Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-24
VATICAN BUYS GUNS
Modern Arms Are Purchased
for the Papa! Guard.
POPE CONSIDERS VISITORS
Building Underground Passage to
Avoid Disturbing Them-Monu-
ment Vetoed.
Special Cable-ram 10 Til. Star.

Special Cabe-ram 10 The STAR
ROME. September pa large con-
Segment of rifles. automatic pistols
ana ammunition of the most modern
type has just reached the Vatican. after
some trouble at the frontier where the
Italian custom house officials were
rather surprised at the warlike nature
of the merchandise addressed to
Cardinal Merry del Val. and telegraphe
to Rome for instructions The prime
minister at once wired back authorizing
the delivery of the goods free of charge.
as provided by IL clause in the law of
guarantees, which is scrupulouslv re-
spected by the Italian government, al
though not recognized by the holy see.
IT is now learned that these modern
weapons have been ordered ,by the
the obsolete guns with which the Swiss
ana gendarneS have hitherto been
armed. AS the Vatican maintains a
small army of several hundred men, it
IS as we'll. in the cardinals opinion
that they should be furnished with the
most up-tOdate shooters instead of
sporting f1intlocks and shouldering hal
bords of the time of Michel Angelo.
Building Underground Passage.
Formerly the Pope, when going from
his private apartments to the Vatican
gardens for II walk or a drive. was
Obliged to pass through the Museum
of Sculpture. This. however, is closed
toward sunset. and even when the
holy father felt inclined to take the
air sooner he dbstained from doing 50
In order not to disturb the visitors to
the museum. who would have had to
be requested to leave during his pas
sage.
In order to obyiate all this an under
ground passage. leading directly from
the Popes apartments into the Vatican
gardens. is being eXcavated, and will be
ready for use toward the end of Oc-
tober.
The monument to Dante which il has
been proposed to erect in New York BY a
committee of Italians has met with no
encouragement on the part of the Italian
government officials. At the same time
all efforts to identify the government
with the movement on foot in New York
city have failed and now It is even Off
cfal:y announced that the minister of for
eign affairs has warned the Italian con-
SUI in New York city and the Italian am
bassador at Washington not to officially
identify themselves with the project
Months ago the New York committee
applied to the minister of marine for a
battleship to be present 1T the unvaiIing
The request was promptly refused. The
Italian press has also condemned the
idea as untimely. maintaining that a
school or any other institution of the
kind would be OF more benefit to the
Italians of New York than dozens Of
monuments.
Monuments Not Needed.
Marquis hi Bugnano. deputy to the
Italian parliament. and very familiar with
the conditions of the Italians in New
York, states that the policy of erecting
monuments in New York is not the best
suited for the Italians residing in the
United States.
when l visited New York in February
last" the marquis said Il was Informed
that the Italians are very little dependent
on American charity, and that in the
streets OF the metropolis there Is not to
he found single Italian beggar. AT the
same time ! was told that my country
men lacked the institutions of an educa-
tional and philanthropic character Above
all they need a founding asylum and a
hospital that would compare faNorably
with the American institutions of the
kind. L am for a founding asylum just
now