The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-09-16
WILL REFORM
VATICAN ARMY
RECENT MEETING OF SWISS
GUARDS CAUSE OF TAKING
STEPS.
FORCES OF HOLY SEE COMPRISE
FIVE CORPS OF LESS THAN
800 MEN.

ROME, Sept. 16.--In consequence
of series OF incidents, the most re-
cent OF which was the mutiny OF the
Swiss Guards, the vatican authori-
ties are today taking steps to re-
form the tiny but historic army un-
der their control. Although consist
ing of less than 300 men, the armed
forces of the Holy See comprise five
different corps. They are the Noble
Guards, swiss Guards, Palatine
Guards, Gensdarmes and Firemen, or
as they are called, Guards of the
Fire"
The most important of these is
the Noble Guards. Constituted as IL
Is today, this organization dates
back to little over one hundred
years. The predecessors Of the No
BILE Guard, however, first came into
existence in 1884, having been Or
ganized as a papal guard in the time
Of Innocent VIII. They were, how
ever, disbanded in 1898 when Plus
VI was carried off to France, whence
he never returned. In 1901 an agi-
tation was started in Rome among
the aristocracy again to form q body
guard for the Pontiff, and an ad-
dress was sent to Plus VII, Offering
their services gratuitously. To this
Plus replied by message from, his
secretary-of-statc, dated May H..
1901, which may be called their act
Of foundation, and which provided
that the corps consist OF sixty indt-
viduals, men and officers. Now they
are reduced to about fifty and their
command. which was hereditary in
the Barberini and Altieri families.
has lately passed to the Rospigliosi,
the present commander being Prince
Camille. The American connections
of this family are notable, Prince
Camille having two sons, both of
whom married American girls. The
wife of one was Miss Ethel Julia
Bronson, of New York, while the
other made Miss Mildred Haseltine
his wife.
The Rospigliosi are very proud Of
having had the commanderslip of
the Noble Guard conferred upon
them, as thereby they take rank
with the five other houses which
hold hereditary. positions at the pap
al court. These are the two princes
assistants of the papal throne, name
ly the heads of the Orsini and Colon
ma families, deadly rivals in the mid
die ages. the master Of the sacred
hospicc, who is the head of the Rus
poll family. the standard bearer Of
the Holy, church, the head of the pat
i-Montoro; and the marshal of the
conclave, the head of the Chigi.
To that warrior-pope of the Della
Revere house, Julius II, who threw
the keys of St. Peter into the Tibcr,
saying that he had more need Of the
sword of St. Paul." who built the
Castle of Ostia and fortified the
monastery of Grottaferrata, and who
was hoisted up in a basket to inspect
the siege works of Bologna, the for
nation of the famous corps Of the
Swiss Guard was due.
The bellicose pontiff in October,
t1505, enlisted two thousand men,
Ewho were officially described ah
"Praet6rian Guards of the Pope's
person and palace" but only two
hundred came to Rome under the
command of Gaspar de Silenen, Il
nobleman of Lucerne, who remained
at the papal court till his death. The
Swiss Guard was destroyed almost to
Il man in the famous sack of Rome
by the constable of Bourbon in 1927.
1t was rcorganized in 154S and since
then has never ceased to exist, with
the two notable but temporary en-
.ccptions of the French occupations
of 1898 and 1909. The Swiss Guard
now number only about seventy, and
are recruited equally from the Cath
Ollie German and French cant0ns Of
Switzerland.
The Palatine Guard formerly was
composed of members of the upper
middle class, bat it is now recruited
from among shop keepers and small
tradesmen, belonging to Catholic
clubs and societies in Rome.
1t is not quartcred inside the vat