The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1915-03-26
MAY LOSE HIS ARMY
Pope win Lack Guards If Italy
Enters the War.
Entire Vatican Force Liable to Call &c
colors, and Unprecedented sltua.
tlon May Arlse-Law Of Guar.
antees Silent.

|
Rome.-ln case 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.
ality Of 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 "in
case Of war between Italy and other
nations, as also in the case Of war
between foreign nations when Italy
had 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. Il was
then explained, was concerned with
the rights Of peace and not with those
Of war.
Article 3 Of the Jaw OF guarantees
deals with the pontihcal army as fol-
lows.
THE sovereign pontif 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.
oumbent on those guards by reason
Of the laws n force In the kingdom"
The obligations and duties men.
toned in this article are those oil
every Italian citizens liability to serve
in the army, and thus the law explicit.
ly provides that pontifcal guards can.
not claim exemption from military
service. In fact the pontihcal gen
darmes, who are all italian citizens.
are %purposely recruited from men
who have served in the Italian army.
The Noble guards and the Palatlne
guards. who are nearly all Italian cit
liens. not being on permanent duty
at the Vatican. but only called for
service when occasion requires. gel
special leave OF absence when called
for service in the Italian army.
In case general mobilization Is or
, dered In Italy practically all the 200
pontihcal gendarmes would have I,
: 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. win be 10 all In
1. tents and purposes disbanded MOI
can the pope rely on the Noble guard
: and the Palatine guards for the pro
lection OF his person and the custody
! Of the apostolic palaces, as the grea
majority Of these guards win also b.
{ called 10 arms. And the hundreds o
q men employed in the Vatican, the Gus
y todians OF the museums and the sal
s leries. the lay clerks In the depart
ments and Offices, the gardeners AM
e conchmen and caretakers. all thes
5 will have to Join the Italian army
Such a contingency is unprecedeni
ed in history and without a parable
/ IN international law and II will serv
to prove the anomaly OF a state with
IN a state Strangely enough Will
s the next smallest army In the worl
AFTER that OF the pope eAihtlhB INK
wise in Italy. will not be affected b
e Italian mobilization. and not a singl
citizen OF the diminutive republic q
San Marine VIII be compelled to hgh
in the Italian army, the army OF th
h pope will practically cease to exis
h when Italy goes 10 war,
The reason for this distinction b.
tween the two armies Is that sa
l. Marine Is Italy's ally while the Hol
IS See. although It's territory is only
palace and a garden, Is considere
y Itaiy's enemy oGicially the pope Il
n nores the kingdom OF Italy
Il II IS a ~wellknown fact that man
q. radical changes win follow as a n
II suit OF this great war Old nation
will disappear and new ones win Z
formed, boundaries and peoples wi
" change their nationality, while %
n rope will be r%emapped. Great as q
these changes win be their historlcl
N importance will, however. be less tina
8. that Of the great change which ma
affect the Vatican, the Oldest institl
tton in he world.