ITALY AND VATICAN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 261, 18 August 1931, Page 5

ITALY AND VATICAN.

CATHOLIC ACTION DISPUTE.

ALLEGED LACK OF TACT 1 .

LONDON, August 6. A correspondent, of "The Times/' writing from Italy, says that however sharply Italians are divided on the rights and wrongs of the dispute between the Government and. the Vatican over the Catholic Action Party, botli are held, by almost universal consent to have bungled the affair with, deplorable tactlessness. Undoubtedly, tne Catholic Action. Party was not directed in strict accordance with the Popes behests, and as a non-political, organisation. , _, ,■ „ On the other hand, the Pope has been keenly criticised, not only for the tenor of the actual wording of portions of his last encyclical, but for the unprecedented action by which the document was hawked around and published abroad even'before it appeared in the Osservatore Romano, the omcial organ of the Vatican. The dispute has been exacerbated by two exceptionally obstinate and pertinacious men, determined $o uphold their respective rights and ideals, but the fundamental conflict is for control of Italy's youth. ■ There cannot be genuine peace as long as Fascist ideals are unchanged. The" Disarmanent Conference may influence the issue. There will be no further need to nourish Italy's youth on ideas of war and conquest if the Prime Minister, Signer Mussolini is allowed to operate the pacific sentiments that he has been enunciating with increasing fervour lately.