The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-09-11
MERRY DEL VAL
MAY BE RETIRED
Gets Blame for Present Strain
in Church Diplomacy
TALKS ABOUT RAMPOLLA
Countess Larnowski Becomes SO yio-
lent Mt Times That She Has to
Be Confined in a Straight
Jacket
TALKS ABOUT RAMPOLLA

Rome. September S.-(Specia1 THE re-
del Val is to retire and Cardinal Ram
polla is to become papal secretary of
state.
1t has doubtless about as much foun-
dalton as similar reports, which have
| gone before. There is no question that
the Rampolla element in the euria is
growing stronger daily.
Cardinal Merry del Val is one of the
youngest of the cardinals. He is barely
As, and is imbued with all the fiery spirit
of the middle ages, coupled with
naughty reserve of manner to all except
his intimates
His ambition is immense, an ambition
not altogether personal, but bound up
with what he honestly believes to be the
welfare of the church, an ambition
amounting to open intolerance of any
opinions which he may consider disad-
vantageous to his set plans.
| Hence his attitude of blank refusal to
consider even the requests of the Span
ish government.
| Plus x. as captain of the ship of ST.
Peter, has to accept the responsibility
and blame attached to any of the recent
Incidents; but in reality the fault lies with
the cardinal secretary of state. Consider
| these indiscretions separately
| A little tact and little diplomacy
would have assured a meeting between
| the Pope and the American ex-President
To sum the whole matter up in a few
words, papal diplomacy has latterly
proved itself a failure, and on Cardinal
Merry del Val rests the responsibility
Leo Kill, the present Popes predeces-
sor, was faced with tremendous difficult
ties on all sides, but as secretary of state
he had an acute diplomatist, Cardinal
Rampolla, while he himself fully realized
that more was to be gained by patience,
and a certain spirit of cordiality, coupled
with quiet dignity, than by aggressive
defiance.
That the cardinal has failed, casts no
moral reflection upon him; on the con-
trary, he is man of unblemished char
acter and Is most popular amongst his
intimates., But as a secretary of state,
who has the welfare of honor of a great
church In his hands, he has shown an
almost marvellous ineptitude.
According to kilograms received from
Venice, the Countess Larnowski has
grown so violent in her hysterical fits
that it has been found necessary to con-
fine her at times in a straight-jacket. 1t
is feared that she is losing her sanity;
and her condition has been made worse
by the news of the tragic death OF her
cousin recently, which the doctors vainly
| attempted to keep secret from her. 1t
will be remembered that the Countess
was sentenced about two months ago to
eight years Imprisonment for her COM
plicity in the murder of Count Kamar-
owski,s who was shot by one Of her
| lovers. n
| The youngest divorced couple In the
world are to be found in the court of
Abyssinia. On May 16 of last year the
Princess Romans Onesk was married to
| the Prince Lidj Eyassu, the heir-appar-
ent, the bride being then years of ago
and the bridegroom IA. Now they have
been divorced 1t Is not question of
| fault on either side. no incompatability
| of temper. none of the causes which fig
ure so frequently in divorces. The Prin-
| cess happens to be the niece of the
Empress Taitu. and this lady is not pop
| ular with the regents of the country. So
to prevent the Empress exercising any