Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-14
POPE MAY SELL. GEMS
Vatican Treasures Available for
French Church Needs.
FUNDS MUST BE OBTAINED
Plus K Willing to Devote His Income
to the Cause.
CARDINALS ASKED FOR AID
Expenses of Wearers of Red Hat Pre-
clude Possibility Of contri-

ROME, January 14.-The determination
of the pope to refuse to accept the law of
separation recently adopted in France can
not be better Illustrated than by recent
expression of Plus to some Of the pref
ates Of his encourage. He declared that he
was willing to make any sacrifice in order
to raise money to support the French clergy
and bishops, and expressed a desire to limit
his own personal expenses. if necessary, to
one Ira, or 20 cents, a day.
Besides, the pope has said that in case
funds are not forthcoming for the support
of the church in France in the present con-
tjngency he is going to sell all the jewels
existing in the Vatican, most Of which were
presents made by royalty to his predeces-
sors, and if further urged he would also
dispose of the rich jeweled tiaras which the
popes wear on the occasion of great func-
tions 1t is estimated that several million
dollars worth of jewelry is preserved in
the Vatican treasury, the t1aras alone OF
which five are in existence. being worth on
an average at least half a million francs
each.
Italy Has a Claim.
The pope has been informed that there is
no possibility of disposing of any of the art
objects contained in the Vatican museums
and galleries, such as famous pictures and
statuary, because the Italian government
has already put forward the claim that they
are the property of the nation and that the
Vatican authorities are only the custodians
of them.
However, there is a treasury contained in
the subterranean treasure room constructed
under the Church of st. Peter by the late
Plus TX at the time the Italian govern nent
threatened to occupy the city of Rome.
! which contains ecclesiastical Vestments,
| chalices. pixies and other church vessels,
all of solid gold or silver, which have been
presented to the church in centuries past
Any one with proper credentials is al
lowed to see the treasure room, but as
rule not one-tenth of the precious OBJECTS
contained there are shown to VISITORS 1or
fear that the Italian officials may obtain an
inkling of the great possession of the Natl-
can and seize them In case of a political dls-
agreement 1t has been the custom of sew
eral Catholic societies of Rome and Italy to
present annually chalice to the greatest
church in Christendom, and these chalices.
made of silver or gold, have now accumu-
| lated in number so that their value IS SIM
ply immense.
The Jubilee Vestments.
Under the pontificate of the late Plus
TX the Catholic ladies of France collected
an immense amount of money in order to
present the then reigning pope with fit
! memento of his jubilee. The memento
such as are required by the 'pontitcale
-Romanam" when the pope is celebrating
i solemn function. They consist Of seventy
two pieces and each is made of solid gold
filligrane worth a patrmony. These vest
ments have been used only twice since
| they were presented to Plus TX and can
| be seen by any one who. armed with
! proper permit, wishes to visit the treasury
| kept under the floor of the great Basica
| Plus X, in his desire to help the French
| clergy and in order to resist to he utmost
! the attempts of the French officials to de-
| stroy the church in France, has even eX-
pressed the idea that he would if neces-
| sary dispose of all these treasures, just
| as the Deacon St. Lawrence under Pope
| Damascus disposed of many sacred vessels
of the church. of which he was the ad-
| ministrator, in order to help the poor
| Cardinals Asked to Help.
| A few days ago the pope notified the dean
! of the Sacred College. Cardinal Oregia,
| that it would be necessary for the cardinals
residing in Rome and enjoying a salary
| from the Vatican amounting to a little
| over $4,000 a year to forego some of the
| money due to them from the Vatican adj
| ministration and be satisfied with dimin-
| ished income. Cardinal Oregiia Immediate
| ly called a meeting of his colleagues in the
sacred college and informed them of
| the popes intentions in order to raise
| money for the church in France. 1t was
| decided at the meeting that committee of
| form him that in the opinion of the MEM
! bers of the sacred college any reduction in
their annual salary would be absolutely i'm
| possible.
| The cardinals charged with this mission
| were Immediately received by Plus; X, whom
they informed of the hardships they have
! to undergo even with their present salary.
The apartment each of the cardinals is
| obliged to keep costs on an average 81 600
| year for rent. Besides, each of the cardi-
mails is compelled by church rules to keep
at ieast two horses, carriage and several
| servants, item which alone implies an
| expense of about 81 500 year. Then car
| dinalS rule called upon to con-
| tribute to many private and public charities
| and to individuals in need of assistance,
and very little is left of their salary at the
| end of the year to make both ends meet
| Plus x was very much impressed with
| the assertions made by the Cardinals COM
| mittee and decided there and then not to
| impose an annual tax on the cardinals an
| nual salaries. 1t was on this occasion that
| he made pubic his own intention to reduce
his own personal expense to 30 cents day
rather than see the priests and bishops in
France starve for want of funds.
Demand Release Of Priests.
| ARRAS, France, January 1.-THE inhab-
| itants of this city are demanding the re.
lease of eight priests who were arrested
| Yesterday during a demonstration in favor
of the bishop of Arras after the reading OF
the papal encyclical in the cathedral Great
excitement prevails throughout the city.