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061:44ot John OW/ mgr. Ex-Warisi
Piccadilly Arcade Perth Tel. 8 7988
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8IVENTY-FIR8T YEAR.
PRIOR TERZIPRNOL
PRIM, WEDNESDAY, MAROS 8, 1944.
NO. 3,118.
flow 116. Wells' Attack on the 'Vatican Relped Why an Invitation to Talk german Propagandists Accepted & Rejected GI
was
custion to reveal arguments to an op You told him ponent in advance. We proposed where he was wrong. to show him (why. If it is a 'direct insult' to say that H. G. Wells is ignorant, it would be pointless either to correspond or to meet. If Mr. Wells inform his readers that Cromwell was at the height of his power in 1665 while I, in company with every school boy, know that he was dead and buried in 1658, what can be done? Either resurrect Cromwell or insult Wells. "nut the object of the meeting was not to supply H. G. Wells' deficiencieli in history or even in Latin (though the little book reveals his need for tell him We wanted to both.) about the City of God-that same City Pius XII and Augustine St. of which (the Shinto Pope) are distinguished His present information is citizens. taken exclusively from ex -Catholics and anti-Catholics. It is as though in writing the story of Norway he were to rely exclusively on Quisling and
English Catholic Editor Challenges Misstatements of "Crux Ansata"
Radio Priest Points to Wells' Tainted Sources of Information The proposed meeting between H. G, Wells, the editor of the 'Catholic Herald" (Michael de la Bedoyere), and noted radio Rev. The prospeaker, may not be held. posal came from the "Catholic Herald" editor, who invited Mr. Wells to discuss with him and Father Heenan the gross inaccuracies of his new book, Wells accepted, im"Crux Ansata." posed conditions !which were fulfilled), declined. and then Meantime the Germans have been pumping out comments on "Crux Ansata" over the radio, implying that Mr. Wells' attack on the Vatican expressed the mind of the British Government and arguing that it is clear from Mr. Wells' book that the British bombed the Vatican! The controversy started when the "Catholic Herald" printecl a review Mr. Wells replied of "Crux Ansata." with some warmth, and the "Herald" editor invited him to lunch to disctiss the book, suggesting that Father Heenan should be brought in, too. Mr. Wells accepted, stipulating only that the discussion should be confined to alleged misstatements in his book A room was booked in a West -End restaurant and the stage was set for
. . 1 rump of the Christian Church. have real respect and sympathy for have I idea, God of City Augustine's Shinto the utmost contempt .
Pope.
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And why
lie-there is no
other word for it-about McCabe, CoulDo you suggest foul ton, Acton.. motives for their contempt for contemorary Roman!,,n? Am I to come merely to hear ir.n I respect and adThere is no sense mire abused? in a meeting in which we shall begin and end by calling' each other liars. That will lead to nothing but indiges.
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tion and had blood." Mr, de la Bedoyere replied recalling that it was Mr. Wells' stipulation that the,ronversation should be confined to alleged misstatements in the Wells He recalls that he had fulfilled book. conditions laid down by Mr. Wells in sending a list of points he would like to challenge ,and adds: "I am now en-
titled to say: accept our invitation on your own stated conditions or withdraw."
letter conMr. de la Bedoyere's tinues: "However, since I personally am very anxious to meet you I am quite prepared to abide by your new I must, however, inform conditions. you that in the case of a book like 'Crux Ansata' they are somewhat onerthe meeting, stiff But meantime Mr. Wells asked for ous. In my view the work is so innu,half-truths, "a properly annotated copy of 'Crux with misstatements fallacies that any Ansata' with every alleged misstate- endoes and logical case ment you intended to challenge mark- attempt to furnish you with ais fulltantawhat against it demands ed: overburdened book, another to an mount Owing to the difficulty of getting As it extra copy of the book, Mr. de la Bedo- with authoritative references. pages of fifty yere offered to send a list of state- is, I have by me some which the are manuscript the -typed close ments which he challenged, with rough notes of a thorough expose of page and line of references given. Mr. and religious Wells accepted this condition and the the historical, philosophic misconceptions and fallacies involved last was sent. forty-four of section 'small the in changed. Then Mr. Wells' tone references of which "I am afra4d," he wrote, "I mutt misstatements, the to I do not, you. trouble you to be more explicit in your I have forwarded however, shirk the task of putting these wild assertion that 'Crux Ansata' conform, since in any tains misstatements before I can meet notes into readable of publishYour 'points for discussion' pre- case I have been thinking you. . As book. your of pare for nothing but a wrangle about ing a refutation is complete I shall nothing in particular. The book is an soon as this work you have a copy. indictment of the Roman Catholic be delighted to let .
For Value and Service
H. 0. WILLA. We can then make it the basis of our
conversation, should you not by that date have thought out a yet more novel interpretation of your own conditions," Father Heenan then interposed with a letter-all these letters have been published by the "Catholic Herald"acknowledging the receipt of copies of the correspondence. He says: "My disappointment at not eating lunch at your expense is tempered by my joy on learning that Mr. Wells has 'real respect and sympathy for Augustine's City of God idea.' It reminds me of the Rationalist who confided to a large audience that in his view Shakespeare was in the front rank of poets. "Reading the correspondence I am amazed that H. G. Wells does not recall from the days of his mental vigour that it is not customary in dis-
Goebbels. "Let me make a suggestion: Why not debate this matter in public?" To this Mr. Wells replied: "I have not the slightest disposition to waste time and temper in a public wrangle with Father Heenan, whose ability to. bawl me out in an excited meeting I will not question for a moment. (Isn't he, by the way, a little mixed between I think the Cromwell and Milton?) correspondence you have undertaken than sufmore will full to publish in fice to establish the soundness of 'Crux
Ansata.'"
S. BEECROFT 181
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