The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-10-21
THE ITALO TURKISH WAR

| TripoIi--EngIand's Attitude -capu-
chin Missionaries at Seat Of War
Biblical Institute at Jerusalem
Miracle at Lourdes.
/ For the first time since 1870 the
italian Government finds itself at war
with a power with which the Vatican
still preserves diplomatic relations.
AS may be supposed the situation is a
delicate one, and exceedingly interest
| ing to those who watch the relations
of the various nations. 1t is the more
curious because, as a whole, Vatican
circles are at one with Italy and can
not but approve of this rising of a
Christian nation against indignities
and outrages which the rest of the
world know little of, thanks to the
fnanciers who control the press of
Europe and who to the last have eager
! ly avoided war, because it meant the
sacrifice Of many Balkan and Turkish
securities at considerable loss on
the market. These are the two points
which the Italo-Turkish war is en-
phasizing-the independence, of the
Holy See as a political as well as a
religious power, and the utter de-
tendance of the public upon those
men, mostly Christians, who own
and thus control the great arteries of
news. To the very last Europe was
informed that the powers would inter-
vene on behalf of Turkey, but now the
fact can no longer be withheld that
they have declined to intervene, and
that the occupation of Tripoli has now
taken place.
/ The Catholic interest in all this is
strong, first because it is to some ex-
tent, through Catholic wrongs that the
war has broken out; secondly, because
of the curious position of Rome in the
matter; and thirdly, because many of
the fine fellows who are being sent to
the front amidst such show of en-
thusiasm by the Roman public are
good Catholics.
Persecution Of Christians by Turks.
4 We hear little from the Semitic and
4 Masonic press of the cruel murder of
a priest, Father Giustino, at Derna and
how the Turks not only refused to
avenge this crime, but sought, by
ISLANDERS against the Christians, to
] justify. it. One is not told the revolt
ing details of the carrying off of a
young Italian maiden, the daughter of
workman at Adena, who was horri-
/ bly, and barbarously treated by Mus
selman, and then in mockery forced to
marry him according to the Moslem
rite as satisfaction to the outraged
honor of her people! Pillage, murder
and rapine have been practiced on the
two hundred or SO Italian Christians OF
] Tripoi, until flesh and blood could
stand it no longer, and Italy with a
spark of that old fire which used to
wake SO easily in the Christian soul
declared she would end it.
PapaI Representative at Tripoli.
And who do we find the first to
rush to their posts in the beleaguered
city by the sea, where shines the only
light upon a now darkened coast which
1Cd1t juSt L4C14 latin duQ
courage are the only light in the dark.
ness of self-seeking and money-grab'
bling into which we have sunk? Tri
poll is bombarded-it is town of mud
and will soon be in ruins-the Chris
tians, Europeans, Italians, Maltese and
others have all fed, only four remain
They are two nuns and two priests.
The Fathers face death that they may
be at hand to shrive the dying in the
hospital; the Sisters face death and
worse than death that they may not
desert their posts in the white wards
where they tend the sick and receive
the wounded. Meanwhile, Father
Rosetti, the Apostolic Delegate of Trip
oil, is Fastening towards the scene
of action from Rome There he was
received by the Holy Father who con
ferred upon him diplomatic powers
and invested him with the functions Of
a Papal representative which will be
very useful 1t is now possible for
him to hoist the papal flag on, his
, house in Tripoli and thus protect with
the inviolability of an embassy of q
neutral power all those who seek shell
. ter beneath his roof. The representa-
| tives of Germany and Spain have re
ceiyed instructions from their respec
tive governments to place themselves
, at the disposal of the Apostolic Dele
gate, and Germany has gone SO fan
as to assure the Pontiff that even in
the event of an anti Christian demon
stration, it's government would en-
sure the most complete protection for
. Catholic missionaries and their works
| in Tripoli. Indeed, those communities
and congregations in the city and
neighborhood Of Italian nationality
who have hitherto been under the
protection of the Italian Government
are now under that of Germany.
England's Attitude.