The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-04

ROME, April 4.-CaTdinal Merry Del
wal, papal secretary of state. today
placed the blame for the Vatican con-
Wroversy upon the shoulders of Col.
Theodore Roosevelt.
Without Issuing any formal state
fmcnt, he indicated that IL Roosevelt
HAD quietly acquiesced in the plans
made for his reception by the Pope.
fhe Vatican would have been only too
41lad to make 1t plain that his acquies-
@cence was In no wise Submission or
yielding on his part and worldwide
40iscussion that has already reached
4 the dimensions of a religious-political
4 fempest, could thus have been avoid
led.
When il was suggested 40 the car
A dinal that the Vatican had really open
\ cd the way for the breach by its in
& itfal suggestion. contained in Mgr
{Kennedy's message TO Ambassador
<Leishman, that Roosevelt avoid the
mistake committed" by Fairbanks,
when the Vatican had already been
Eunofiicially informed that Roosevelt
was not contemplating an address to
The Methodists. the cardinal admitted
that possibly Mgr. Kennedy had not
interpreted his message as diplomats
|cally as he might have done.
There was no denial, however, from
the cardinal that Mgr. Kennedy's mes
eage. in tone, at least, was dictated by
The Vatican.
In Rome. except among Catholics,
the feeling is manifest today that Co.
\ Roosevelt acted in the best possible
way In refusing TO accept an invitation
20 have an audience with the Pope To.
morrow as long as the invitation car
f1ed with II such restrictions upon his
conduct IS implied In Mgr. Kennedy's
maj kilograms In Col. Roosevelt, de-
ljvered to him at Cairo.
Summed up, this restriction was that
Roosevelt could not be received b.
the Pope IL he contemplated a prior
address to the Methodists OF Rome.
This was the Fairbanks incident" that
Mgr. Kennedy referred to-
Roosevelt contemplated no such ad
dress. but did not like the implied die.
ration and sent word TO Ambassador
y eishman that he would not submit 10
any stipulations regarding his move
ments while in Rome He did not lin.
ally cancel the negotiations, however,
until he got subsequent message
from Leishman, at Cairo. which stated
that the audience with the Pope could
not take place except on the condi-
lions expressed In the former message.
proposed presentation is, of course
now Impossible" Roosevelt wired
B Ieishman from Cairo, under date Il
March 20.
Kings Greeting Very Cordial.
y The affair, conceded to be regret
table by the Catholics, apparently
made no difference in King Victors
latitude, for he received Roosevelt ar
the palace this morning with unusual
warmth.
The vatican authorities expressed
MANAGEMENT at RGosevelts publication
'0f the text of the messages that passed
'between him and Ambassador Leish-
man and OF Mgr. Kennedy's corrospon-
'dence with the ambassador. These
messages, In the opinion OF vatican al-
thorities, were confidential, and Should !
have been so treated.
IL was explained that Mgr. Ken |
'nedy's reference 10 the Fairbanks In |
cident was intended as friendly |
reference In the hope that an intima- !
ton along this line would avert tho |
possibility of such another unpleasant
position arising.
Col. Roosevelt has sent this explain. |
alton to DR.. Lyman Abbott, editor OF l
the Outlook. New York.
Dear DR. Abbott: Through Out
q look I wish TO make a statement
20 my fellow Americans regarding
what has occurred In connection
with the vatican I am sure the
great majority OF my fellow citl-
gems Catholics quite as much as
y Protestants. will feel that / acted
in the only way possible FOR an
American to act. and because OF
this very fact, I most earnestly
q hope that the incident viii be
treated I'm a matter OF course way
as merely personal. and. above all.
as not warranting tho slightest eX-