The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1915-03-26
MAY LOSE HIS ARMY
Pope Will Lack Guards if ItaIy
Enters the War.
Entire Vatican Force Liable to Call to
Colors, and Unprecedented Situa.
ton May Arise-Law Of Guar.
antees Silent.


Rome.-1n cas- Italy goes to war
one of the most serious complications
which will follow in the relations be-
tween the Italian government and the
Holy See will be in connection with
the papal army.
There Is no provision in the law OF
guarantees contemplating the eventu-
atty of war. When this law was be-
fore the Italian parliament in 1871 a
member proposed an amendment to
the effect that all privileges accorded
to the pope should be suspended Sin
case Of war between Italy and other
nations, as also in the case of war
between foreign nations when Italy
a declared herself neutral, and in
every circumstance when such a meas.
ure should be necessary for the inter.
nal and external security OF the state
This amendment was accepted, but not
embodied In the law, which, it was
then explained, "a concerned with
the rights of peace and not with those
Of war.
Article 8 Of the law of guarantees
deals with the pontifical army as fol.
lows:
The sovereign pontiff can retain
the usual number of guards attached
to his person and employed for the
custody of the palaces without preju
dice to the obligations and duties in.
cumbent on those guards by reason
of the laws in force in the kingdom
The obligations and duties men.
toned in this article are those OF
every italian citizens liability to serve
IN the army, and thus the law explicit.
ly provides that pontifical guards can.
not claim exemption from military
service. In fact the pontifical gen
darmes, who are al italian citizens,
are ~purposely recruited from men
who have served in the italian army
The Noble guards and the Palatine
guards, who are nearly all Italian cit
izcne, not being on permanent duty
at the Vatican, but only called for
service when occasion requires, get
special leave Of absence when called
for service in the italian army.
In case general mobilization is or
dorca IN Italy practically all the zoo
ponttfcal ~gendarmes would have K
Join the colors and thus the two per
manent corps of the papal army. the
Swiss guards, already reduced from
200 to only about eighty rank and file
and the gendarmes, will be to all in
tents and purposes d%isbanded. Nor
al the pope rely on the Noble guards
and the Palatine guards for the pro
lection of his person and the custody
Of the apostolic palaces, rs the great
majority Of these guards will also be
called to arms. And the hundreds oil
men employed in the Vatican. the Gus
todians of the museums and the gal
~leries, the lay clerks in the depart
ments and Offices, the gardeners and
coachmen and caretakers, all these
will have to join the Italian army.
Such a contingency is unprecedent
ed in history and without a parallel
in international law and It will serve
to prove the anomaly OF a state with
in a state. Strangely enough while
the next smallest army in the world
after that Of the pope. existing like
wise in Italy, will not be affected by
| Italian mobilization, and not a single
| citizen OF the diminutiye republic oi
San Marino will be compelled to fight
in the Italian army, the army Of the
pope will practically a to exist
when Italy goes to war.
The reason for this distinction be
| tween the two armies is that San
Marine is Italy's ally while the Holy
| See, although its territory is only q
palace and a garden, is considered
Italy's enemy. Officially the pope e.
nores the kingdom Of Italy.
It is a ~well-known fact that many
| radical changes will follow as a re
suit Of this great war. Old nations
| will disappear and new ones will be
| formed; boundaries and peoples will
change their nationality, while Eu.
rope will be remapped. Great as all
these changes will be their historical
Importance will, however, be less than
that of the great change which may
| affect the Vatican, the Oldest institu.
| ton In the world.