The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-17
Sptcai Correspondence 10 The SrS.

EoME, Sept. S.-Since the Vatican Is
following the golden rule OF silence and
the Pope's efforts toward peace are no
longer announced either in official doeu-
ments and public uttera noes or more or
less authentic interviews. there Ii no
vay open to ind out what the Pope Is
really doing to hasten peace except that
Of provoking so-cslled 'indiscretions.
IL is never impossible to find a per-
son. A prelate or "A pontiical gendarme
willing to dlvulge a secret. since tine
outbreak of the wal the number OF
obliaing so-cslled Vatican informants
has Increased so that 'indlscretions'
can be had for the mere asking. There
is. however, always a drawback. In
formants are never impartial and being
human beings and therefore interested
IN the war, their 'indiscret!ons' are
either pro-Germsn or pro-ally. Often
they are pure inventions.
Before Italy declared war OH Austria
during the days of neutrality when
Prince Won Buelow and the Austrian
Ambassador as well as the Prussian
and Bavarian ENJOYS to the Holy sec
Intrigued and spent money to avert IN.
prevention. nearly all Vatican INFORM.
ants were more or less pro-Iierman.
Then they all became suddenly patriotic
and pro-ltalian.
what do YOU think of the war with
Austria 80 one OF these informants. q
member of the Pope's encourage. WAS
asked.
"oh. It IL a just and holy war" he
answered without hesitation. 'There
was no other way for Italy but to
declare war to complete her unity n
redeem the thousands and thousands o.
Italians oppressed under Austrian rule.
But" interrupted his questioner.
until q few days ago you upheld neu-
trality. You said II was a mistake lot
Italy 10 Intervene. predicted the deteat
OF your country II she dared attack
Austria
The member Of the Pope's encourage
felt offended at these questions. IL was
beneath him to answer them, ne sa.u'
1t was an Insult TO even MN tha' no
could he "A neutrallst,
Il come from the Romagna. he SAID
-ard sucked hatred against Austria
with my mothers milk"
HopIng In whispers.
To case OF the Vatican informant
who suddenly became anti-Austrian ~
hy no means isolated. Evidently the
number OF those whose nourishment IN
their babyhood was garnished WIN
ta,rel of Austria has been onsideraole
Even the ire c~oncilables. who etill nope
that the Pope will get back Rome when
the Austrians come TO Italy. are hoplns
IN whispers while shouting Down Win
Austria - It IL reported that the span
ish Ambassador accredited to the Roy
See is secretly continuing the work OF
his Austrian, Prussian and Hawaiian
colleagues and that owing to his enorts
the number OF pro-Germans in the papai
encourage has not diminished. Mgf
Gerlach, one OF the four private cham
beyla!ns In constant attendance on tho
Pope, is an Austrian. and II II prepos-
ferrous TO think that he Ia not workihs
for his Emperor.
The Vatican IL one OF the most COM
plex organizations in the world. its
mechanism is very delicate. There arc
wheels within wheels and often even
when the smallest does not run smoothiy
and requires oiling some OF the larger
wheels are likely 10 stop revolving Every
little hitch counts. This explains why, de-
spite the we'll known fact that the POPE
personally sympathizes with France. tine
! eldest daughter OF the Church, his en-
tourage contains so many whose synpa-
th'es are pro-German.
Anti-clericals are OF course saying
that the Pope's efforts toward peace are
i'l utN4'll'EfSltu. lucy oSSsse So
dict XIV. either hopes to see Rome ana
the temporal power restored n his repre-
sentative r. admitted to h peace confer
snce or else his efforts to shorten tho
war are due to the fact that while II
lasts the contributions to Peters pence
do not amount to much and with peace
they are bound TO increase.
Priests are, however, no longer
considered Italy's enemies. as their pa.
tr'ptA9A. u,A4 lac n,,nattnnAd ThA MA r
has brought about a religious a
!ng throughout the country. 1t In a
pity that while the Italian episcopate
and clergy are for tao war there Should
n" an Italian Pope, whose brother and
nephews are fighting for their country.
compe'led to be "impar.!aliy neutral
and suspected Of synnpathizing with
ltaly's enemies.
Has the Pope entrusted to Cardinal
Ghb0Cs a mission to President Wilson?
bd his Emlncnce deliver a message
from the Pope when he saw the Preei-
dent Ofcially neither yes nor nc.
se'n'-oflcially both yes and no,
So long AS Rome has not spoken
"r'rvthing Is safe and time will show
whether or not Cardinal Gibbons hal a
nosS,G" from the Pope and what sort OF
n message it was Possibly 4. was a
dlp.oma'ic message or n confidential
hDH FlltT, INV III tu u u tHSc tne
Vel ~ secrecy will never be lifted.
The only way OF getting an inkling
~ ~" present attitude Of the Pope with
regard 20 peace II perhaps tha. % read
inG between the lines OF recent editorials
IN 20 OSScru0t0rc Romano, the Ofifcial
organ Of the Holy See and supposed ia
se spired by the Pope's Secretary OF
~a'", Cardinal Gasparri. Unfortunately
| Oh" d.tor of tho paper is VIGOROUSLY
pro-icr1nan. Anti-clericals say the o.
%rr"tmc was subsidized by the Austro-
Germans during ltaly's neutrality and
nat thc subsidy was IN generous thnt
y covered or In expected to cover q long
i"nod. The paper upheld Itdly'f neii-
''aIi'y as vigorously as the German
owned newspapers, which ceased publ
eetoi with ltAly's interv s1tiOn,
The most significant editorial Of the