FASCISTS V. POPE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 October 1938, Page 8

FASCISTS V. POPE

STERfa STRUGGLE IN ITALY. ATTITUDE OF MUSSOLINI. Will the Pope beat the dictators? Despite appearances, 99 out of 100 Frenchmen in every walk of life believe that he will win, and are watching the struggle with a tranquil eye, writes Mme. G. Tabouis, diplomatic correspondent in the “Sunday Referee” (London). Despite the Italian Fascist party’s official communique announcing an agreement with the Catholic Action organisation, the struggle between the Vatican and Signor Benito Mussolini and between the Vatican and Herr Adolf Hitler has never been more intense. In the streets of Rome today it is impossible to buy “Osservatore Romano,” the Vatican’s official-news paper. As soon as it appears in the kiosks it is seized by the Fascist police. Those who see Signor Mussolini every day can observe the hatred, ascending in a curve, that he bears the Pope. Every morning his intimates hear Signor Mussolini rave against “the old so-and-so,” and hear him declare that Herr Hitler has good reason in wishing to persuade him to give the Pope asylum no longer. WILL BE DRIVEN OUT. In France many persons, including the former Premier, M. Pierre Laval, are convinced that very shortly the Pope will be driven out of Italy, and that with his entourage of cardinals he will be housed in the Chateau of the Popes at Avignon. Meanwhile, Father Venturi, who for many years has been trying to persuade the Pope that Mussolini was sincere and that Catholics could Trave implicit faith in him, has become the target of general reprobation on the part of all cardinals. Anticipating the death of the Pope and the necessity of his future successor, the cardinals have already reached an agreement among themselves whereby the next conclave will be held outside Italy. To the French the most alarming aspect of the whole question is the probability that the next Pope will be an American cardinal. However, they don’t object when they are told the reasons for this probable choice —the avoiding of European quarrels.) Moreover, an American Pope would assure an improvement in the Church’s financial situation. It is difficult to see how the struggle between the Pope and Hitler can be stopped before the fall of the dictators. Their points of view cannot be reconciled. Hitler’s and Mussolini’s racial laws, which are going to be enlarged, will little by little lead to a last rupture between the Pope and the dictators. PRIESTS BEATEN UP. * Violinet disorder has broken out in several Italian cities recently as a result of these strained relations. At Bergamo, Catholic notices were ripped from public places. Fascist squadrons set upon and beat up several priests. Meanwhile, the Pope, after consulting with the Primate of Cologne and the 'Apostolic Nuncio at Warsaw, and after conversations with Cardinal Pacelli and foreign Cardinals at the Vatican, has decided to increase the number of foreign Cardinals. Today 35 out of 70 seats in the Conclave are held by Italians. This disproportion is going to cease. The more Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini persecute the Pope, the more thy Pope will lean on the remaining democracies. To these countries, it is believed, he will take all Catholic support. the spiritual support of the entire world and the support .of all Jews. The democracies are already sure of beating the dictatorships. They have larger armies and fleets, more aeroplanes. The financial resources of Britain, France and the United States cannot be estimated.