ROME IN WAR TIME

New Zealand Tablet, 5 August 1915, Page 23

ROME IN WAR TIME

INCREASED DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE VATICAN. THE QUESTION OF AMERICAN REPRESENTATION. Evidently it is scirocco this afternoon, says Rome, in its issue of May 29. You can hear distinctly the booming of St. Peter’s big bell, the sky is veiled, the air is heavy with the -plumb ouAtr, the swallows’ cries are less shrill, the voice of your neighbor Mariuccia at the back is altogether silent, the Countess’s eloquent parrot has become thoughtful, the song of the fountain has softened into a lullaby, even the noon-day newspaper seems to exhale odors of poppy and mandragora. You will have been out into the air, but there it is drowsy too. Where are all the bands, and processions, and cheering crowds of a week ago? Not a solitary Evviva\ or Ahhasso\ has fallen on your ears. The people you have met are going about their business just as usual, there is no hurry, no excitement, no visible sign of anxiety. And this is war as we see it this afternoon in the Eternal City 1 Apparently, however, we do not see ourselves as some others see us, for here is a despatch published by the Af/enzia Sfc/ani last Wednesday: ‘ In the Austrian press and in that of some of the Balkan capitals publicity has been given, with abundant details, to strange and lying reports, which it is not necessary to qualify, concerning the internal situation in Italy. There is, for instance, the story of a military revolt in Italy, specifying that at Turin rebellion has broken out in an artillery regiment called to Milan to suppress a sedition of Sicilian soldiers, and that at Rome the President of the Council has been assassinated. Whereas the truth is that perfect tranquility, reigns throughout the whole country, that the operations of general mobilisation are proceeding with the utmost regularity and speed, and that in face of the fact of the beginning of the national war the entire nation responds with unanimous patriotic impulse to the call of the Government.’ So people abroad need not be in the least alarmed about their friends in Rome. Still, there are a few things we do not forget. The King of Italy has left Rome to Take Supreme Command of His Forces by land and sea : the royal functions here are being exercised in his name by his uncle Duke Thomas of Genoa; we have read the official news of Adriatic towns briefly bombarded by the enemy, of an advance by Italian troops into enemy country. We who are notItalian have safely in our pockets a document signed by the police authorities which we are ready to produce at a moment’s notice if challenged as to our identity. One Royal Decree forbids the publication, by any means, of news not communicated by the Government or by the Superior Commands of the Army and Navy, concerning (a) the number of the wounded, dead, and

prisoners; (b) the nominations and changes in the high commands of the Army. and Navy; forecasts of the military operations by land and sea.’ The Prefect or Sub-Prefect has the power to sequestrate any printed matter ‘ when he holds that the publication of the printed matter may, by' depressing the public spirit, » weakening confidence in the authorities of the State, exciting jars between the political parties, or otherwise, be gravely prejudicial to the supreme national interests connected with the war and with the internal and international situations of the State.’ Also the introduction into Italy, the circulation and the sale and distribution, of newspapers, reviews, .or printed matter of any kind, published abroad, may be forbidden by decree of the Minister of the Interior. Contraveners will be punished by a fine of not more than 1000 lire, and by imprisonment for not more than six months.’ Naturally, too, All Private Correspondence will be subjected to censorship— that will be no novelty for most of the strangers resident in Rome. Inevitably, however, it will serve to increase a delay already very irksome in the distribution of foreign correspondence here in Rome, and in the delivery of Roman correspondence abroad. Here is one official note published the other day by the Government: ‘ News has been printed of a declaration made by the Italian Government, according to which in case of war, the permanence in Rome would not be allowed of the diplomatic envoys to the Holy See from States with which Italy was at war. This news is devoid of foundation.’ And here is another official note of the Holy See published on Thursday in the Osservatore : ‘We have read in a morning paper that the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XV. has begged the Sovereigns of the States in war with Italy to recall their Diplomatic Representatives on temporary leave. We are authorised to declare that this news is devoid of all foundation.’ And thus is settled, at least partially, a very delicate problem. Half the jurists of Italy, lay and ecclesiastical, have been writing articles about it ever since Italy’s participation in the war became probable. The Law of Guarantees is a purely Italian law but it was framed with an international scope : to convince ' foreign governments and the Catholics of the world that the liberty and dignity of the Pope would be secure under the regime created in 1870. In the clause dealing with the diplomatic representatives to the Holy See, the Law proclaimed that these should possess all the rights, privileges, and immunities conceded by international law to the Envoys of the civil Powers. No special provision was made for the eventuality of Italy being engaged in war with one or more Powers represented diplomatically at the Holy See. Would Italy insist on the departure from Rome of the Austrian Ambassador and the Prussian and Bavarian Ministers to the Vatican when war broke out with those governments? Would Austria and Germany refuse to recall them and force Italy to use violence in expelling them? Would the Pope himself beg them to remain or order them to go? All these conundrums have been solved. Neither the Holy Father nor the Italian Government has taken any step in the matter, the Diplomats to the Holy See have not been recalled, and yet they have left Italy. Apparently it has been decided that they shall remain in Switzerland, and from there carry on ' their work. Their communications with the Holy See, like all other communications with the Holy See, will be respected. That situation is not altogether without a parallel, because the Minister from the Argentine to the Vatican until recently had his residence in Paris. But the ingenious solution does not seem to have occurred to any of the learned jurists who have written on the subject. / Still this temporary solution of Hie grave problem, however, ingenious and however satisfactory under, the present disastrous .conditions in Europe, ,is at the best only a poor makeshift. This is brought out very clearly in the important and authoritative article of

the Osservatore Romano, a translation of which is given in the present number of Rome.. The Chamber of Deputies of Holland has voted a sum of money for the institution of a •temporary diplomatic mission to the Holy See, and the new Minister has been chosen although his name has not yet been published. In proposing the vote the Foreign Minister of Holland said; During the last few months we have frequently received news that the Holy See has manifested good dispositions to exert itself for the restoration of peace should an opportune moment arise and should the belligerents show themselves ready to put an end to the war. In consequence of this we sent a person to Rome to ascertain if the news were true, and to see whether the co-operation of the Holy See with the Government of Holland were possible. Concerning this co-operation the Cardinal Secretary of State has sent me a letter in which he thanks me for the attitude of the Government of Holland, and manifests the desire that a representative of Holland be accredited to the Vatican so that the co-operation may not be retarded when the opportune moment arrives.’ So this is One of the Significant Effects of the War: While it has destroyed the diplomatic relations of many of the Powers with one another, it has increased the number of accredited representatives to the Holy See. In this tenth month of the war the following nations are thus represented: Argentine, Austria-Hungary*, Bavaria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chili, Colombia, Costa-Rica, San Domingo, Great Britain, Holland, Peru, Prussia, Servia, Spain. The three most conspicuous absentees are the United States, France, and Italy. Of course, formal relations between the Holy See and Italy are under present circumstances quite impossible, but it is a fact worthy of note that the war instead of exasperating has mitigated the difficulties of the situation. And the same is true of France. Only' the most sanguine of French Catholics could have expected that a Government headed by M. Viviani would have easily consented to renew the good relations with the Papacy* so abruptly broken twelve years ago. But the position of the United States is altogether anomalous and unfortunate. There need be no question whatever of establishing a permanent American Embassy or Legation to the Holy See. The British Legation is a temporary one, so is that of Holland. Nor can it be argued that the Government of the United States would be creating a precedent by* sending a temporary mission to the Holy See. The precedent, a striking and recent one, is there already. No less distinguished a person than exPresident Taft has lived in Rome as an Envoy Extraordinary from the United States to the Holy See. To settle the politico-ecclesiastical difficulties arising from the transfer of the Philippine Islands from Spain to the United States, the American Government took the wise step of treating directly with the Holy See, and the good sense of the American people cordially endorsed the policy. How vastly more important it is now that there should be a temporary representative from America here. .If America, wishes to co-operate most effectively for the restoration of peace when the propitious moment arrives it surely could not do better than follow the example set this week by Holland—less than half of whose population is Catholic. We publish this week the important letter addressed by the Holy Father to the Dean of the Sacred College. It was expected (by the newspapers) that his Holiness would have felt bound, after Italy’s entrance into the war, to reiterate his neutrality. He has not done so, for the very obvious reason that the one fact which is now universally recognised by belligerents and neutrals, by Governments and peoples and individuals, is the fact that The Holy See is Absolutely Impartial. Here in Italy a few radical newspapers like the il [essogejero of Rome and the Svcolo of Milan, always noted for their anti-religious tendencies, have deavored to make a crime out of this neutrality of the

Holy See, but their railings have no echo in the country. The liberal press frankly acknowledges that the Pope must continue to be neutral, and the ardor of patriotism does not prevent the Catholics from realising and admitting the same truth. This is how the Carriere. d'ltalia, which is read almost exclusively by Catholics, describes the situation, in reply to some recent animadversions: ‘lt is perfectly true that the action of the Catholics of Italy is something entirely distinct from that of the Holy See. In estimating the political conditions of our country and in forming a conscience as to what it may require of us in this most grave period of its history, we feel ourselves to be in the full possession of that liberty* which is given to every citizen in face of the needs of his Fatherland. But the person who would involve in our responsibility responsibilities that are far higher, and that by their nature and their dignity far transcend the conditions of this or that country, would be committing a very* grievous error and would inevitably be contradicted by facts. . . , As for the Church which is taxed by some radical newspapers with absenteeism in these memorable days, the charge is a true one if it means that the Holy See observes as regards the Italian conflict that impartiality and neutrality* which it has hitherto observed in the European conflict. The Catholic Church, as represented in its august Head and in the organisms which assist him, is above all the competitions based on the mutable conditions of States and Nations. Its words transcend passing interests and conflicts to rise to the affirmations of justice, truth, and peace' which should find an echo in the heart of every man of good will to whatever nation or country he may belong. In this sense it may be said that the Holy See is absent from, and superior to, the vicissitudes of our country at the present hour, although its absence certainly does not imply indifference for it also, while not sharing, in the strife of nations, does share in the trials and anxieties of the peoples involved in the wreck of war.’ In normal times the stranger coming to Rome is immediately* struck by the great number of priests, clerics, and religious to be seen in the streets —they are the parochial clergy, the prelates and officials of the Roman congregations, the superiors and students of Italian and foreign colleges, the generalitial houses of religions Orders and congregations of men and women, bishops and priests from all parts of the world here on business or on pilgrimage. The war has greatly changed all that; there are no ecclesiastical visitors from abroad, there is hardly a cleric or religious here from the Central Empires, half the French students of the secular and regular clergy are at the front, even the clergy of some neutral countries like Holland have left and now Italian mobilisation has called to military service a large portion of the priests and religious in Rome.