STRIFE IN ITALY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20888, 2 June 1931, Page 9

STRIFE IN ITALY.

ACTION SOCIETY'S STATUS.

ALLEGED POLITICAL MOTIVES. POPE CENSURES PRESS. By Telegraph— Press Association—Copy He Jit. ROME, May 31. Ino breach between Italy and the at lean has so widened that neutral observers are of opinion that the Government must, either disband the Catholic Act ton ist Society or compel the Vatican to limit the society's activities to purely religious matters. Yesterday's events, particularly the order to the Fascist, prefects throughout Italy to disba.nd the Catholic young men's clubs at tluir discretion, is taken to indicate that the superior powers of the fascists are determined once for all to settle the A.-tion Society's status. Fascists a lege that the society has placed itself in direct opposition to the State, since political parties, apart from the Fascists, are not allowed in Italy. The Vatican denies that the society is meddling in politics. When addiessing cardinals in the Vatican City Pope Pius protested against the attitude of the Italian authorities toward Catholic organisations, and said the Italian press was left free to prepare a campaign based on falsehood, while the mob resorted to violence, often accompanied by bloodshed, against tlio Church's unarmed and outnumbered sons and daughters. The presert Italian educational system was opposed to Christian education, and was inducivc to hatred, irreverence and violence.

The Pope later conferred with the cardinals concerning the dispute. The Pope, when receiving 300 pilgrims, said their visit was a solace, " because it occurs on a day which has seen brutal violence aga'nst- the Catholic Action Society, which :.s very dear to us, and especially against youth, its flower. We have a natural right and a duty to recall the existence of the Concordat."

Particular significance is attached in tho Vatican City to the meeting of cardinals which the Pope has called for tomorrow to discuss the situation. Meanwhile Roman Catholic institutions are gradually being reopened.