Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-19
PAPAL NUNC|O PAYS
CALL ON ROOSEVELT
N INFORMAL WAY
aumor Has 1t That the Call
Is Calculated to Put An End
10 the Unpleasant Vatican
Incident

CBy JOHN CALLAN o'LAUGHLIN)
fCopyright 1910 by the Tribune Company
VIENNA. April I6.-Relations between
Col Theodore Roosevelt and the pope
were restored today. Mgr. Granite
Duselmonte. the papal nuncio at Vienna,
called on the former president at the
apartments OF Ambassador kerens In the
Bristol hotel Immediately after a lun-
Cheon given in honor OF the colonel.
The fact that the cali was made pub
IicIy and unquestiOnabIy with the fun
approval OF the pope demonstrates as
rOshing else could do that the vatican
Incident is ended
The occurrence today. official as It was.
demonstrates that the head OF the Cath
ole church considers the attitude TAX
en- by Colonel Roosevelt in Rome was
Justified under the circumstances
Undoubtedly the impartial way in
which the American dealt with the
Methodists as well as the Catholics had
something to do with the graceful act
OF the papal nuncio.
The arrangements for the call were
made BY the nuncio through Ambassa-
cor Kerens who is a Catholic and who
proved just the man TO deal with the
delicate situation
DIPLOMATIC ARRANGEMENT.
Mr. Kerens advised the nuncio that he
Colonel Roosevelt. The vaticsn's envoy
asked II any diplomatic representatives
had been invited
Mr.. Kerens answered in the negative,
whereat the nunciO stated that under
the circumstances he could not come.
but would be glad TO call on Colonel
Roosevelt on American soil-that is. IN
the apartments OF the ambassadOr-in-
mediateIy after the lunch.
pany TO meet the colonel. including the
prime minister and various prominent
Austrians and Americans here.
The nuncio undoubtedly realized that
his visit would be in the nature of a
public affair and construed as an indi-
cation Of the abandonment by the vati-
can OF the position taken by Cardinal
Merry del Val Nevertheless he decided
70 make the call The nuncio, in his Of
iciaI robes Of dark purple silk and
wearing a purple cap. entered the room.
Mr.. Rerens FASTENED TO greet him and
then presented him TO Colonel Roose-
welt
EXPRESSION OF REGRET.
Everyone in the room was deeply in
terested in the meeting. one Austrian
Official remarking significantly:
1t Is an expression of regret on the
part OF the vatican
What passed between the American
and the nunciO only the former presi-
dent and the church dignitary know and
neither will discuss the conversation
II stands TO reason. however, that the
nCncio never would have called TO see
Colonel Roosevelt had he not been au-
thortzed by the vatican. Such an act if
unauthorized. would have cost him his
post, and probably mean his diplomatic
ruin
II. moreover. is known that the nuncio
expressed regret to his friends that the
colonel failed to see the pope Personal
~. he feels sincerely grateful to the for
mer president for all he has done for the
Catholic church in America, the Philip
pines. Cuba and Porto Rico.
Whether they said any Of these things
Is unknown, but the conversation was
entirely pleasant. Each man treated the
other with marked respect. Every eff
fort. apparently, is making 10 remove
any disagreeable impression the diplom-
acy Of Merry del Val might have caused.
The action OF Dibelmonu in calling
upon Mr. Roosevelt is the more interest
ing because Of the fact that when PFesi-
dent Kennedy and the students of the
American college at Rome invited Am
bassadOr Leishman to the proposed re-
ception 10 Americans in Rome he re-
sponded with a declination.
brought no message from the pope, nor is
IL believed that Mr.. Roosevelt sent any
message to the pope. Following his
meeting at Bristol, Dibelmonti who also
has the title Of archbishop of Edesse.
Monsignor Rossi auditor OF apostolic
nunciatUre. left his card at the HoteT
Krantx for Mr.. Roosevelt
Personally, 1 am not surprised at the
nuncio's action. There. is no question
20 the interest Of the Catholic priests ir
Colonel Roosevelt In Italy. in every
demonstration. clergymen participated
FOLLOWED BY PRIESTS.
The former president was followed
around Venice by three priests. In
Vienna the cIeTgymen displayed like in
terest
The fact should not be lost sight of,
said one distinguished diplomat. that
the vatican chose Vienna as the place
for a call on Roosevelt Austria is a
Catholic country. Vienna is a Catholic
capital The nunciO ranks here as an
ambassador. representative of the per-
son Of the pope Under the circum-
stances the world can only regard the in
cident as closed. Whatever the vatican
may say. every diplomat will know that