CARDINAL HINSLEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 30, 5 February 1941, Page 8

CARDINAL HINSLEY

CENSORED IN EIRE

PROTEST IN DAIL

An outspoken denunciation of the Eire.Government for censoring a speech by Cardinal Hinsley, leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Britain, | was voiced in the Dail by Senator Frank MacDermot, reported the London correspondent of the Sydney "Sun" on January 31.

Cardinal Hinsley in his speech expressed faith in the cause of the Free French under General de Gaulle.

"The Cross of Lorraine will ride aloft when the crooked cross of the swastika has been lowered." he declared, calling on his fellow-countrymen to stand around the Cross of Lorraine.

Senator MacDermott protested that the Irish people were encouraged to think there was no moral difference between the belligerents.

"Yet it is by the good will of the British people, the bravery of their merchant seamen, and the efficiency of their convoys that we are receiving vital supplies," he said.

"Irish living in Australia and Canada —even America —feel differently from us about this war.. "They do not feel the belligerents are or the same plane." "VERY PATRIOTIC ENGLISHMAN." The Minister of Defence (Mr. Frank Aiken) said: "Cardinal Hinsley is a very patriotic Englishman, and, as i such, makes propaganda in favour of his country. | "If we allowed some of his statejments to appear we would be forced to allow equally vigorous statements from the other side, causing a develop(ment of undesirable controversy."

A former Minister of Defence (Mr. Desmond Fitzgerald) retorted: "Cardinal Hinsley is a Prince of the Catholic Church and one of the highest spiritual authorities of that Church.

"If a German cardinal is prepared to reply to, his statement I do not see why his reply should not be published, too.

"But it is preposterous to suggest that Cai'dinal Hinsley should be placed on a par with a paid German propagandist who might reply to,his statement."