since the attack on the

CRUSADE 7

al other statements from prominent Brazilians commending the lawful and

praiseworthy activities of the TFP. The most recent of these is an of

ficial letter by the Secretario de Seguranca Publica (more or less equivalent to the State Attorney General) of Sao

I.

Paulo, Col. Erasmo Dias. He stated:

"There are few people who are unaware of the persistent work of greatvalue that the TFP has accomplished in clarifying

/■mm.

the important problems of the ideologi cal and religious realities of the day for the general population in Brazil. ..

"The work of the TFP, all of which

is promoted on the intellectual level, ap pears to be a true catechesis for the sub limation of Christian souls and the im

provement of the ethical, moral and traditional standards of our society.

"This effort has not been accepted

by the sympathizers of Marxist-Leninism and those who preach social disorder,

who frequently try to harm the TFP by attempting to link it maliciously and falsely to totalitarian activities that

Proposed as an educational facility for the Institute Our Lady the Queen.

do not coincide with the democratic

preaching of thatorganization...Calumny has been the great obstacle that the TFP has confronted over these long years of service on behalf of theBrazilian society.".

After an investigation prompted by a similar campaign of slander which will be explained in detail further on, the Secretario de Seguranca Publica of Rio

eluding the largest Brazilian newspaper,

concluded its work on Oct. 18, 1975. It

the Folha de Sao Paulo, and the Diario

in Brazil and have been published in

made no indictment against the TFP which evidently leads to the conclusion that the investigation found absolutely nothing dangerous or unlawful in the

several languages.

activities of the TFP.

las Americas from Miami, Florida. A number of his books became best-sellers

The Foundation, because it is faithful

An articlefromthemagazine/Vfonc/^ete

to the natural law and Christian prin

Grande de Sul officially declared that he had investigated carefully and had found

ciples, is also opposed to all forms of

was also presented with a partial transla tion that ommitted those parts which

totalitarianism and, as a matter of fact,

no basis for any of the charges against

even that article had to say in favor of

made available to the general public

the TFP.

(and to the Board) a concise study

the TFP, for example, statements from the Attorney General.

Among the many declarations made

showing the multi-faceted and striking THE TFP's HAVE ALWAYS

similarity between Nazi-Fascism and

in favor of the Brazilian TFP about this

BEEN OPPOSED TO NAZISM, FASCISM, AND COMMUNISM

Communism.

affair, particularly colorful was the one

by Congressman Geraldo Freire made

AUTHORITIES GIVE BRAZILIAN TFP CLEAN

from the floor of the Brazilian Chamber

BILL OF HEALTH

of Deputies: "All the uproar against the TFP is absolutely groundless. This use

National Council was a very precocious child, we were highly amused to read in a local paper that a Canadian "expert"

During the last hearing, the oppo sition presented an anonymous "docu

of suspicious and baseless accusations reminds me of the popular saying — 'They are spitting up into the air'; that

ment" and an article from the liberal

is to say, the spittle falls on the heads

declared that "he has remained faithful

magazine Veja speaking in grandiose

of its authors."

to the ideals of the Integralistas" since the 1920's. The facts are that young

terms about an investigation of the TFP. The spokesman made a slight grammati

of a provisional translation for each

Although it is true that Professor Plinio Correa de Oliveira, the founder of the Brazilian TFP and President of its

Furthermore, we have providt

opy

member of the Board, of a new book about to be published in Brazil describ

Plinio was only twelve years old in 1920,

cal error, however, in presenting this in

and the Brazilian Integralist Party was founded only in the 1930*s and was closed by the government in 1937. From the very beginning of this brand of Bra

vestigation in the present tense. The fact is that this investigation was closed four years ago, with the Secretaria de Segurance Publica, Jose Paiva Portinho giving

zilian Nazism, Professor Plinio was well-

the Brazilian TFP a clean bill of health

Sao Paulo, Mr. Terrell E. Arnold, wrote

known as its most articulate opponent

on the local, state, and national levels.

about it, "The book, without any doubt, appropriately defines the history, pur

in the press. He wrote numerous articles

Even the article in question had to

against Nazism-Fascism prior to and dur ing the Second World War when it was not popular to do so.

recognize that the TFP "has been able to refute quite successfully the accusa tions. . ." The investigation, the only

Professor Plinio Correa de Oliveira

one ever made of the TFP, was carried

continues to be a prolific and respected writer and journalist. He has been writing a syndicated column published in daily newspapers for eleven years now, in-

out in a remote city in the extreme south of Brazil — Porto Alegre. The investigation was requested on May 5,

8 CRUSADE

1975, established on June 18, 1975, and

ing "The whole history and philosophy of the Brazilian TFP." The Consul Gen eral of the United States of America in

poses and actual activities of the TFP." And

for

the benefit of those who

claimed that they searched everywhere and could not find anything favorable

about the Brazilian TFP, we are filing with the Board over 200 sample clippings from among the thousands that reflect the long and meritorious history of the

Brazilian TFP.Included also are clippings

ness that these accusations against the

and official letters about other TFP's.

TFP are false.

THE TFP's ARE MOST RESPECT FUL OF ALL FAMILY RIGHTS

that the TFP carries out monarchistic activities or that it is of Nazi-fascist char

"I especially protest the accusations

The opponents and certain news papers repeated unsubstantiated charges that the Brazilian TFP was "driving boys from families." This bogus allegation was

based on a charge raised four years ago during the Porto Alegre investigation.

As was proven at that time, the charge

was utterly baseless. As a matter of fact, the standing policy of all TFP's is not to accept a minor under any circumstances without the written consent of his par ents. This policy is consistent with the aim of the TFP's of defending all the

rights of the family.

In this context, we protest the use that a local paper made of gossip about a small incident between a husband and wife that occurred in New Rochelle some

four years ago. The article is full of con tradictory gossip and has enlarged the incident all out of proportion. The couple mentioned was thengoing through an emotional trial. According to the gos

sip, the husband was being held in the Foundation's headquarters against his will. However, the article itself then

states that he came to the telephone to

speak with his wife and that he later left with her. The gossipy neighbor declared that he himself later called the police to see what was going on. But the police,

after talking with the couple,found no thing more than a family spat.The news paper account is an unwarranted inva sion of the privacy of the family — an ex ploitation of a common family quarrel.

The TFP's are organizations of Cath olic inspiration that act in the civil or der. As such, in accordance with Canon

Law, they do not depend on the Catho lic hierarchy except in the matter of faith and morals. In this respect, no cen sure whatsoever was ever made against the TFP's.

As a matter of fact, the TFP's have

received through the years, the support of many prestigious Church authorities.

One of the most famous theologians

let which is a most faithful echo of all

acter or that it is a paramilitary organ ization. It is a cultural organization de

the documents of the supreme Magis-

voted to the defense of the ideals ex pressed in the trilogy of its name. It always acted, and on principle, it always acts within the legal order. It is nonpartisan, struggling only for the tri

minous Encyclicals Mater et Magistra of John XXIII and Ecclesiam Suam ofPaul VI happily reigning."

Once before the acting Secretary of State of Pope Pius XII, Monsignor Montini, later Paul VI wrote on behalf of the Pope himself an official letter stat

umph of the principles of Christian Civ ilization of which tradition, family and property are the basic fundamentals...

May the blessing contained in the Beati tude proclaimed by Our Lord Jesus Christ: 'Blessed are they who suffer per

terium of the Church, including the lu

ing...

"His Holiness congratulates you be cause you have keenly and articulately explained and defended CatholicAction,

secution forjustice sake,for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven' be a comfort to

which you have thoroughly compre hended, in such a way that it may be

them (TFP members)"(Matt. 5,10).

very manifest to all how this auxiliary form of this kind ofhierarchical aposto-

Msgr. Orlando Chaves, Archbishop of Cuiaba, said "It is certainly because of its intrepid and effective attitude... against atheistic international commun ism that the TFP is the target ofa ruth

less campaign by hidden forces — forces that have unleashed a noisy publicity campaign against it...It is necessaryfor our authorities to be on the alert against this campaign plotted by the hosts of evil. Communism, which tries every means to achieve the conquest of our Christian country, is the one profiting from all of this. Fortunately, the ac cusations being made against the TFP have no foundation and will fall hy themselves. It is my duty to encourage this fearless society to struggle in de fense ofthe basic values ofour Christian Civilization — tradition, family and property."

Cardinal Joseph Slipyj, the major CHURCH AUTHORITIES SUPPORT THE TFP

the eminent authorjustly celebrated for his philosophical, historical, and socio logical knowledge and we wish the wid est circulation for this compact pamph

late should be considered and promoted.

"The august Pontiff wishes from his heart that rich fruits may ripen from your works and that you may gather by no means slight norfew consolations; as a sign of this Wish he sends you the Apostolic Blessing..."

The late Thomas Cardinal Tien of

China regarding Professor Plinio Correa de Oliveira's book Revolution and Counter-Revolution declared "It is a

marvellous book! Those of us who per sonally suffer from the effects of com munism are well able to calculate the ac

curacy and urgent necessity of such a study as this. I send my blessing, with all my heart, to the author, and I wish this work of such beauty to have the greatest success."

Archbishop RomuloCarboni,Apostol

ic Nuncio to Italy, declared; "The book

authority in the Catholic Ukrainian Rite,

Revolution

in a letter about a special study prepared by the Foundation and widely distribu

made a significant impression on me,not only because of the just and correct manner of its analysis ofthe revolution

ted by the American TFP said: "Please accept my sincere congratulations on the

occasion of the publication of your work about the persecution in Ukraine.

and

Countei^Revolution

ary process... but also because of the vigor with which it points out the meth ods of combat to overcome it. I am cer

The edition is excellent and with this

tain that thiswise book will do ''vique

you have rendered a great service to our Church and our people.

"I pray to God asking Him, that He bless your highly idealistic work for our Church and our people with the greatest

service to the Catholic cause .

.»//

help to unite theforces ofgood in order to solve speedily the great crisis of the present day."

success. May the Lord's blessing be with

1,032 PRIESTS PUBLICLY

you."

SUPPORT CHILEAN TFP STAND

in Latin America, his Grace Antionio de

A statement from the Vatican is of

Castro Mayer, Bishop of Campos, Rio de Janeiro, has been a staunch supporter

particular interest because it shows the

fidelity to Catholic doctrine and prin

record of fidelity to Catholic principles,

Against this background of a long

of the TFP since its inception. In an open

ciple of Professor Plinio Correa de Oli-

a newspaper report from March 1976

letter to Professor Plinio Correa de Oli-

veira, the founder of the Brazilian TFP.

tried to concoct an "excommunication"

veira. President of the National Council

It is taken from an official letter signed

of the Brazilian TFP, Bishop de Castro

by Cardinals Pizzardo and Staffa of the

against the Chilean TFP out of a polemic that took place between the Chilean TFP

Mayer stated, "I oriented and followed

Vatican's Congregation of Seminaries

the action of the TFP before it was bom,

and Universities: "At the same time that

so to speak. Therefore, as a Bishop of the Holy Church, I take God as my wit

we express to you our sincere gratitude, we congratulate your Excellency and

and leftist elements of the Chilean clergy.

Excommunication by the Catholic Church involves a precise canonical pro

cedure which did not take place at all.

CRUSADE 9

The Chilean bishops were very car^ ful not to make such a declaration in the context of the polemics. What hap

pened was that in 1976 the Chilean TFP

published a best-selling book,The Church of Silence in Chile," demonstrating with 220 documents the sad role of collabor ation between the notorious elements of

the Chilean hierarchy and marxist poli

SENSE PREVAIL

vate life of the Tattons. They tried to

paint a ridiculously irrelevant caricature

This communique, made as brief as possible, may well be superfluous for

of Mr.John Tatton,son of Mrs. Virginia Tatton, the owner of the estate. They

The facts established by the book were never refuted and, as a matter of

even that of his late father, trying as it

fact, 1,032 Cfiilean and Spanish priesK came out in public support of the thesis

slanders. It would be a good thing if

A WITCH HUNT OF LEFTIST INSPIRATION

MAY LOGIC AND COMMON

and certain press reports about the pri

went so far as to pry into the worthy

Chilean TFP.

credit itself.

happening here, as for example, in the gossip reported against a TFP member

ticians.

of the book and the stand of the

campaign is inflated and blown out of proportion, the more it tends to dis

next step is one of sheer personal de famation. Now, that is precisely what is

the Foundation's defense. We are pub

lishing it anyway. Then, if the paroxisms of this campaign of defamation ap pear soon in the press, no one will be led by our silence to imagine that the

and honorable life of his family and were to embroil even the dead in their

Foundation does not have plenty of

the persons and the newspapers that are

arguments with which to defend itself.

using this method were to check to see whether they are not being unwittingly manipulated into doing precisely this.

In spite of all of this, it is not our in

It is no wonder that an organization like ours that defends traditional Chris

tian principles is smeared by anti-Chris tian and left-wing elements. However,

tention to descend to the low level of

In conclusion, we would like to point out the total lack of substance and gratu

itous nature of the allegations. It is im

portant to emphasize that nothing, ab solutely nothing, was brou^t up ag^nst the Foundation for a Christian Civiliza

tion, of whose six year history we are justly proud.

This whole campaign of defamation, a veritable witch hunt, is inexplicable.

More and more people are beginning to

ask the question: "What is really behind this uproar?"

Although we have no specific reasons

to suspect the persons raising thisuproar of being political extremists, we lament beingforcedto noteacuriouscoincidence.

A technique widely used by marxists in polemics is currently being used in the attacks gainst us. According to the well-known French expert on commun

ism, Suzanne Labin, in the present stage

of communist propaganda, when their initial ideological or defammatory of fensive against an institution fails, the

we are fully confident that this zoning question will be judged on its merits, that philosophical and religious intoler

personal attacks, even though we have ample grounds to show the peculiar character of the people they used to

ance will not prevail in Bedford, and

slander the TFP's â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Fr. Philip Devlin, for example, who was arrested and ex pelled from Chile for his subversive activities

and

assistance

to

that our Constitutional rights will be

respected. May the truth win over the lies, contrary to the maxim of the French revolutionary philosopher, Voltaire: Lie,

marxist

terrorists; and then there is the strange

lie, lie. Something will stick.

career of Lawrence Birns and his support of the mysterious Jose Ber Gelbard who was accused by the Argentine govern ment of being a financier of terrorists in that country. Consider also Brady

We could not close this declaration

without expressing our thanks first of all to the public officials who have al ways treated us with courtesy, consider ation, and gentility in spite of the pres sures brought against them. We also wish to thank the local people for their many expressions of sympathy and support.

We sincerely hope that justice and

Tyson, a notorious leftist who was ex

pelled from Brazil and later reprimand ed by the U.S. State Department for his anti-American statements at the U.N.

In view of all of this we are gratified

common sense will lead to the granting

to note that the strident and far-fetched

of the requested zoning variances.

allegations that have characterized this campaign of defamation have created a credibility gap and are tiring the im partial and sensible public that detests unjust and hateful persecutions.

Bedford, New York March 27,1979 John R. Spann President

Thus, the more this orchestrated

The American TFP. jgltrmrti J >â&#x20AC;˘ .-> 1;

Opponents could never , .iT't''1

>

uncover anything against it.

The TFP in Chinatown in defense of Taiwan.

THE ISSUES ARE SETTLED BUT

THE CALUMNIES CONTINUE...

THE FOUNDATION IN FACE OF AN ENIGMATIC CAMPAIGN The

Foundation for a Christian

Civilization has been the target of an

^iculated campaign of vague, baseless, .inaccurate, and contradictory accusa tions that echo from newspaper to news

paper the way that a pihysical echo rever berates from mountain to mountain, re

peating and trying to amplify itself by this means.

This campaign is astonishing not only because of the scarcity of its facts and

the vagueness of its accusations but also because the authors of this campaign seem to ignore our replies, refusing to hear them.(A full page — The Founda tion for a Christian Civilization Com

as well as to the growing number of peo ple who are reasonably and impartially judging the unrolling of the facts. But what is even more inexplicable than the hate-filled and defamatory character of the campaign is the tumult and frenzy of its action. Not believing in its own reasoning, it is heaping up its thoughts, piling one on top of the other, entang ling them, trampling onward by means of generalizations unsubstantiated by any proofs or concrete facts, not even caring when it falls into serious and evi dent contradictions.

This unreasonable procedure is mak ing it difficult to have a clear and logi

Although the logic of our defense has caused the effect of this campaign to diminish, the campaign still persists in its confused way, publicly avoiding the crediting not only of our replies but also of the high social value of outworks.

Such works are already manifested by

samples of articles and research on music, art, architecture, history and philosophy, abundantly presented on several occa

sions. An example is an outstanding piece of cultural research on a contemporary question in the agricultural area, which showed, by the application of sound cri teria and by the presentation of clear ar gumentation, that private property is

pletely Refutes Series of Thunderous Slanders—was published in the March 27,

cal debate. Moreover, it is generating, as its main effect, the suffocation of

ment of agriculture.

1979 issue of the Patent Trader. In addi

tion, over 2,000 documents were pre

our voice and our argumentation in a confusing hullabaloo, aimed at drown

sented to the Zoning Board of Appeals.)

ing public opinion in a flood of chaos

once again that a decision of the Board

The articulation of this campaign is such that as soon as a paper barely ends

and insecurity. The question, in the face of all this, is: why, why,why?

basic to any sound and healthy develop Finally, we would like to emphasize favorable to the Foundation is not dra matic and irrevocable in its character.

Because of this, and because of the

its attacks, the next phase begins — the spreading of hearsay defamations by the

repercussions which have arisen e\ where, we are certain that the people ui

spoken word.

All of this characterizes a campaign-

themselves to be influenced by such a

that cannot be the result of a mere de

sire to ensure tranquil living conditions for the neighborhood. To have requested an explanation from the Foundation was in itself very reasonable. However, this was done in a most enigmatic way. At the very moment the questions were raised the Foundation was immediately surrounded by innuendoes designed to create an atmosphere of hatred and de

famation. Moreover, a kind of press massacre of the image of the Foundation was set in motion.

The purpose of this campaign remains completely obscure to the Foundation

Westchester County have not allowed campaign.

We cordially greet all of the citizens

of this community, assuring them of our

peaceful and constructive sociability.

We also greet with respect and con fidence the Board, which surely will not allow itself to be impressed by this hulla baloo, which is showing itself to be fran tic, oppressive and artificial.

Bedford, New York

April 9, 1979

John R.Spann President

CRUSADE 11

CRUSADE PROTESTS AGAINST SLANDERS; RECALLS MAIN POINTS OF THE FOUNDATION'S POSITION Crusade for a Christian Civilization

has noted the unjust and groundless slanders

being directed

against the

Foundation for a Christian Civilization,

which has already performed so many works of high social value including one

study in the agricultural area, which dem

onstrates convincingly that private pro perty is basic to any sound and healthy development of agriculture. The empti

and Property (TFP). There has nev er been any attempt by the Foun

6. The Foundation presented over 2,000 official documents to prove

dation to conceal its collabora tion with the American TFP.More

These included letters from public

over, as in the case of the Founda tion itself, no one has been able to

the action of the Brazilian TFP as

accuse the American TFP of any wrongdoing.

3. The TFP's and similar entities, which exist in various countries

ness of the campaign against the Foun

are all autonomous organizations

dation is exposed by the vagueness of

of Catholic inspiration which hold

the charges, the lack of any proof for

similar ideals. However, each is an

the accusations,and the manner in which

independent decision-making enti ty. Accordingly, the collaboration

the papers have ignored its clear explan

ations and proofs. Also, we are obliged to note that there is a kind of frenzy in this campaign which is not at all condu

of the Foundation with the Amer ican TFP cannot be used to insin

uate a collaboration with any of

cive to the conditions of calm in which Americans like to make their deci

these other entities. Neither the

sions and deliberations.

TFP can be held accountable for

Crusade asks that the following points be held firmly in mind: 1. No one has ever been able to ac cuse the Foundation for a Chris

tian Civilization ofany wrongdoing,

Foundation

nor

the

American

the action of an entity in an other country, which is com

pletely independent of both of derous

made ^ in respect to organiza

past of the Foundation is "lily

tions

white."

pecially

this time, it made a complete dis

a contribution to public order.

7. All of the legal requirements of the Zoning Board have been met, both in respect to the Foundation and the Institute, Our Lady the Queen. (See Patent Trader, March 27,1979, page 4).

8. There is no reason at all for denying the zoning variances. The Founda

tion meets all the legal require ments, and it will be of obvious

benefit to the community. More over, a decision of the Board favor able to the Foundation is not dra matic and irrevocable in its char-

4. Now, all of the false and slan

cal opponent has declared that the

its nature, ideals, and activities. At

authorities all over Brazil praising

them.

Even Mr. Al Green, its most vo

2. From the very beginning, the Foundation has openly and pub licly expressed to the Zoning Board

that the slanders were baseless.

accusations

in

other

the

have

been

countries,

Brazilian

es

TFP.

These accusations have absolutely no relation to either the Foundaation or the American TFP.

5. In the interest of justice, the Foundation completely refuted

closure of the organizations with

the

which it collaborates, including tfie worthy American Society for

against the Brazilian TFP in a

document published in the Patent

the Defense of Tradition, Family,

Trader, March 27, 1979.

thunderous

slanders

raised

In view of the meaningless smoke

raised by this campaign. Crusade con

siders this brief summary of the position of the Foundation to be in the public interest. We recall that it is a principle of law that one is innocent until proved guilty and that the burden of proof lies with the accusers. Since the latter have

proved nothing, justice demands the granting of the zoning variances.

April 23, 1979 John Hart, editor

THE FOUNDATION Wlh ZONING APPROVAL! We are glad to be able to com municate that the Foundation won

31

3

X

approval on May 3, 1979 - just as Crusade was going to press â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to establish its national headquarters on the estate it is leasing from Mrs. Virginia Tatton in Bedford, New York. The Institute Our Lady the Queen was also granted the zoning variances, making the victory a total one.

Crusade thanks Our Lady for this favorable outcome. The full

The Brazilian TFP. 2,000 official documents prove all accusations,false.

12 CRUSADE

story of the struggle and the victory will be published in the next issue.

W.

A

h

^7

Czestochowa

By Plinio Correa de Oliveira Braving the persecutions of the Communist Govern ment, hundreds of thousands of Poles throng to the shrine at Czestochowa. They come to venerate the mira culous Image of Our Lady of Czestochowa, recalling the day when all of Poland had fallen to the Swedes except for the monastery of Jasna Cora, which Our Lady Her self had chosen to house Her Image. The successful de fense of the monastery against the Swedish army by a mere handful of monks, made efficacious by the miracu lous intervention of the Virgin, was the victory that turned the tide against the Swedish power, saving Cath olic Poland. This essay contains a brief history of the Sacred Image and the inspiring story of the siege of Czestochowa, one of the most glorious chapters in the history of the valiant Polish people.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE IMAGE Tradition tails us that Saint Luke, the Evangelist, an accomplished

painter, in response to the requests of many Christians who wanted to preserve a remembrance of the Blessed Virgin Mary after her assumption into Heaven, painted her sacred face on an oak table near which Our Lady used to sew and pray.

Some time iater, when the Romans dominated Jerusalem and were destroy

ing many churches. Divine Providence protected the painting from falling into the hands of the pagans. The precious Relic, carried to Constantinople by the Empress Saint Helena and hidden by the Christians,always received divine pro tection when that city fell into the pow

top of the hill of Jasna Gora ("Bright Mount"} where he gave himseif up to prayer. The Prince was overcome by sleep, so Our Lady communicated her desire to him in his dreams: Her image was to be venerated right there on Jasna Gora.

Without delay,the picture wassolemn ly enthroned in the little church while Wladyslaw gave orders for the construc tion of a church of greater size and dig nity in that place, and a monastery be side it. Later he invited sixteen Hungari an friars of the Paulite order to Jasna

The Attack of the Hussites On the night of Good Friday of 1430, a band of Czech Hussites led by a Polish noble, himself a Hussite from nearby Silesia, attacked the sanctuary and, kill ing five religious, seized the golden ves sels and ornaments of the Church,some relics, and the Image of Our Lady, load ing them all in a cart. The Chronicles of Jasna Gora tell us that immediately af ter descending the hill, the horses stop ped and would not move from the place.

Then, one of the heretics, cursing the picture, hurled it to the ground with such violence that it broke into three pieces, although the faces of Our Lady and of

er of the oriental emperorsand under the

Gora and charged them with the care of the relic. They arrived in 1382.

The happy news soon spread all over the country and the historian Jan Diugosz, who lived at the time,reports that

centuries-long domination ofunbelievers.

pilgrims began to flow into Czestochowa

struck the right side of Our Lady's face

During its constantpilgrimage, we find the image in the year 802 in the chapel of Belz, in White Russia, in those days there were many marriages between

from all the territories of the Polish-

twice. Raising his sword fora third blow, he fell stricken by a boltoflightning. His companions fled in terror, but the chiefs

Lithuanian Crown, and from Bohemia and Moravia as well.

the Infant Jesus remained intact. One of the Hussites then took a sword and

members of the Byzantine and Russian

nobility, so the icon probably served as a present in one of those weddings.

When, in the second half of the four-

teenth century, Louis the Hungarian, King of Poland and Hungary, annexed White Russia to his dominions, the Castle of Belz in Ruthenia wasentrusted

to Prince Wladyslaw of Opole in Silesia.

In that time Ruthenia was subjected to the continuous incursions of the Tartars,

.-

-x

and in one of those invasions the Castie

of Belz was besieged by the pagan hordes.

The defense became more and more dif

ficult and seemed threatened to collapse.

Prince Wladyslaw, kneeling before the altar on which the picture of Our Lady rested, was begging her assistance when an enemy arrow struck the face of the

Virgin,leaving a scar. Then,as the ancient chronicles say, broad daylight was trans formed into dark night. Fear seized the Tartars. The Prince sallied forth with his

knights to the open plain and overthrew the Tartar hordes.

On seeing how insecure Belz was and wishing to prevent the possible destruc tion of the beautiful picture, Wladyslaw decided to transport it to Opole. He placed the image in a splendid carriage drawn by six chargers and began the long journey through the territories of the Polish Crown toward the land of his birth.

But behold, when the carriage arrived

at the village of Czestochowa the power ful horses stopped and would not move from the place! Wladyslaw perceived in this a sign from Heaven and went to the

little chape! of the village, situated on 14 CRUSADE

wm

of the band were caughtandput to death

by the sword. Profaned by the heretics and abandoned in the mud, the holy

picture was found by the Paulite friars.

When they bent over to pick it up, they saw a spring of crystalline water open

beneath it and wa^ it of the dust and mud. In that site, at the foot of Jasna' Gora, was placed a wooden Cross, and later the Church of Saint Barbara was built there. In the interior of that

ian artists called in subsequently to re store die image found that die same

phenomenon occurred with them. Final ly it was decided to make a copy of the original picture on a new canvas, pre serving the wounds. This picture, how ever, is fixed to the original wood,which

whole with a moat. He dien provided a

garrison maintained by the Crown. Thus Jasna Gora took on the aspect of a for tress. Against its walls in the following

century an invasion of die Swedish Pro testants would break up.

is considered to be a relic.

As a consequence of that attack, Wladyslaw Jagiello very nearly declared war on Bohemia. The fact that Polish

nobles were also involved in die episode

church the spring continues to pour forth die miraculous water sought by pilgrims and famous for the cures ofeye diseases

kept him from doing so. Those nobles,

which it effects.

contemporary historians report that all

however, were severely chastised,and the of them died violently during die year

Replacing the rustic and primitive iittle church, there now arose a majes tic edifice with a high wooden tower.

The work of its construction, in which King Wladyslaw Jagiello personally par-

dcpated, lasted from spring through fall for many years. In 1690 the tower

for restoration at die request of King

place.

WladyslawJagiello. The bestPolish artists

miraculous event occurred: Once ^eres

Later, toward the end of the sixteen th century. King Zygmunt III, in order to provide greater security to die sanc

burned and fell on the nave, doing great damage, in its place a new tovver of wood was built but it was also destroyed by fire. Finally, in 1906, an even more im posing tower of bricks and mortar was inaugurated. In diat same year. Saint

toration was completed, die paint which covered the facial scars inflicted by die

tuary, built strong walls around it, widi

Pius X elevated the church â&#x20AC;&#x201D; whose

four bastions constructed according to

nave holds nearly four thousand people

sword-biows of the heretics ran off) Ital

Dutch techniques and encircled the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to the rank of Basilica.

The picture was then taken to Cracow

dedicated their talents to the task, but a

following the profanation of the holy

The Siege of CZESTOCHOWA Transcribed from a lecture by Prof. Plinio Correa de Oliveira Preliminary Note The account of die siege of Czestochowa which we present here is based on die Memoirs of the Siege of Czesto-

chowa, by Father Augustine Kordecki ^Pamietnik oblezenia Czestochowy,er//ted and with a preface by Jan Tokarski, London, Veritas, 1956). Written by Fray Kordecki in response to a wish of King John Casimir, these memoirs were originally published in Latin under the

"When God the Most High decided to chastise the Poles, in His Goodness He first sent various signs warning of the catastrophe that approached."

the Sanctuary of Czestochowa be struck by lightning and consumed by fire.

In that same year, on the 9th of July, everyone saw a miracle which occurred

Deiparae Virginia recordationem, successurae posteritati fideliter conscripta

came a scourge."

regni Poloniae Coenobio collocatam,per Suecos et Allios Haereticos excitata et

a R.P. Fr. Augustino Kordecki prae-

dicti Ordinis, protunc Clari Montis Priore. Anno Domini M.DC.L V Cracoviae."

I-THE SIEGE-PHASr BEFORE THE ATTACK: USE OF THE BINOMIAL FEAR-KINDNESS PRE DOMINATES

on the face of the sun: "On the nose of

ad perpetuam beneficiorum Gloriosae

Ordinis S. Pauli Eremitae in celeberrimo

the most ferocious of the Protestant leaders.

Thus He permitted that, on the 10th

of February in 1654, the high tower of

the sun there appeared a cross which gradually became transformed into a heart; this latter, pierced by a sword, moved to one side and halted at the posi tion of an eye. In the place of the other eye, one saw a hand holding a mace which moved toward the forehead, di viding it into four parts, and then, on

tide "Nova Gigatomachia contra Sacram imaginem Deiparae Virginia a Santo Luca depictam et in Monte Claro Czestochoviensi apud religiosos Patres Patres

This king was one of the most out standing generals of his time and one of

reaching the rim of the solar disk, be 'The following year God's scourge against the Poles, Karl Gustav, King of the Swedes, set out from the north."

Invading Poland from the north, the Swedes soon dominated all of the coun

try. Virtually all of the nobility, part of which was Calvinist, accepted Karl Gus tav as "Protector of the Polish Crown,"

thus abandoning King John Casimir to his own fate. After conquering Cracow in the far south, the Swedish, on orders of their king, sent an army of three or four thousand men to take the fortress-

sanctuary of Czestochowa, about 125 miles north of Cracow.

CRUSADE 15

A "centrist" Catholic uses the

binomial fear-sympathy

Defections generalized in Poland; only the monastery resists

for the first time

Going ahead of the enemy.Count Jan Wejchard of Wrzeszczewicz, in order to gain the good favor of the king of the invaders, demanded of the Paulite Friars that they hand over the fortress of Jasna Gora to him, a Catholic, to prevent its falling directly into the hands of the her etics. He threatened to take the sanctuary

by force if they did not heed his demand.

The monks, headed by their prior. Fa ther Augustine Kordecki, tried to dis suade the count from his vile pretension and refused his proposal.

An authentic Catholic reacts

Meanwhile, King John Casimir took

nons of the fortress. General Miller sent

refuge in the neighboring principality of Opoie, in Silesia, where he would try

a delegation with a written proposal rec ommending the peaceful capitualtion of Jasna Gora to avoid "unnecessary blood shed." This declared adversary also pre

to reunite the remnants of the army of Poland. But he could not give any assis tance to Jasna Gora. Many nobles, on the other hand, tranquilized by the promises of peace and security made by the Swedes, began to return to their properties.

Stanislaw Warszycki, castellan of Cra cow and First Senator of the Crown, however, sent provisions and twelve cannons as his contribution for the defense of Jasna Gora.

Second employment of the binomial fear-sympathy

Meanwhile, some nobles, fleeing be fore the Swedish advance, sought refuge in Jasna Gora. One of them, Stephen

Samoyski, counselled the religious hot

At this time it was reported that

General Miller, with an army of three or four thousand men and nineteen heavy

to give in to the enemy, and affirmed

guns, plus some supporting units from

that those who sought refuge there were

Count Waclaw Sadowski of Wrzesz

prepared to die in defense of the holy place, confiding themselves to the pro

czewicz and the Prince of Saxony, was setting out from Wielun toward Czes-

tection of Our Lady.

tochowa. He was due to arrive there a

The first refusal of the monks,

few days later.

There was then no lack of "prudent" advice for the Father Prior. The prior of the convent of Wielun, "taking into

in the face of the binomial

fear-sympathy The Countof Wrzeszczewicz,however

did not give up his plan, and sent an ultimatum to the Prior, arrogantly de manding openly that Jasna Gora yield to the Swedish King and swear submis sion and loyalty to the usurper, and that the religious promise to denounce

to him any uprisings of which they might hear in the future.

The monks responded immediately, through their prior: "It is better to die with honor than to live impiously."

Since the treasorwus Count did. not

have the means to conquer Jasna Gora by arms, he attacked and damaged some properties of the monastery, and has tened to meet General Miller who was

assembling his troops not far away. En ticing him with the treasures ofthe shrine, he managed to convince the general to

attack Jasna Gora immediately.

The Prior, calling together the council of the monastery, communicated to the religious his decision not to hand the

holy place over to the heretics, and to resist with all available resources. His

decision was unanimously approved.

16 CRUSADE

tended to be merciful.

"It did not seem fitting to us to an swer that letter in writing," reported Fr. Kordecki. "It was no longer the hour to write, but to take up arms...We an swered by the muzzles of our cannons..."

The answer was so convincing that

by nightfall Miller had to beg for a truce.

He took advantage of the occasion to as sure the friars that he did not want to

do any damage to the sanctuary.

Since the Swedish troops had occu

pied granaries belonging to the convent, but located outside the walls, the de fenders bombarded them at night with incendiary projectiles so that the stores could not be used to supply the enemy.

On the following day," Miller hid his

artillery in the nearby village of Czestochowa, whence he bombarded Jasna Gora. When the religious realized this, they considered that the destruction of the village was of lesser importance in comparison with the defense of the sanctuary of Our Lady, so, directing their artillery in that direction, they set

account the disparity of the military

the thatched houses on fire. In their sur

forces." advised Father Kordecki not to

prise, many of the Swedes ran out into the open where they came under the

resist and thus spare Jasna Gora from material damage. Unfortunately,' this message had its influence on those of weaker character among the defenders to whom it was read.

fire of the monastery's defenders.

The fourth attempt to apply the binomial — Fray Kordecki rejects it

Second refusal of Father Kordecki

— the monastery prepares for every eventuality Fray Kordecki, however, did not rely on material resources alone. He encour

The centrist Catholic shows himself a traitor

The enemy troops had already taken up positions for the siiige of the walls and were studying the positions of the can

aged everyone to offer their lives in de fense of the honor of the holy place, and to rest all their hopes in the Blessed Virgin, "who in such an extreme neces sity would not fail them with her help."

He asked them all to assist at the Mass which he would celebrate before the al

Miller then sent another delegate to convince the Paulite Friars to accept the peace by showing them that the resistance of Jasna Gora was unreason able in view of the fact that the whole country had already surrendered.

Fray Kordecki replied to ' by pointing out a contradiction: he King of the Swedes was promising religious liberty to the Poles, why did he (Miller) want to make a military occupa tion of Jasna Gora?

tar of the Image of Our Lady of Czestochowa and ordered that the Blessed

Sacrament be carried in procession along

The fifth attempt to employ the binomial — Fray Kordecki defiant

the walls and bastions. He blessed the

cannons one by one, the cannon balls, the bullets, and the barrels of powder.

The commandant of the heretics sent

a new message requesting capitulation,

The monastery answers by the

for Karl Gustav had ordered him to take

muzzle of its cannons

the fortress of Czestochowa.The Swedes,

— the struggle begins The Swedes reached the foot of Jasna

however, were forced to wait for a reply, as it was the night preceding Sunday and a feast of Our Lady. The monastery was

Gora at two o'clock in the afternoon.

observing the Vigil with various cere-

Blessed Sacrament inside the walls. The

Cracow, asking him to send additional infantry and cannons powerful enough

tire course of the siege. He knew that his messages were presented before all

reply came at midday; it was again nega

to batter down the walls.

the monks and as many of the civilian

monies, including a procession with the

tive.

II - THE BATTLE

Sixth attempt at the binomial â&#x20AC;&#x201D; hypocrisy or a centrist

defenders as had permission to hearthem.

On this basis he tried to pit internal pub

lic opinion against Father Kordecki. It appears that either the prior did not

Meanwhile, a Polish noble, respect able for his age and his speech and un suspected at first sight, was sent to the fortress to try to persuade its defenders to surrender. "I have come to propose capitulation" he said, "for / consider

discover this ploy, because he always read the successive proposals of Miller before everyone â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or the psychologi

walls.

that it is a pretension beyond the bounds

control

gence against the enemies, both external

Amidst the cannons' roar,

of reason for a monastery to wish to resist die Swedish power, when the

a hymn from the tower

whole country has submitted." He then

Infuriated, the Protestants concentra

ted a three day attack on Jasna Gora, launching grenades and incendiary pro jectiles, trying to set fire to the installa tions of the monastery and the sanctuary.

At night they dug trenches toward the

At a certain moment, in the midst of the noise of the bombardment, a pious and sacral hymn was heard coming from the height of the tower of the sanctuary, and giving new heart to the defenders.

From then on it became customary to hear each day, in the midst of the fight,

the hymns which emanated from the solid and majestic tower. At this the Swedes became even more infuriated,

for they saw it as a manifestation of contempt for them.

Fire fighting equipment was distri

gave the age-old "friendly advice": "The continuation of the resistance can only stir up the violence of vengence. It is better to make an agreement with the enemy while you are still intact. Act as the others have done, for your own good....The aim of a religious order is to abstain from temporal matters. What do you have to do with the turbulences

cal conditions of those he commanded

would not permit him to act in any other way. Nevertheless, he always kept and

maintained

his intransi

and internal.

"A noble and a religious in every bastion" The following day. Fray Kordecki was informed that some members of the gar rison were plotting to flee from Jasna, Gora and hand themselves over to the

Swedes. Fray Kordecki acted immediate ly; he expelled the chiefs of the revolt from the fortress, increased the salaries

of war, you whose rule calls you to sol

of the garrison, and obliged all members

itude and silence? Ponder it well,lest the arms which you brandish instead of your Rosaries,carry you to perdition...."

of the defending force to swear an oath that they would fight until the last drop of their blood. Humbly, he confessed that "warned by this event, I realized

buted near the bases of the roofs to com

The fifth column helps

that I had to exert a greater and more

bat the incendiary bombs launched by the enemy. Some of them ricocheted

the centrist

exact vigilance" over the troops as well as over the nobles and religious. The old

off the roofs and fell outside the walls.

That was the psychological warfare which Miller carried on during the en-

er friars were assigned to the choir, par

A bomb launched at the chapel where the miraculous picture of Our Lady of Czestochowa is found, "turned back toward the enemy camp,asifithadbeen

ticularly the night office, "for during the day even the youngest were usually there." He made a redistribution of the

defense, designating a noble and a reli gious for every bastion and confided the general command to SirStephan Zamoy-

touched by an invisible force, spreading a terrible fire through the air."

ski and Fr. Ludwik Czarniecki.

A "commando" raid

Two religious to investigate the enemy camp

against the Swedes Sir Piotr Czarniecki, Commandant of Kiev, one of the five nobles who partici

In order to gain time to study his forces by delaying the enemy assault, and to obtain news about possible re inforcements which might have been dispatched to Jasna Gora, two re' were sent to the Swedish camp, r the pretext of studying the proposals of

pated in the defense of Jasna Gora and a man distinguished in previous wars, de cided on a bold stroke against the Swedes. Sallying forth at night with a detachment of soldiers, he managed to penetrate the rear guard of the enemy â&#x20AC;˘camp without their detecting him. He killed the commandant of artillery, var ious officers, many soldiers, and, having seized two cannons, returned to the for tress. Taking advantage of the confusion and panic which arose among the Swedes, many of whom came out into the open,

General Miller. The Father Prior re

peatedly endeavored to entertain the en emy commander with this exchanging of messages, so as to gain time until the winter became more intense, or until reinforcements eventually arrived.

In hopes of obtaining their surrender.

Miller received the two delegates with

the cannons of Jasna Gora complemented

Czarniecki's successful blow by elimkiating additional besiegers. Czarniecki lost only one of his men in the expedi

open arms, gave them six great fish as a

token of his "good will," and sent them back with his conditions for a treaty: 'The monks must recognize the Swedish

tion.

King and abjure King John Casimir."

Miller, becoming convinced that it would not be easy for him to take the

fortress, sent a message to Wittemberg, commander of the Swedish armies in

Fray Kordecki sent the following Fray Kordecki in prayer before the Image of Our Lady of Czestochowa.

answer to him with the two monks: "By

no means can we deny the rights and CRUSADE 17

protection of King John Casimir as long as another King has not been selected according to the laws and consecrated

by the Most Reverend Primate of the Crown as the customs of our ancestors

prescribe ... If some have abandoned our legitimate King, by no means may this be proposed to us an example, to us who are ready t'o seal with our blood our fidelity to Our Lord. Thus, to the limit of our forces we shall defend all

the rights of God and of men!"

"Even though they kill the hostages, we shall not yield..

Angered, the heretic commander im prisoned the two religious and sent word that he would free them only if their superiors gave them authority to discuss the terms of surrender with him. And, in the face of Father Kordecki's silence,

the general affirmed that he would have the two hostages executed if the defend ers of the monastery fired on his soldiers.

His men then began to move their can nons to positions nearer the walls, fre quently repeating at the top of their voices the threat of their commandant:

seen and heard in the enemy camp, and concluded by saying that he considered it madness to continue resisting in the face of such a powerful enemy. Never theless, considering the value of his life less than that of the good of the Congre gation, he said further â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which Miller did not expect â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that he was disposed to review his conclusions if his superiors considered otherwise.

He then returned to the Swedish camp with the following response: contrary to all the laws of the nations,the two repre sentatives of Jasna Gora had been en

slaved. As slaves they were deprived of their own will, so it did not make sense to confer on them authority to discuss anything. As far as they, the hostages, were concerned, they were disposed to sacrifice their lives for the glory of God. So, Miller sent the second hostage, first committing him by the same oath to return into his hands.

Entering the walls of the fortress, the second friar explained the situation to his confreres, delivering his life into the hands of his superiors and disposing him self to die to keep the Holy Place from being stained by the heretics. When he

"Shoot and we will liquidate your monks!"

At the same time,the heretics spread the news of the fall of the last pockets of resistance in the country, attempting

die then, that by their blood, they may obtain an honorable liberty. As for- us,

pressures favorable to the centrists General Miller sent yet another mes senger to demand the surrender of Jasna Gora. Fray Kordecki responded that, first of all he demanded respect for the pledged word;for, otherwise, what guar antee could he have that the Swedes

would fulfill their agreements ifthey kept as hostages the delegates sent by the mon astery? Frustrated in his hopes to take

Jasna Gora by peaceful means. Miller finally ordered the release ofthehostages.

The seventh pressure of the bi nomial fear-sympathy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Father Kordecki resists

In the days which followed, the gen eral insistently sent delegations to the besieged fortress, trying to convince its

defenders to open the gates to a Swedish garrison and to discuss the terms of a

treaty. But, to the despair of the heretics, the Father Prior, "in order to have a guarantee that the agreements would be respected," now demanded that they be discussed directly with Karl Gustave, Meanwhile, a Polish noble, who was

on the side of the Protestants, ap proached the walls and addressed the

faithful nobles: "For us (traitors) the

defenders of Jasna Gora.

one hair falls from our heads... Let them

Father Kordecki resists popular

who was far from Czestochowa.

to deprive the beleaguered garrison of any hope of receiving external assistance.

They did this to break the spirit of the The Father Prior did everything pos sible to rescue the two monks held by Miller, accusing him of violating the law of nations regarding the right of immun ity of delegates and of showing himself a man without honor, and affirming that no agreement would be possible with one who did not respect individual liberty.

Finally he warned him that if the here tics in their impiety decided to kill the two hostages, the defending garrison "could not oppose themselves to the will of God, without whose assent not

cease fire, imposing heavy casualties on the enemy.

salvation of our Fatherland is also very dear. We are just as interested as the other nobles in the preservation of the country's integrity. Since it is more and more menaced with ruin, it is necessary to dedicate ourselves to it with sin

returned to the camp with the same an swer as the first one, both heard the con

demnation to death, to be executed the following day. They were advised by General Miller to prepare themselves to die by hanging. Hearing the sentence, they exclaimed to the astonishment of

cerity. So we have decided, prudently, to help our country by submitting to His Highness, the Swedish King, our most benign lord and defender." In con clusion, he advised them to cease their resistance.

Wittemberg himself, commande the Swedish troops in Cracow, seni u letter to the beleaguered Catholics in dicating all the "benefits" which the monks would gain if they entered into a treaty with General Miller, and threat ening them with cruel reprisals if they

we swear that we shall dedicate our

the Swedes: "Ah, why may we not die

selves courageously, and confiding in the help of God Almighty, to the defense of

today, if we must be immolated tomor row for God, for the King, and for our

the sanctuary."

Miller then decided to change his tac tics: He freed one of the hostages under the condition that after visiting the mon astery, the friar would return to his clutches, threatening to deal a "terrible

Fatherland?" On the following day, however, the execution of the penalty

continued their resistance.

was postponed to an unannounced date.

The Protestants employ their arms once again

Seeing the armistice violated, the monastery opens fire

and nearer the walls. In view of this vi

Enraged by the intransigence of the defense and losing all hope of any agreement, the Swedes unleashed heavy attacks against Jasna Gora. But the can nons of the fortress did not permit

olation the beleaguered force broke the

them to get close to its walls.

death" to the other prisoner, if the condition was not fulfilled.

Heroism in obedience

On reaching the convent, as Miller hoped, the religious told what he had 18 CRUSADE

While all of this was taking place, an armistice was in force. Nevertheless, the

Swedes began to take positions nearer

The Protestants exercise the

from the village of Redzin where he had

About midday the enemy ceased

pressure of fear and sympathy for the eighth time

blasphemed against the honor of Our

fire and sent a message asking the monks

Lady, was felled by a cannon ball from Jasna Gora. The ball, not aimed at him,

cept the protection of the Swedish king.

if they had yet been convinced to ac

had riccocheted off the snow. Fr. Kor

But the Prior was not in a hurry; he

replied that he would send his answer

Piotr Sladowski, a Polish noble who had been arrested by the Swedes when he

decki noted the fact, commenting that thus, "he who insulted the sempiternal brilliance and glory of the Most Holy

was returning to his village from Prussia, was sent to the fortress charged with

a just chastisement, as one unworthy

pressing the monks to capitulate. On the

to see the sun."

On the seventh of December, the

Vigil of the Immaculate Conception,

Mother of God received at God's hands

contrary, he encouraged them not to

give up, saying that the invading armies

the next day. At this, the Swedes im mediately renewed the heavy bombard ment. The scene was repeated the fol lowing day and the monks once again responded; "Such important matters must be pondered at length."

More armed combat than ever

had begun tosuffertheirfirstdefeats and

The Catholics witness another

that the continuous acts of violence of

On Saturday, the Swedes began once

the heretics â&#x20AC;&#x201D; sackings of the properties

again to bombard the monastery, and

of the nobles, murders of priests, profan ations of churches, violations of women â&#x20AC;&#x201D; were stirring up great reaction in the

on Sunday the bombardment took on such fury that it appeared that "hell it self was vomiting against the sacred ikon."

country. All of these violences were tak

The

ing place, he added, with God's permis

their customary morning ceremonies in

monks, nevertheless, performed

intervention of Providence The winter was growing more bitter

so it became necessary for the Swedish soldiers to light bonfires to protect themselves from the night cold. Thus revealing their positions, they came

sion and as a chastisement for those who

honor of the Blessed Sacrament. After

under the direct fire of the defenders of

were lacking In fidelity to John Casimir.

the Mass, the Most Holy was carried in procession along the walls. Father Kor

Jasna Gora. They quickly decided that, between cold and death, it was better

Two valuable "hawkish" reports

decki asserted later that the balls had

to suffer the cold.

passed close to the heads of the defend

On the following day, the Feast of Our Lady, one of the villagers of Czes-

tochowa, disguised as a Swedish soldier, managed to reach the walls and informed its defenders that the besieging army was about to receive six heavy cannons from Cracow to demolish the walls, plus rein forcements of 200 infantrymen. He fur ther informed them that, on the other hand, many Tartar troops were going to

ers, but that only after the termination of the ceremonies did they respond to the enemy fire. During that day 330 projectiles fell upon the fortress, and three of its soldiers gave up their souls to God.

Meanwhile, the garrison was prepar

ing itself for the assault which the enemy would launch, sooner or later, against the walls. They prepared iron bars, beams", rocks and clubs with nails, to repel those who might reach the walls.

When the Swedes finally launched

join King John Casimir. Finally, he presented a letter signed by Fr. AnToni Paskowski, Prior of the Paulite Convent in Cracow, which described the atrocities committed by the heretics and recommended to the defenders of

Jasna Gora that they not let themselves be deceived by the kind words of the

enemy, for "among the Swedes nothing is sacred, neither faith, nor religion, divine or human. They are not accus tomed to fulfill any agreement or polit ical oath."

A little later, a Tartar who had been permitted to come within the walls, after contemplating the sanctuary, surprised the monks with words of encourage

ment, urging them not to permit that "swine and perjurers occupy the place

consecrated to the Most Pure Virgin."

Fr. Kordecki noted that the people under his command recovered their con

fidence and spirits on account of all these facts although they knew that Mil

ler would soon receive six heavy cannons to batter down the walls.

The Catholics witness a clear

intervention of Providence

At the right: Prof. Plinio Correa de Oliveira, the author of this article, who received the Great Cross of the Order Polonia Restituta, witnessing the same award being pre sented to Bishop Antonio de Castro Mayer.

White the ceremonies of the Feast of

the Immaculate Conception were being carried out, a Swedish soldier on return

CRUSADE 19

themselves In the first assault, they were easily repelled because their movements

showed up against the snow and made them an easy mark for the defending troops.

In the days that followed, a dense fog covered Jasna Gora, making it possible for the Swedes to move their great assault

at the same time our own freedoms,

than for us to lose all and,additionally, to go into exile and eternal slavery."

Another "hawkish" report As jf to bolster Fray Kordecki's admonition, a letter, signed by a Polish

machinery closer unperceived, while the great cloud was not cleared away by the supplications and prayers of the besieged.

ered the find a grace destined to revive

noble, was found in the moat surround

ing the walls. Indeed, the Prior consid

In view of this, the Prior selected one

the hopes of those who were intimi

of the religious to "cry out for the help of the powers of God against the spells of the enemy, to clear the darkened air

dated, as the letter reported the move ment of Tartars to the aid of King John

with exorcisms, and to bless the arms of the garrison. This turned out to be so

the defenders.

efficient that it neutralized the efforts

The Protestant aggression grows more intense

of the sorcerers, clearing the darkness

Casimir, and this news truly encouraged

from the air. Again, their shots were sure

and the enemy fell in spite of being pro tected by the abject help of the demon."

New centrist defections

within the monastery Two Polish nobles who had taken re

fuge in the monastery during the earli er days of the seige of Czestochowa be gan to fear, under the present bombard ment, that the fortress would be taken.

Having gone so far as to obtain permis sion from Millertopassunharmed through the line of fire, they began preparations to leave Jasna Gora, one with two reli gious, the other with his wife and small son. Father Kordecki, however, cate gorically refused to let them carry out their intentions, lest such an act affect the morale of the defense.

Nevertheless, this event, added to the insistence of the enemy attacks and the death of a youthful member of the gar rison, did adversely influence the spirit of some of the monks. They, in a state of continuous fear, began to urge sur render, arguing that, if Providence, in whose hands is the power to dethrone kings or to entrust thrones to others, had delivered the Polish Crown to the

Protestant Swedes, it did not behoove them as monks to oppose themselves to the will of God but to accept it, all the more so since the enemy assured them the defense of the Faith and freedorn of

worship.

When such insinuations became more

frequent in the meetings of the Congre gation, the Prior called them to order, fraternally enough but not without energy. "What Faith is ours," he ex claimed, "what love, what gratitude to God so generous to us, that such a small damage to our earthly comforts is able to turn us away from the guarding and protection of the chest containing the celestial treasures of the eternal King?

Let us consider that it is far more pru dent for us to defend the integrity of the House of God, the Holy Faith, and 20 CRUSADE

After trying an assault on the north side, the Protestant besiegers then tried to demolish the walls on the south by means of an intense bombardment.They also fired against the sanctuary itself,

trying to weaken its walls.

The centrists in the monastery

apply the ninth fear-sympathy pressure

ing the slight inconveniences, overcome the obstinancy of our enemies with the help of God, then we will surely win a certain and stable peace."

Pressure from the Protestants for the tenth time

One day Miller's soldiers discovered a number of silver objects belonging to the sanctuary. These had been hidden by the monks in the bottom of a reser

voir when they first heard the news of the advance of the Swedish troops toward Czestochowa. The chief of the

heretics, as a proof of his "respect" for the Holy Place, offered the silver which had been found and promised to include some of his personal jewels if the monks would agree to place Jasna Gora under the "protection" of Karl Gustav. The Prior responded immediately: "As for the return of the silver objects, we ac

cept the gracious offer of the General.

But we do not accept the condition which has been proposed to us because

the glory of God and the protection of the sacred things is more important to us than all the treasures in the world."

A notable victory of the Catholics

Once again some of the nobles who had taken refuge in the monastery sug

On December 20, Sir Stefan Zamoy-

gested to the Prior that he reach an agree

ski sallied forth on horseback with a

ment with the enemy. The adversary,

demand. We desire above all that the

group of soldiers in the broad daylight of early afternoon. Moving through the moat and then through the trenches that the enemy was digging toward the walls, he and his men took some ad vanced detachments of the beseiging forces by surprise, killing several soldiers and destroying two of their cannons.

Returning under cover of fire from the walls, Zamoyski lost only one man dur ing this incursion.The Swedes suspended their attacks for two days in order to

they said, had dominated the whole country and would not be intimidated by the resistance of this last bastion.

There are no prospects of receiving re inforcements so why not accept an ac cord with the Swedes, which they them selves are offering, while our situation

is still good?* Fray Kordecki replied to them: "But the enemy will not concede all that we place consecrated to the Virgin Most

care for their dead and wounded.

Pure never be stained by the impious feet of the heretics. You, Gentlemen,

Perhaps Miller was also led to cease his fire Ijy fear, comments Father Kor

overcome by iadversities, desire to reach an agreement so that relieving yourselves of the unKappiness of the siege and the

decki,for the news went about that the general was offering a banque

discomforts of the war, you will then be able to enjoy an agreeable peace without any worries. Do you think that if we surrender you will be free from all the adversities of war once you have left the cloister?...The capitulation will become

for you, then, a spring of misfortunes

his officers, a cannon ball fired at his tent went through the wall and destroyed the tÂŁ^le, causing all the guests to leave hurriedly without even making their farewells.

Within the monastery the supreme pressure of fear-sympathy

and defeats. If we, on the contrary, bearOn the third day, the defenders of Jasna Gora identified on the horizon the

*Fr. Kordecki does not mention names in his Memoirs, but it is qiiite clear that

these pacifists were those noblemen who covered themselves with shame after

seeking refuge in Jasna Gora by refusing to take up arms in order not to "get in volved" with its valiant defenders.

heavy guns and the wagons loaded with gunpowder coming from Cracow to re inforce the besieging army. Fear once again came to dominate the besieged, and many of the nobles tried to con vince the monks to surrender. The reli

gious who debated about the new situa-

tlon reached conflicting decisions.'The power of the enemy, the lack of rein

decki answered amiably, asking for time "to consult his superiors." Then only

them fell outside of the cloister, or in its interior patio, they did not do any

forcements, the atrocious fury of the heretics, the loss of their possessions, the injury to the Holy Place," all these

"shall we do what seems suitable." He

damage." The mostdangerous projectiles

also requested a truce for the following

were the iron ones with lead in their

day, since it would be the day of the

occurred to the mind of the monks. In

Holy Nativity.

At the same time, the Prior wrote to the Count of Wrzeszczewicz, appealing for his intercession with the general to

bellies which, on exploding, scattered pieces of iron in all directions.

"At nightfall one of the heavy guns

the hour of pressure, sophisms; 'Those who were attached to their lives and

were eager for peace wanted an agree ment with the enemy," wrote Father Kordecki. They were saying: "It is not

obtain a truce of Christmas. His purpose

was said all over, and heard from the

in this was to confuse the Swedes about

Swedes in the camp themselves, that during the siege as well as amidst other circumstances, cannon balls fired against the cloister frequently bounced off the walls and returned to the Swedish camp

right for a religious, who has renounced

the state of spirit of the besieged gar

the world and consecrated himself to the

rison and to gain time which would now be particularly precious in view of the news that the King had begun to move

spiritual service of Christ, to take up the sword and shed blood; rather he should

forget such things and dedicate himself to his own salvation, "and" if we are going to have to surrender to our enemy for lack of food, is it not better to do it now, so as to avoid increasing his anger by our delay?"

his troops.

Miller responded immediately through the treasonous Count: he would concede

a truce only if he received, that same

night, an answer from Kordecki agreeing to surrender.

decided not to answer, and the religious remained awake all night Christmas Eve.

camp, in the midst of an unusual fear,

After expounding some of the reasons why the resistance ought to continue,

stayed in the church oraying.

couraged the garrison; but the majority

they urged all to wait for the coming of reinforcements and to confide in the

The Protestants launch yet

mercy of God, "because if we once give up to the enemy, then there will be no more possibility of correcting our

another attack

though so much of the Country has fallen to the enemy. Here It is that the Most Noble Lady of Heaven decided, after considering it a dear and worthy title to be called Queen of Poland, to establish Her throne and the capital of Her kingdom. Whence it follows that from Jasna Gora flows the fountain of

graces that God will pour out over souls, curing them of their internal weakness es, and whence also will flowthe strength and health of the whole body of our Fa therland. That most glorious Lady will extend once again Her hand, which She withdrew on account of the inscrutable

designs of God, to the defense of our unfortunate Country, and will lift it up from its defeat. This, that we may under

stand that the Kingdom of Poland will recover its ancient grandeur only by the generosity, the power, and the protec tion of its Queen."

With the new heavy guns and assault

curred with the last shot of that burst

cannon; and they were saying in the

Some watched on the walls, others en

Judge disposes that our Fatherland recover its ancient grandeur â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and this we may not doubt â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all the force of its liberation must come from Jasna Gora, for it has not yet been touched even

with great force. When many doubted this, the respectable Piotr Okrasa, who was delivering provisions in the camp of the besieging troops on Christmas Day, categorically affirmed that this had oc

This time the Prior of the Paulites

The older monks, however, were of exactly the opposite opinion, and they managed to make their counsels prevail.

error. Unquestionably, if the Supreme

which was doing the most damage burst,

finally putting an end to the attack. It

More intense movement in the enemy camp, more numerous campfires, pre

saged something menacingforthatnight.

God, however, did not permit the here

that the force of the returning projec tile destroyed the cannon and killed its gunner. Piotr Okrasa said that this seemed to him to be true, for the projec tile, which was then carried aboutthrough the camp, had the characteristics of a true Swedish cannon ball being larger than any of those in Jasna Gora. There is not the slightest doubt that from the moment

In

which

that cannon

was

blown up the roar of the Cannons was

no longer heard on that day, nor on

tics to pour out their fury over Jasna Gora until the following day after the

those that followed. Thus it seemed that

Catholic ceremonies in the sanctuary

the enemy put an end to the siege of

were concluded.

Jasna Gora, for the Swedes had all the

At midday on Christmas, the massive attack commenced.'The cannons to the north thundered and the balls struck with such force on the walls of the clois

ter that in many places they went right through them, flying and bouncing

a great and miraculous power against

ammunition they wanted.

The eleventh and supreme pressure of fear and sympathy At dusk General Miller wrote once

ways, and causing such fear among the

again to the Paulite monks. It would be his last proposal, his last threat. After regretting the intransigence of the de

residents that no one had the courage to

fenders of Jasna Gora, he offered them

look out the window. Now the enemy

two alternatives: either they would hand

hurled torches wrapped in hemp,soaked in pitch, and loaded with brimstone and

the fort over to the Swedish troc

around amidst the debris and dust that

they scattered in the corridors and stair

sulphur. They scattered a terrifying fire,

i

that very'day, or, swearing an oam of fidelity to Karl Gustav, they would pay

particularly bad, vomiting fire and lead

an indemnity of sixty thousand talars to the besieging troops, after which the

on all sides. These latter were similar

siege would be lifted. If the offer was

and those that came in iron tubes were

to grenades, but since the majority of

refused, however, he threatened "to re

duce to ruins and ashes all the villages

and hamlets located within a rafiius of three miles, and to hand over all the properties of all the nobles who were re

carts which he had received from Wit-

sisting in Jasna Gora to be sacked,burned,

temberg. Gen. Miller prepared himself for a second assault, and, as usual, sent

and totally destroyed..."

a message to the monks proposing peace and threatening to discharge all his hatred

On the following day, Decemkier 26, the Father Prior responded to the Swed ish general: "It is a shame, but we now

over the Holy Place if his proposal was

have no means to pay the ransom you

refused.

ask!" But you. Sir, know "that we have never been rebelsagainstthemonarchs.

And, as was his custom, Father Kor

CRUSADE 21

At the same time, he wrote to the Count of Wrzeszczewicz, but in differ

confiding in the help of men, but in the power and protection of God over this

ing the cannons, and furnishing with her own hands the necessary arms to the

ent terms: "On account of former bene

holy place, we were prepared to shed

defenders who were in the trenches. And

fits which Your Excellency has con

our blood for the honor of God,to guard

to those Swedes who were tunnelling

ceded to this sanctuary, your life has

without stain our fidelity to God,to our Fatherland, and to our King!"

in the rock towards the walls there ap

been spared various times during this siege; but lower thy head,'do not abuse the patience of Godl'"

The supreme refusal of Fray

So that no man may boast...

peared a venerable old man who coun seled them to give up their useless la bor, for not even in seven years would they manage to carry it out. Crushed

Kordecki and the deflnitive

a way that among the mountains cele

then by these apparitions, they gave up the siege." This was also heard from the

victory of the convent

brated for their miracles might also be

Swedes by Sir Aleksy Sztrzalkowski,who

numbered this "Bright Mount" of Po land, defended by a special mercy ob tained from God by the Most Holy Vir gin; no man may brag of having saved it, nor even repeat such proud and boast ful phrases as, "it was our hands that

related it to the monks on his word of

On that day, according to custom,the defenders continued the commemora

tions of the Nativity with chants and ceremonies. The Swedish troops, how

ever, thought that it was the celebration of some victory and began to abandon their positions in consternation. The of ficers, recognizing what was really going on, concluded in their turn that the besieged forces must be very well pro visioned in both food and munitions to

permit themselves such festivities. In re

ality, the provisions were already at their end; thirty-eight days of siege had gone by.

"In the obscurity of the night, the

heavy guns were withdrawn from their positions; in the early morning the com manders of that huge army withdrew, each one his own way. Miller went to Piotrkow, the Count of Wrzeszczewicz

"God Himself disposed things in such

did this...

"A lady of a threatening countenance..."

"According to the testimony of our enemies themselves, it is manifest that Jasna Gora was defended miraculously

and successfully. Sir Grodzicki, Com mandant of His Majesty's artillery, and others as well,reported Miller's statement in the encampment that the only reason which led him to raise the siege of Jasna Gora was the word and the threatening face of a noble lady who appeared before him, leaving him perturbed. Whence the

To Wielun, Sadowski to Sieradz, the

report was spread about among the

Saxon Prince to Cracow."

Swedes that Miller lifted the siege be cause he was deceived by a maiden at the

Ill -INTERVENTIONS OF OUR

LADY, WHICH THE PROTES TANTS SAW AND THE CATHO

LICS DID NOT SEE:OUR LADY, THE GREAT VICTOR "How could it have happened that

only seventy religious (absolutely noncombatants) should have felt such force

in themselves that they, with five nobles and their few servants plus one hundred

and sixty infantry men, of whom the greater part were villagers, dared to re sist such a numerous army, if God Him self, protecting that place consecrated to the glory of His dear Mother, had not inspired this determination in the relig ious and had not inculcated courage in the midst of the general fear? Although

they sometimes lost hope,whenever they assembled in the refectory after the reci tation of prayers and each one was con sulted, all voted unanimously that they would prefer to suffer the most terrible of deaths rather than permit that the in famous Swede stain with his feet the place

consecrated to the Most Pure Virgin."

And when some among the nobles asked us, ironically, if we were hoping for Turkish reinforcements, says Fr. Kordecki, we would answer that, "not 22 CRUSADE

honor."

"Lady Jadwiga Jaroszewska also re

ported that she saw the figure of a ven erable old man who encouraged her with the hope that God would shortly manifest His mercy, and that the enemy

would raise the siege of Jasna Gora. In that vision, a friar in a white habit(who called her by name) celebrated Mass at an altar in a corner on the east side of the Church. We could not consider the

old man as any other than St. Paul (the first Hermit and our patron) to whose honor this altar is consecrated. Sirs Jan

Wieckowski and Maciej Wegierski of the Polish nobility testified that they had heard the Swedes telling how they had seen an old man beside a Lady who ap

peared on the walls and who beat back the Swedish projectiles."

"She obliged us to cover our eyes and bow our heads."

service of the monks. What was said

"So also. Father Blazej Wadowski,

among the people, however, was that a lady appeared to the general and warned him to raise the siege or face the com plete loss of his army."

Prior of our Order in Wieruszow, stated under oath that having been invited by

The letters of the Dominican nuns of Piotrkow to the sisters who were then

in Jasna Gora are in complete agreement with this description. They contain, among others, the following facts: "Mil ler viewed the pi'cture of Our Lady of Czestochowa here in our church with

great attention, and since his interpreter requested a small copy of the image, we gave it to him, and Miller took it from his hands. Thus it became clear to us that Miller wanted to determine if the

vision he had at night was similar to the picture." The same religious of Piotrkow later told

the

Most

Rev. Provincial

(whose jurisdiction includes the convent of Czestochowa),that Miller, after taking

the picture from the hands of the inter preter, affirmed: "It is absolutely not comparable to that virgin who appeared to me, for it is not possible to see any thing comparable on earth. Something of the celestial and divine, which fright ened me from the beginning, shone in her face." I return to the letter: 'The Swedes themselves affirmed that some

of them saw a Lady on the walls, point

the Swedish commanders Jorge Eichner and Arens Lukman to eat with them in

the house of a citizen of Wieruszow,

they heard such blasphemies from the mouths of the profaners as: 'What witch is this that is to be found in your cloister of Czestochowa â&#x2013; who, covered with a

blue mantle, sallies from the cloister and walks along the walls, resting from time to time on its bastions, and whose sight

makes our people drop with tei

-o

much so that when she appears wt ,\ie to turn our faces to the ground and to protect our eyes?'

"Other military chiefs who were then seated at the table confirmed this. Some

of them added, moreover, asif they were vomiting it: 'Your monks are perfect sorcerers. Look how they bewitched one of our companions so that from the moment In which he fired against the Church, he had his arm stuck straight out, it taeing impossible for him to lower or bend it in any direction. What is more,

his whole body is as if it were paralyzed, making it impossible for him to sit or dismount from a horse. We had to send

him to Leszno with his arm extended, in the position he held when he pointed

they found the following particularly noteworthy fact among the commentar

ies of the besieging Swedes:'frequently,*

The height of the battle.

said the Swedes, 'when we were prepar

ing for the assault of the cloister with siege guns, there would appear a fog.

Enveloped in this fog, the mount cast false shadows that tricked our vision; it would sometimes seem as If the mount

and the cloister were raised high in the air, yet when we aimed our cannon fire

upward the projectiles passed over the cloister, doing It no damage. At other times, in the midst of that dark fog which so confused our vision, we would see the cloister atop a low hill. When our gunners aimed at the cloister as it decep tively appeared in the shadows the pro jectiles would fall close to the walls of the fortress and, ricocheting on the fro zen ground, would return at great velo

city' " toward

the Swedish camp.

"\ decided to add some of these ex

amples of miraculous facts to the ac count of the siege of Jasna Gora to show

clearly that the mount of the Most Holy Virgin was defended and saved by the hand of God Himself," writes Father Kordecki.

the musket, because he was a useless burden to us.'

forty soldiers, terrified by this awesome vision, had lost their lives.'"

IV - THE PROPAGANDA OF THE SWEDES

'The Prior cited above added that

"When this same noble was visited a

The Swedes had a booklet published

prior to and during the siege, the Swedes had arrogantly spewed forth blasphemies against the Most Holy Virgin, but now, after the withdrawal from Czestochowa, they have become more bland and one no longer heard anything like that from their lips."

second time by the soldiers, they told him 'that they themselves had seen a Lady vested in a white mantle. When two brothers from Silesia by the name

in Amsterdam which contained a fanci

of Dudzicz pointed their muskets at Her, part of the breech of one of them was driven so far into his face that it was im

possible for us to remove it; the surgeon

..and pointed a sword

at the Swedish Camps"

had to cover it. The other had his body paralyzed as if he were petrified; the Swedish Army took him with them.

ful description of the "conquest" of Jasna Gora and which they spread all over Europe prior to their withdrawal from Czestochowa. This description in dicated what they would like to have dorte if they had in fact taken the shrine.

Kordecki includes It in his Memoirs ".. ,for the shame of that subversive and

impious people." He was given a of the booklet by King John Cas.

This account was made under oath, and

who had received it from Paris, Under

commentaries of the Swedes for our per

the aforementioned noble signed it and

the title, "Victory of the Swedish King,

petual remembrance with his own pen:

sent it to Jasna Gora."

in which twenty thousand Poles fell and Czestochowa was destroyed," the docu ment "reports falsely that Jasna Gora

"Sir Mikolaj Bielawski described the

The soldiers of the division under

Sadowski, a turncoat noble who was a colonel in the Swedish army, passed through my village, which is called Golina, on their return from Jasna Gora.

I asked those who were quartered in my house what had happened in Czesto chowa and if they had been successful in the siege of Jasna Gora with such a numerous army. They answered that there had frequently appeared to them

a person in a white mantle, who, coming out of the cloister, would point at the

Swedish camp with a sword(...)We learned also from the very sentinels that

"Sir Strzalkowski, already mentioned above, an eminent and cultured citizen of Greater Poland, testified that he also

heard from many Swedes that they had

was taken and that the Swedish soldiers

'spared neithter man nor women and

been terrified by the dense fog which

killed the monks and priests. ,.and that

enveloped the cloister and by the bearing of the Lady whom they had seen on the walls just when they had been making

the victors carried off as spoils even the silver picture frames from the church.'"

the greatest efforts to take the fortress.

We have also been informed of this same

V-THE JUST END OF A CENTRIST

fact by outstanding men and trustworthy citizens of Czestochowa who had heard such reports from Polish soldiers in the

The traitorous Count of Wrzeszczewicz, after having been defeated in bat

service of the Swedes.

tle in Little Poland, was later discovered

"Many trustworthy nobles testified

by peasants and beaten todeath with rods.

CRUSADE 23

VI - THE INTRANSIGENCE OF

JASNA GORA SPARKS REAC TIONS ALL OVER

The Archbishop of Gniezno, Primate

of the Polish .Crown and First Duke,*

of Thy Son, the King of Kings, and by Thy Grace, I, the King, casting myself

on my knees at Thy Most Holy feet,take Thee today as my Patroness and Queen of my dominions, and I recommend to Thy special protection and defense, my

sent out a call to all the provinces immeciately after the fall of Cracow on the 17th of November, 1655, summon ing all the nobles to unite around the legitimate king in order to fight against

self and my Polish Kingdom,the Nation of Lithuania, and the Principalities of Ruthenia, Prussia, Mazuria, Zmudzia, Inflante, and Czernichow, as well as the

the invaders.

ple. I cry humbly,from this pitiful and devastated state of my Kingdom, for Thy mercy and assistance against the

On January 3, 1656, the Primate an nounced to the nation an unexpected event: the Khan of the Tartars, entering the Polish territories, communicated to

King John Casimir that he wanted to unite his armies with those of the Poles

to combat the enemies of His Majesty.

'This is especially a work of the Mercy and Power of God," continued the Pri mate, "inasmuch as, while some Chris tians rejoice at our ruin and others re fuse us any help or protection. He aids us by means of those who are outside the Church of Christ Thus,offering His all-powerful right hand to those who had grown weak. He does not permit the Kingdom to disappear."

Despite the Primate's summons and this encouraging support, the nobles did not respond until after the news of the victorious defense of Jasna Gora had

spread all over Poland and had com menced to stir up a great reaction among the humble folk. Only then, on the 29th of December, 1656, they formed the Confederation of the Nobility in Arms.

VII - THE GLORIFICATION OF OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA Once the faithful forces had been

gathered together, and so that the counter-offensive would have the greatest

success, the King made his way to the Cathedral of Lwow in the company of the nobility and the people, and there, with the approbation of the Senate, solemnly proclaimed Our Lady of

VIII -POLAND SAVED AT CZESTOCHOWA

Immediately after their defeat in Jasna Gora, the Swedes began to lose their fervor and, defeated in battle af ter battle, they had to fall back into Prussia and lost the greater part of their units.

armies of both nations, and all my peo

enemies of the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church. And, grateful for the immense benefits conferred by Thee,I sense with the nation,a command ing desire to serve Thee zealously, and, in my name and in that of the adminis trators and of the people, I promise to Thee and to Thy Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord, that I will spread Thy glory through all the countries of our Kingdom.

Finally, I promise and vow to obtain from the Holy See, since it is only through thy powerful intercession and through the mercy of Thy Son that I shall obtain victory over our enemies, and particularly over the Swedes, that this day be celebrated annually and forever and consecrated to Thee and

Thy Son in acknowledgement of these graces, and I will dedicate myself with the Bishops of the Crown so that my promises be kept by my peoples. As I

IX - OUR LADY OF CZESTO CHOWA GLORIFIED IN THE

EPIC OF JASNA GORA "On Easter Sunday, a few days after the King's arrival at Jasna Gora, a triple sun appeared to the south and at the same time there was seen a double solar

crown, one of which moved through the air and enveloped the hill and the cloister, the other, turned upward with

its high point toward the sun, touched the solar disc itself.

"It was beautiful to contemplate

these celestial phenomena, for we con sidered them as symbolizing a victory and as a visible manifestation of the ap peasement of the divine anger. Just as the tragic signs in the setting sun of three years before foretold the cruelty of war and immense bloodshed, so the clear brilliance of the sun now returning and the extraordinary crowns, seemed to all to announce the palm of victory and peace."

see, to the great sorrow of my soul, that all the adversities which have fallen

"Poland, if thou lightest for Mary,

upon my Kingdom in the last seven years, the epidemics, the wars, and other mis fortunes, were sent by the Supreme Judge as a punishment for the groans

thou shaft be terrible to the followers of hell."

and for the oppression of the peasants. I promise and vow, after the conquest of the peace, in union with all the states, to use all means to free my people from all unjust burdens and oppressions.Grant,

what a great benefit was conferred upon

Oh most loving Queen and Lady, that I obtain the grace of Thy Son to do all that I propose, to which Thou Thyself has inspired mel"

"Contemplate, Poland of posterity, Thee by the Mother of God, whose de votion thy Apostle and Martyr Saint Albert, Archbishop of Gniezno, so zeal ously propagated together with the Roman Catholic Faith! Follow then the

The people wept with emotion on

holy example of thy forefathers, for, if you guard your devotion to Mary propa gate it zealously,and defend it ge is ly, you will attract even greater n.^ cies

Mother of

hearing the words of the King, realizing that, from then on, the Blessed Virgin

and become terrible to the followers of hell! Let Christendom look and admire

Poland, that is of the Poles, Lithuanians,

would be recognized as Queen of Poland.

Czestochowa

Queen and

how courageously our Queen of Heaven

and White Russians, the peoples who

and earth protects Her Kingdom, and

then formed part of the Polish-Lithuanian

how efficaciously She sends aid to Her subjects, deprived of all human help!

May the angel of the armies of the Lord, guardian of Poland, deign to move the

Crown. The act was carried out before

the altar of the Most Holy Virgin in the following terms: "Great Mother of God and Most Holy Virgin! I, John II Casimir, by the grace

heavenly militias to pay homage to

gether with us to the supreme majesty

of God for such great benefits and may He, with His powerful hand, disperse all the enemies who ally themselves to

* The Primate in Poland was always the

eradicate from Poland devotion to the

First Duke of the Kingdom. When the throne became vacant, he would assume

Queen of Angels!"

the regency.

24 CRUSADE

JERRY IN THE

WHITE HOUSE

By Thomas Bell

One of the consequences of the treaty

that he "runs bis eye, and sometimes

there have always been great intelli

between Israel and Egypt studied by

his pencil, over the draft of every presi

gences acting decisively from behind the

image makers and pollsters is its effect

dential speech of consequence...." and suggests the topics for Carter's press conferences. In his turn. Carter goes to

presidential chair. As an example he

on the public perception of President Carter. In this respect, a recent poll has shown that it has not resulted in "a

him for "advice about movies to see and

presidents.

major breakthrough in one key area

books to read."

where his advisors and supporters ex

This unique advisor to the President

is the one who serves as a booking agent

pected to see significant improvement: the public's perception of him as a strong

for Cabinet members and White House

leader."(The New York Times, March 29,

aides. Officials are not supposed to ap

might go on to cite the influence that Bernard

Baruch

exerted over several

Without dismissing the objection

above, the comparison with Baruch might be useful in helping us to deter

The lack of fruitfulness of the afore

by him. When presidential advisor Midge

mine what is unique about Rafshoon's function. It may also help us to dis cover what is directing the spirit inspir ing that which is conventionally called

mentioned expectations is not what con

Costanza failed to obtain his approval,

"the American way of life," which is of

cerns us here but rather the work being done by these "advisors and supporters" to build this "perception." The articula

he abruptly canceled her scheduled ap

course a substratum of the "American

1979).

tion of all these efforts is the work of

a curly-haired man in his mid-forties.

How may he be characterized?

As he enters the White House, his

demeanor is one of pensiveness and in formality, enterprise and melancholy, one that is apparently expansive and yet profoundly reserved. Although his war

pear on television without being cleared

pearance on a talk show, forcing her finally to resign.

These many prerogatives have led peo ple to call him "the Enforcer." Official

way of government." Indeed, it is with

circles consider him to be the "Secretary

Jerry that our paradigmatic democracy reaches its most eccentric consequences.

According to some scholars, Ralph W. Emerson is the philosopher of Amer

of Symbolism," but in more intimate

icanism in the broad sense. His leitmotif

circles he is simply called "Jerry."

is a spontaneous, individualistic, enter

Gerald Rafshoon is the name of this

prising human type, who is seen as being

personage. The scope of his role in Wash

free from the social bonds of the tradi

drobe is the work of the most fashion

ington is wittily indicated by a cartoon from The New Kor^ermagazine in which

tional family and from the hierarchy

able tailors of New York, where he was

an average American at the door of his

and etiquette that was at one time in force in Europe.

born, his "modern" look is provided by

apartment is speaking to an interviewer

his hair-style and informal manners. While

for a public opinion poll. The caption

had read "almost all the classics of

reads: "And what I said about Carter

antiquity" in their original languages and spoke Latin fluently. And as his memoirs reveal, he studied Emerson tensively. On the other hand, his i

his way of thinking and working seem to be a product of times gone by, the efficiency of his action is indicative of the most advanced style of political activity in America.

What interests us most about him is

his close relationship with the Adminis tration in charge of governing what is still the greatest superpower of our time.

"Close relationship'?"

We could not think of an expression less mysterious than that.

goes double for Gerald Rafshoon!"

Jerry euphemistically describes him self as a mere "extra hand" in the White House â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an invisible hand, we would

say. He tries to minimize his role by de

picting himself as one who just tries to give a hand to the President. "I'm not

an image maker," he says. "I consider

myself a communicator, trying to help articulate the President's goals and

themes." But Tmieadds: "he is obviously

Born in the South, Bernard Baruch

style and personal tastes did not undergo an Emersonian transformation but re

mained under the strong influence of some European patterns: English ele gance, long hours of meditation, a stoi-

cist self-control, a keen penetration, and a fundamental intellectual solidity. We are not concerned here with his contro

versial political career but only with the

THE TIGHTENING GRIP

more than that. .." Or perhaps another way to put it would be to say that he

general attributes of the man.

What are the tasks of this personage?

According to Time magazine (Aug. 21, 1978), he has '^tbe job ofimproving the

"articulates" more than that. . .

but without knowing it. He has not

In his turn, Jerry is also Emersonian studied the voluble theoretician of the

AN AMERICAN TRADITION?

public's perception" of President Jimmy

last century, but is nonetheless spontan eous, "free from bonds," and so on. As

Carter. In order to accomplish this, he

Someone, perhaps underrating the in

"is concentrating the emphasis on a few

far as intelligence and capactiy are con

tellectual qualities of American presi dents, might say that in this century

cerned, he certainly represents a retro

major themes and goals." Time tells us

gression in relation to Baruch.

CRUSADE 25

MYSTERY What about President Carter?

Rafshoon revealed to Time magazine that Carter "^as not made enough of

an impression ofwho and what he really

Jforantten erutna

is." He has to advise the President con-

tinously, reminding him even ofsuch ob vious things as "it is unwise to keep aides who are not performing well." Jerry's

job is "to get everyone marching in the same direction on sensitive questions."

In considering all of this, one reaches an astonishing conclusion: Among many

other things, Jerry is the one in charge of preventing contradictions in the goals, pronouncements, and actions of the Administration.

The so-called "Enforcer" then, is concerned with the avoidance of con

tradictions. He is the watchdog for the

logical principle of non-contradiction, which must be practiced from the cra

"IT IS UWFUL FOR JUDGES TO INFLICT PUNISHMENTS"-

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS

dle to the grave, and whose full develop ment normally comes when one attains

the age of reason, around seven years of age. In the White House, though, this point must be watched very carefully...

The drama acquires tragicomic dimen sions when Jerry declares to Time that

"one of Carter's problems is that he has not sufficiently followed his own politi cal instincts."

Saint-Simon, the great French writer of memoirs of the eighteenth century, states that the Prince of Orleans, Regent of France after the death of Louis XIV, was so shrewd that "he would never

have been mistaken in any affair if he'

had, in regard to each ofthem,followed the first apprehension of his mind."

However much good will one might have toward Mr. Carter, one could hard

ly say the same about him...

This being the case, what special skills or qualities might President Carter have? What else might Jerry disclose about him?

If he had a predisposition for quoting Emerson, he might be tempted to recall that theoretician's saying: "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little

"Men who on earth are set over others adds afterwards, 'Thou shalt not suffer are ministers of Divine Providence. But prisoners...to live' (Exodus XXII, 18). it is in the order of Providence that the And as for 'both growing until the har

wicked be punished.

vest,' how that is to be understood ap

"Good stands in no need of evil, but pears from what follows: 'lest perchance

the other way about. Whatever then is in gathering the tares ye root out along

of necessity for the preservation of good, cannot be of itself evil. But for the pre servation of concord among men it is necessary for penalitics to be inflicted on the wicked.

with them the wheat also.' In this pas sage then the killing of the wicked is forbidden where it cannot be done with

out danger to the good,as happens when the wicked are not yet clearly marked

"The common good is better than off from the good by manifest sins, or the good of the individual. Therefore when there is ground for apprehension some particular good must be withdrawn that the wicked may involve many good for the preservation of the common, men in their ruin. good. But the life of certain pestilent "The fact of the wicked being open fellows is a hindrance to the common to conversion so long as they live does good, that is, to the concord of human not preclude their being open also to the just punishment of death. Indeed the society...

"Hence the Apostle says:'He beareth danger threatening the community from not the sword in vain'(Romans XIII, 4; their life is greater and more certain than the good expected by their conversion.

I Peter II, 14).

"Hereby is excluded the error of those Besides, in the hour of death, they have

who say that corporal punishments are every facility for turning to God '' re unlawful, and quote in support of their pentance. And if they are so obs error such texts as 'Thou shalt not kill' that even in the hour of death uicir

But he is probably alert enough to realize

(Exodus XX, 13): 'Let both grow until heart will not go back upon its wicked the harvest' (Matthew XIII, 30). But ness, a fairly probable reckoning may be these are frivolous allegations. For the made that they never would have re

that this might also call into question

same law which says 'Thou shalt not kill'

minds," thereby tendentially casting a favorable reflection in another direction.

the value of his own function, especially at a time like this when "advisors and

supporters" feel that "expectations" are not being realized.

turned to a better mind."

From Of God and His Creatures, an annotated translation with abridgement of the Sumrna Contra Gentiles (Chapter CXLV11-147) of Saint Thomas Aquinas.

Joseph Rickaby, S.J., M.A. Lond: B.Sc. Oxon. September 12, 1905.

In any case, what seems certain is that an invisible hand manages all matters in the White House, and perhaps a few more....

And this is what is enveloped in mys tery.

26 CRUSADE

He who is called to sublime sanctity, will not be saved without it.

St. Gregory the Great

THE LITTLE BARREL

A Medieval

French Tale

Supported on his staff, the hermit went out to meet the knisht.

"Welcome, Sir. .."

Between Normandy and Brittany, in a faraway place, there lived a lord of awe

Upon hearing this, his vassals ex claimed: "My Lord, today is Good Fri

Arriving at the hermitage, amidst a quiet and lonely forest, his vassals en tered the abode of the holy man. Their

some reknown. He had a castle near

day, everyone is fasting, and thou wish-

the sea that was so strong, so fortified,

est to eat meat! Believe what we say: God will finally punish thee!"

lord, however, waited outside, mounted

"By the time that happens, 1 shall have assaulted and hung many people!"

After confessing their sins as sii. ly and as briefly as they could, the vas

and so well-defended that he feared

neither king nor count, neither prince, duke, nor viscount. This lord was of

great stature and beautiful bearing; he was rich and of high lineage.Nevertheless, he was vain, cruel, disloyal, and proud, fearing neither God nor men. He spread

"Art thou so certain that God will

terror in the surrounding areas, ambush

continue to tolerate this much longer?

Thou shouldst hastily repent, beg for pardon, and weep for thy sins. A man of great sanctity, a priest-hermit, abides in

ing and killing pilgrims and merchants

a grove nearby. Let us go to confession."

along the roadside. He observed no fast ing or abstinence, attended no Mass, and

on his horse.

sal-knights pleaded with the hermit: "Father, our master, who is outside, is not in a good state of soul. Please call

to him and convince him to go to confession."

Supported on his staff, the hermit

"I? 1 go to confession?" Uttering ar

went out to meet the knight. Addressing

listened to no sermons. No one knew

oath, he proclaimed,"1 wouldst go there only if he should have something that I

come, Sir. Being a knight, thou must

another person as evil as he.

could steal."

surely be courteous. Accept my invita

His vassals, remaining patient, re One Good Friday, having awakened in a good mood, he shouted at his cooks: "Prepare the game I hunted yester

day, for today I want to have lunch aforetime."

him with calm dignity, he said: "Wel

tion then â&#x20AC;&#x201D; descend from thy horse

sponded, "Come at least to keep us

and come in to speak with me."

company."

A churlish oath rising to his lips, the knight answered impatiently: "Speak

Smiling ironically, their lord an

swered: "For you, I acquiesce to go.

But for God, I will do nothing."

And so, they took to the road.

with thee? What for? Speak about what?

We have nothing in common. I am in haste and desire to take my leave."

CRUSADE 27

Undismayed, the hermit continued:

With great strides, the knight went to

Whether it was hot or cold, he con

"For the sake of the order of chivalry,

tinued his quest over mountains and val

hermit and especially by the strength of

the spring and sunk the barrel into the water, but not a single drop entered it.

He tried ^ain, in one way, in another, but the barrel remained empty.

"By God!" he exclaimed. "What is

his being, the knight grumbled gruffly to himself: "What a misery I fell into

this supposed to mean?"

Again he immersed the barrel in the

when first I decided to come hither this

ed from his horse.

water to no avail. Puzzled and grinding his teeth with rage, he leaped forward, running swiftly to the hermitage where, upon encountering the hermit, he ex claimed: "By all the saints in Heaven, thou hast placed me in a great predica

The hermit then took him by the arm and led him into the chapel. Once they

able to put a single drop of water in it!"

He had to bear mockery and insults,

were before the altar, the man of God

The hermit listened to him and then

but he carried on. No one was able to

said to him: "Sir, consider thyself to be

lamented: "Sir, what a sad state is thine!

my prisoner. Kill me if thou wishest,

A child would have brought this barrel back to me overflowing with water. And

diminish his pride or to soften even slight ly his miserable heart. He journeyed through France and Italy, Spain and Ger many, Hungary and England. There was

please come in to see my chapel and my abode."

Deterred by the persistence of the

morning." And so he relented, very ill-at-ease. Hoping that he would some how succeed in soon ridding himself of the hermit,the knightgingerly dismount

ment with this cursed barrel! I am un

but thou shalt not escape from hence before having told me all thy sins."

thou. . .thou has not managed to put

The knight was beside himself. He

a single drop in it! This is a sign from

looked at the hermit so furiously that

God to thee, because of thy sins."

In an outburst of anger and pride,

the latter was stricken with fear.

After a terrifying pause, the knight exclaimed angrily: "I will tell thee no

the knight replied: "I swear to thee that

thing. In fact, I know not what prevents me from slaying thee here and now!"

cut my fingernails as long as 1 have not fulfilled my word. Even if I have to go

The holy hermit risked his life once again: "Brother, tell me just one sin, and God will help thee to confess the

all around the world, 1 will fill this bar

I will not wash my head, nor shave, nor

cut his flesh and made his blood flow.

His days were painful, his nights even worse. Pressed by hunger, he was obliged to beg for food. And at times he fasted for two or three days in a row without being able to obtain even a loaf of stale bread to appease his hunger.

Seeing him so tall, so strong, so rug ged, and so tanned by the sun, people became wary and feared to receive him.

Many times he found no lodging for the

night and had to sleep in the open air.

no country that he failed to visit, no waters in which he failed to try to fill the little barrel â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but always with no results.

He walked so long and so hard that slowly he began to waste away. No one could recognize him now: dishevelled hair, a skeleton-like body, eyes sunk in their sockets, and veins that stood out

rel to the brim!"

from his skin. He was so weakened that

he needed a staff to support the weight

others."

Expressing his exasperation with an

leys and through bushes and thorns that

of his body. The little barrel had become enormously heavy for him now, but he always carried it tied about his neck.

absolutely nothing!"

Thus the knight departed, the little barrel hanging around his neck, taking with him only the clothes he was wear ing and having no other escort but God. In every stream that he encountered, he

And with great arrogance, in one fell swoop, he told all of the sins of his tur

tried to fill the little barrel, but it was

return to the hermitage. It was an ar duous trip, but at last he arrived, exactly

always in vain.

on Good Friday.

oath, the knight said: "Willst thou never leave me alone? If this is so, 1 will con

fess. But I shall repent of nothing â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

After a year of failures, he decided to

bulent life.

Heart-broken at such a callous lack

of repentance, the hermit began to weep.

And once again, he tried: "Sir, give me

at least the consolation of allowing me to subject you to a penance."

"Penance? Art thou making a mock

ery of me? What penance wouldst thou give me?"

"In atonement for thy sins, thou shalt fast every Friday for three consec utive years."

:m \ ( .1

"Three years! Hast thou taken leave of thy senses? Never!"

"One month, then. . ."

"No!"

"Thou shalt go to church and recite a. Pater Nosier and an Ave."

"For me that would be very boring and, moreover, a

â&#x20AC;˘_=_ "tw" ,A

waste of time."

"For the sake of Almighty God, do at least one thing. Take this little barrel to the brook nearby, fill it with water, and bring it back to me!"

"Well since this is not so difficult, and since I will become rid of thee there

by, I consent. Upon my word f shall not rest until I have returned this barrel to

thee full of water..."

28 CRUSADE

In every stream he encountered, he tried to fill the little barrel, but it was always in vain.

Seeing hvm so tall.

so strong,

so rugged, so tanned'

by the sun, people became wary

of the knight to receive

The hermit did not recognize him.

But upon noticing the little barrel, he asked: "What has brought thee here,

dear brother?Who gave thee this little barrel? It has now been a year since I gave it to a fair knight. I do not know whether he is alive or dead, for he did not return to me."

himself on my account. Ah! Give me, God, a great repentance,so that this holy man may have, at least, the consolation

that soul to Heaven in a magnificent

of my contrition. I ask Thee pardon, 0

afterward, before the altar, there re

cortege.The hermit, thanks to his virtues, was able to see all of these marvels. Soon

King of mercy, for all that of which

mained only the body of the knight

I am guilty!"

covered with rags... and the little barrel.

And God did His Work in that soul.

The knight's repentance was so deep

To this the other answered, full of

that even his hardened heart was moved.

rage: "I am that knight, and this is the state to which thou hast reduced me!"

His eyes became wet, and a large tear drop rolled down his face, falling right

And he told the hermit about his mis

This summary is based on the books

into the little barrel that was still tied

Beaute du Moyen Age, by Regine Pernoud (Gautier-Languerea'u, 1971) and Poetes et Prosateitrs de Moyen Age, by Gaston Paris

adventures, still not showing any sign of

round his neck. This one tear was enough

(Hachette, 1921).

repentance.

to fill the barrel to the brink! This was

The man of God heard everything and became indignant at such hardness

sins.

of heart: "Thou art the worst of men!

the sign that God had forgiven him his The hermit and knight hugged each

A hound, a wolf, or any other animal

other, shedding tears ofjoy.

would have filled this barrel. Ah! Well

"Father,. I want to go to confession again, but this time with repentance for all my sins." Thus he confessed, with

do I see that God has not accepted thy penance, for thou hast done it without repentance!" mentable state of that hardened soul:

great contrition and great weeping.

After giving him absolution, the her mit asked the knight if he wanted to

"My God, contemplate this creature

receive communion.

that Thou hast made, and that so mad

And he began to weep, seeing the la

man. Sweet Jesus, shouldst Thou have

"Yes, my Father. But hurry, for I feel that I am going to die."

After communion, the knight was completely purified and clean. No stain

to choose between us, unleash thy wrath

of sin remained in his soul.

against me, but save this creature!"

"My Father, thou hast done me all kinds of good. In return, my whole be

ly plays with the salvation of his soul.

Ah! Holy Mary, beseech mercy for this

Perplexed, the knight watched the weeping and praying of the hermit. And he thought: "This man has no link with me but God, yet he suffers and weeps at the sight of my sins. Indeed I must be the worst of men, the greatest of sinners, for he is desolate and ready to sacrifice

ing is thine, I am in thy hands. The end approaches, pray for me."

As the hermit tooK the knight in his arms, he breathed his last. In that mo

ment, the chapel became filled with light, and the angels descended and canied

My Father, thou hast done me all

kinds ofgood.

A DAY IN HISTORY Amidst the confusing play of events, no matter how much one day may seem

pects to use to help verify the proposed

After manipulating" the fall of Iran,

strategic arms treaty with the Soviet Un

the Soviets are wooing Saudi Arabia. In

to be as lacking in tone as another, we sense beneath the calm a hidden but very

ion was purchased more than two years ago by Soviet intelligence agents, ac

real public panic â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a certain reality that

cording to documents made available to

oil, the climate is also changing. The Finlandization of West Germany and

The New York Times. The loss has never

the unification of the two Germanics is

comfortable persons do not wish to face.

And yet that reality presses itself

Europe, which looks to the mid-east for

been made public by the Carter Admin

being discussed, apparently without

forward with great persistence. Thus, it

istration."

may happen that on a particular day, several events will be juxtaposed on the front page of a newpaper in such a way

Can it be that just now when the Ad ministration is trying to conclude a

causing any significant public outrage.

Giscard d'Estaing has just returned from a friendly visit to Russia. Some journal

strategic arms limitation agreement with

ists are saying that Europe is prepared

as to stimulate a more penetrating per

the Soviets â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in which verification is of

ception and, indeed, a whole chain of

key importance â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that the stealing of

to resist the Russians for only 30 days.

The one that is prepared to resist for

thoughts. Such was the case with the

several verification systems by spies

front page of The New York Times,

would be concealed by the Administra

only 30 days will not resist one day...

Yet, Europe is our own first line of

tion? How does this fact relate to the

defense...

and to the left, in every way prominent.

release, reported on the same day, of two Soviet spies?

"Rafshoon" catches our attention. We

The mind learns that,in a history-making decision, the U.S. and the Soviets con

isolated happenings. The recent loss of

cluded an agreement, whereby five Sovi

two C.I.A. stations in Iran used for

April 29, 1979.

The eye falls on the first item, high

These astounding disclosures are not

et dissidents were exchanged for two

monitoring Soviet missile tests had al

Soviet spies, who were serving 50-year

ready made it appear doubtful that the U.S. could detect any cheating in an agreement. The concern generated by the lost Iranian stations was aggravated by the disclosure last year that a C.l.A. employee sold a technical manual about an agency photo-reconnaissance satellite system to a K.G.B. agent in Greece.

sentences in a U.S. prison for espionage.

Never before had spies been traded for political prisoners.

Doesn't the release of these two spies have dangerous implications for our na tional security? As though in answer to this mental question, we read that the Soviets positively refused to trade Shcharansky as a part of the agreement, because he was charged with espionage...

Why do the Russian's seem to have such a clear conception of their national interest whereas ours is so vague and

In its march toward Salt II, the Ad

ministration is obviously moving in a direction that is frontally opposed by the facts.

In the center of page 1, the name had been following the details of the new Watergate that seems to be raising itself up around the Carter Administra tion, involving even his family, and now we learn that the advertising agency of Gerald Rafshoon was able to" extend

$645,000 in credit to the Carter primary

campaign at a time when his agency was in financial difficulties. "Well-placed Government sources say that a Federal

grand jury in Atlanta has obtained Mr. Rafshoon's records and that trans

actions in that period will be scrutinized

by Paul J. Curran, the special counsel appointed by the Department of Justice

to investigate whether funds from bank loans to the Carter family peanut ware

seem to jump out at us. The article ob

house were diverted to his campaign."

Will this situation develop into a true Watergate in which Pxesident r^-Ter will be cut apart by the media as N

serves that the U.S. "was interested in a

was?

foggy?

And then certain peculiar words

trade because it had no desire to have

the Soviet spies in American prisons where they would remain a temptation to the Soviet Union to arrest Americans

for use in exchange."

It is a curious insanity, a policy of mad gentleness which is being proposed

How does this emerging affair relate to the other news items recorded on this

day in history? We leave it to the reader to answer this question. . .

whereby temptations will be removed from the path of the Russians by giving

them everything they want...

The eye moves to the right and slightly above the middle fold, attracted by a headline about "spies" and "satellites for monitoring missiles."Themind reads: "Information about several secret satel

lite systems that the United States ex

tM