The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-04-04


tionable, clearly indicating that an
audience would be Cancelled in case
you should take any action while
here that might be construed as
countenancing the Methodist mis-
sion work here, as in the case of Mr.
Fairbanks. Although fully aware of
your intentions to conflne your visit
to the king the Pope the convert
threat in the Vatican's communica-
ton to you is none the less objec-
tionable and one side or the other is
sure to make capital out of the ac-
ton you might take The press is
already preparing for the struggle.
1t seemed to Mr.. Roosevelt clear
ly impossible to agree to an audience
proposed under such conditions.
While private citizen now, he
was once president of the United
States and since, as has already been
stated, the dignity of his former Of
flee especially in European eyes,
still chung to him, to say nothing of
his own personal dignity, 1t followed
as a matter of course that he decid-
ed to send the following reply to Am
bassador Leishman:
1t would be real pleasure to me
to be presented to the Holy Father,
for whom | entertain a high respect
both personally and as the head of a
great church. fully recognize his
right to receive or not receive whom
soeyer he chooses for any reason
that seems good to him and II he
does not receive me shall not for a
moment question the propriety of his
action. On the other hand |, in my
turn, must decline to make any stip-
ulations which in any way limit my
freedom Of conduct. | trust that on
April 5, he will find it convenient to
receive me.
Another cable received two days
later agreed to his entire right to
his freedom of conduct, but emphas-
lied, however the limitations to
which he must agree in the follow.
ing sentence:
ION the other hand in view of cir
cumstances for which neither his
holiness nor Mr.. Roosevelt is respon-
sible, the audience could not take
place except on the understanding
expressed in the former message.
No other construction could be
placed on this message than that II
was an ultlmatum. Thereupon from
Cairo, Col. Roosevelt wired Ambassa-
dor Leishman stating that, OF course,
the presentation was now clearly i'm.
possible. While this correspondence
was in progress Mr. Roosevelt was
cabling Mr.. Leishman declining to
make any engagements for any out
side persons or bodies. reiterating
that he would await his arrival in
Rome.
Col. Roosevelt deeply regrets that
the incident should have occurred be-
cause of the possible acrimonious
controversy which may arise, a thing
he would deplore above everything
else.
The Vatican has published a state
ment asserting that no threat was in
tended In the messages to Col Roose-
welt, the expression to which Mr..
Roosevelt took exception being mere
ly friendly suggestion of the advis-
ability Of avoiding the committing of
an act offensive to the Pope, such
as to countenance the Methodlsts.
But Col Roosevelt takes the position
that the Vatican was not justified in
assuming that he intended to be Of
fensiye a thing the furthest from his
mind.
The Vatican holds that he had no
right In view of his request for an
audience, to take any step while in
Rome to which the Holy Father
could object, as he certainly would
do if he made any recognition at any
time while I'M Rome of the Methodist
propaganda. The Methodists are char
ged with pernicious activity includ-
ing "diabolica" attacks upon the
Pope, and under the circumstances
the Vatican feels that a repetition
of the Fairbanks incident is prefer
able to backing down from the posi-
ton adopted, especially in view Of
the greater eclat the Methodists
would enjoy from so popular a man
as Col Roosevelt.