The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-13
ENVOY In PLOT
TOlNDUCEP0PE
TOLEAVEROME
Austrian Ambassador Had
Elaborate Scheme for
Hasty Flight.
PONTIFF REFUSED
TO I'VE HIS CONSENT
Sp,oR Correspondence 10 THs srN.

hlMts w III particulars att
now available OF a sort OF plot Matched
hy the Austrian Ambassador accredited
. 10 the Holy See, Prince Schonberg-Har-
,,ns,eln. last Maj to induce the Pope to
leave Rome.
II is now Krown thai when the Italian
,tyernmeut denounced the Triple Al
r,nre the Kaiser and the Emperor Of
Ins,rlt cOniidentially informed Kim
Alfonso OF Spain that val between Italy
and Austria war inevitable and as the
pcue's safety In Rome would he In
l,ns.r when war was decla red and the
AN Of guarantees suspended they sug-
seSed that spain as the only Catholic
mi neutral European Power should offer
hospi,ality to the Pontin. This sugges-
Ion vis Immediately acted upon and
ho,b King Alfonso and the Spanish Epis-
,o,s,r invited the Pope to Spain az he
r,nsidered II eNpedient Cor the i%ndepend-
.,feiy TO leave Rome"
News VI this invitation leaked out and
ne British, Belgian and Russian Min
is,e-S accredited to the Holy See
fastened to assure the Pope that the
Italian Government absolutely 2uaran-
.ed the fun Independence of his spiritual
ministry and his personal safety In case
sf war aud denied that the law OF
suarinters would be suspended. Tie Pope
Va even informed that the Italian Cow
.fuueut would not demand the departure
~ m, diplomatic representatives of Aus
,ria, Prussia and Bavaria accredited 10
the Holy See, nor exercise any censorship
over the official correspondence of the
Vatican. 50 as not 10 prevent the Pope
from communicating freely with all the
nations. including those at war with
Italy. The Pope was so treasured thai
besides agreeing TO a special modus
,N.ndi with Italy aud insisting him
, iii that the Ministers of Prussia and
Bavaria IS well a. the Ambassador OF
ius,r.a should leave Rome when war
WIS declared. he declined without the
slightest hesitation SPANS offer of hos
/. piality.
All thus happened about the begin
ing Of May and undoubtedly consti-
,u,ed a diplomatic triumph for the Allies,
since. obviously. had the Pope left
Rome complications between the Italian
,;oyerument and the neutral Powers,
9th Catholic and non-Catholic. woul
have followed. Besides. the departure
II the Pope from Rome would have
created a most ~unfavorable impression
against italy throughout the Catholic
world and possibly serious dissensions
n Italy
Keep Up Their Efforts.
Tie Austrian Ambassadors did not rec
onrlr himself to the failure Of getting
tie Pope uuj of Rome. however. and
sth the AID ~ Mgr. csiszarik. eccles-
islical cou~ultor OF the Austrian En-
.ttssy. and the cooperation of severa'
Roman p~relstcs and members Of the
run,s ~,utuurage who openly syinpa-
N Lrd with IA" central Empires he de-
..ded ur an eleventh hour effort.
The plot was deliberately and eX-
pensy,ly organized and the Spanish
NIha> tdur accredited to the Holy Sc,
was expected to help toward its sue
-. h.i he backed out just in time 81
'Hr plea that he had not received pre-
c.H Instructions from his Government
The Preparations for the Pope.s IL oh
we're carried on with the Utmost secrecy
tn" Austrian Ambassador ordered Nv,
,Arge closed touring AIRS from Vienna
Two ears were provided to carry tn
Pope, luggage, the fisnerman's ring
\ i,lcs and other valuable things whici
the Pope was expected to take will
I'm when he left Rome.
Fvr ,naufeurs Were from
Bucharrs,. where Prince Schoenberg
HarteU-tein was Minister before. he wa
selt to Rome. These men did not speal
4 word ~ Italian or French and whe
brought To Rome they were instructed
20 drive automobiles between Rome am
Gdcta daily until they We're thorough.
'im.lidr with the road. Along In. rou,
winch Oh" pUIr was expected To take II
aIs fl-At, namely. Rome to Gaeta VII
N".i'tri, IA" ann % followed by Piu
IN, trusted p~ersonages were to b
lONfEd a, b.lp I'm. pntla in fa go nf emer
eenri.s and spare automobiles were TO b
= sept III readiness in case OF a break
down.
When all these preparations had bee
'Jlnr.etrl the naval observatory a
Gdeta reported that a large transatlanti
liner, evidently Spanish, was visible OF
the hdib1r on the night Of May 20. Thi
EASEL had been specially chartered I
convey the Pope to Spain, and II ha
been arranged that the Spanish cruise
Alfonso MI, was to act az escort. Sh
Vas IN fact sighted out at sea beyon
Italian territorial waters. II is reporte
"n good authority that "A huge pOntiica
Nds ot white and gold, with the thar
and the KEYS in the centre. had been pre-
ilred TO be hoisted when the Pope wen
o. board, He was to he conveyed
N%LlencId, where all the cardinals an
hsap's o. Spain We're to assemble I
welcome him, From Valencia the Pop
would gaNr been taken to Seville q
Granada. where he would reside as cues
q NE spanish Government.
Informs the POntin.
Tn" Austrian Ambassador. assuuiin
Pat 'I- ppIr. alarmed at such ella borat
lH~rHrt'Iou>, would have no time left I
INN: the matter over but would decid
a. Oh De-. f.-,. D.,,. Gnlfgit.l an aud
tncc N.'l tho I'untiff, lie Informed III
itp' 'Itt Is Austria and Germany coul
~ longer guarantee the independence {
'' H". -" he had, with the consent {
bon 'r" emperor Of Austria and Il
h''' made AL the necessary prepari
loN~ FOR tue POp.'s departure. TT
> a,,tlrr then explained in detail II
"" Night and ended 10y saying thu
e'' .H- Was ready awaiting his Hol
i.- uirTs.
h'''l,f w. listened IN silence to a
Nftl'i-sador had to say and whs
pres . -" an answer calmly said
MI Nmbassddor, please inform yo'
,''''. .rut that the Pope has decide
"" ''|. a boo Rome
Pu' S,hoenp-rg-Ilartenstein le
''l" '"N days later, The customai
"'''"' visit TO the Vatican was oni
,-'. N..," In" Ministers of Prussia n
i'"ihE I accredited to the Holy See lie
i"t' .''"r war mad been declared Al
"'hi ~ switzerland, where from l.