The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-09-13
PAPAL BODY GUARD
Historic Account Of Celebrated swis,
Guards.

Historic Account Of Celebrated Swiss
Guards.
Our Rome correspondent says anent
the recent exaggerated reports re-
garding the Swiss Guards, that there
Is disposition evident in the anti
! clerical press of Rome to ridicule the
Papal bodyguard and the idea that
there is any necessity for guard at
all for the person of the Pontiff. He
continues:
Let us try to put ourselves into the
mind of an ordinarily observant and
non party person. He will say, sure
ly: BY the lowest estimate, that of
the Italian. Governments declaration
in their Law and Guarantees" the
Pope is a sovereign and owns terri
tory. Obviously then he has body
guard and an army - different from
most armies, for one thing in that it
Will be very small, as is the territory
-now-but still an army. Good. The
next question arises: Is there any
necessity for that little army to be
placed in a position of efficiency to
defend the Pope in case of aggression
of any sort? He, being just. impair
tial man, will recognize that Catholics
(the Pope's subjects) regard the per-
son of their sovereign as sacred and
he will answer-In the possibility of
aggression, yes. Then-1s there any
possibility of aggression - premedi-
tated, violent severe, momentary, ac-
cidental-any aggression Of any sort :?
If he is up by the Vatican he will
notice the black flag of Giordano
Bruno waving-with a large tear down
the middle of it just now, but that
makes no difference to it's significance
! within stones throw of the Popes
windows. He will know-he may very
likely have heard 1t shouted and
cheered at public meetings-that their
avowed object is that the Vatican and
all in it shall be swept out of Rome,
out of Italy, If possible (and some of
the poor things think it is possible),
out of the world. He will observe
that Italy-the self elected, so-called
protecting power does not put stop
to such language. He will be aware
that the program Of the lodges, pub
licly authorized and posted on the
walls of Rome, is IDENTICAL and he
cannot have failed to notice 1.-The
\ strength of Masonic influence in the
government Of the kingdom. He will
remember the incident at the Ponte
S. Angelo, when the body of Plus TX.
was saved from being hurled into the
Tiber by band of anti-clerical or
ganized roughs. not through any: pre-
cautions of the government but
through the determination of the
Catholics following. He will remem-
Der francesca Ferrer night in Rome
/ when anti-clerical hooligans went
round setting fire to churches with
impunity. He will see the daily head
ing in the Roman morning newspaper,
.'Anti-clerical Organization" Evidence
of it and of the sort of persons who
are interested in it he will have no.
ticed III innumerable professions, at
which the Roman municipality is off,
cially represented and members of
parliament also adorn. He will know
something of the temper of the times
and what Roman mob is like when
anything-even a trifling thing. or
something that does not concern it at
all. like Francesca Ferrer-rouses it to
unnatural but effective fury-and there
Is not much doubt what his answer
will be-"