The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1918-05-18
The ANCIENT ENEMY
AGAIN IN SPOTLIGHT.
Rome's Demand for Retutation Of
Article Results in Publication Of
Further Damaging Evidence

Further Damaging Evidence
That able Masonic journal, The
NetO Age, has been receiving many
letters Of late condemning it for tho
publication of its article against the
lesuits called "0ur Ancient Enemy"
and its fearless stand against papal
intrigue in the war. 1t answers both
classes and all corners in its issue
for March by reprinting from con.
temporary and then appending the
testimony of its own correspondent.
AS we republished the article en-
titled sour Ancient Enemy" we also
republish the answer to those who
took issue with The NeW Age. It
follows:
ITALY'S ROMAN ENEMY"
"'The Christian Advocate has been
sharply called to account for attribut-
ing the calamitous retreat Of the
Italian army to clerical Influences.
that is, to the direct pro-Austrial
and premature peace propaganda
which emanates from the vatican. A
Roman Catholic correspondent charges
us with insulting the Americans Of
that church, who are serving in such
large numbers in the army Of the,
United States, and who in other ways
are giving evidence of their loyalty
to their country.
1T was the farthest from our in
tention to hurt the feelings or cast
a slur upon the patriotism of any
American soldier or citizen. We have
not been able to discover that the
Catholic boys were any quicker or
any slower than their Protestant
brothers in responding to their coun-l
try's call. They were Americans, and
they acted up to the finest traditions
OF American youth. All honor tol
them! Shame to those who would
insinuate that they have any divided
allegiancei
"'But Catholics in this country
must not feel insulted when they are
told the facts about the foreign poll
icy of the vatican in this war. Our
information is not from British
sources, but from residents of Italy,
who are conversant with Italian
opinion, and more than specifically
acquainted with what has been tax
o ing place there. Italy believes the
vatican to be pro-Austrian Italy be-
lieves that the peace proposals. Of the
!, pope last August were first approved
by the Central Powers, before they
q were sent to the Allies. Italy be-
. lieves that that fine old Catholic hero.
. General Cadorna, true patriot, al
lowed himself to be surrounded by
"the blacks" in the censorship and
' other influential military posts, and
Z that through these priests the treach-
: cry was Matched which let the Aus
s trians break through and outhank
t the army on the Isonzo. Italy knows
that some of her soldiers who fed
down the Alpine valleys came cheer
ing for "The Pope and Peace!" Some
i Italians know that such soldiers were
: seized by scores and shot. We have
/ talked with travellers from Italy who,
O last October, saw groups Of soldiers,
stripped to the waist, with the pla-
card "Traitorl" on their bare breasts,
It taken from the cars and led out to
n face the firing squad. Herbert Corey,
the war correspondent, cabling from
3 Paris last week to his papers in
+ America, declares that it was treach-
Ie cry, not cowardice or military blum
le dering, that let the Austrians pass,
and he attributes the disaster to two
things, the Socialist propaganda, and
the Strong pro-German group" in
Italy. Those who know Italy are
7 aware that the one "strong pro- Ger
= - man group" is that which has its
- - headquarters in the vatican, and
20 whose chief is Pope Benedict.
Ne If anyone needs confirmation oi
,e the vatican's attitude toward the two
ID groups of belligerents, he is referreC
- to the treaty which the Allies mad,
with Italy, April 26, 1915. A copy
IN was found in the Russian Ministry o.
no State, and given to the world by tn,
!. IsvestiG, the newspaper organ of th'
n Council Of Workmen's and Soldiers
j. Delegates at Petrograd. Clause Ky
of is thus translated in the M1ncheste,
an (Eng.) GNGrdidn Of January 20:
es "'The Powers pledge their sup
nd port to Italy in not allowing repre-
ed sentatives of the Holy See to under
as take any diplomatic steps with tn
ty object of bringing about peace, or til
n settlement of any questions connects
r. with the war
nc ""The Italian democracy is curse
!. by the presence within its territor
n of an agency whose interests are no
an the interests of Italy, one which
a traditionally hostile to the Italia,
ar government, and bound by the closes
OF ties to the Austrian monarchy. Pre-
ai fessedly religious, and claiming tn
rn holiest sanction for its acts, the val
en- lean has in this war cringed befor
its moral responsibilities. 1t faile
to rebuke the Germans for thei
er, breaches of treaty-faith and for thei
10 systematic inhumanity. Its only air
RI has been to put up a pious show Q
se- neutrality, while slyly maneuverin
cl- to save Austria, to establish Roma
ne rule in the separated churches of tn
ed Balkan States, to reach out its croo
oi- into Russia to gather in any fraf
MS ments of the Greek Catholic chure
lr- which the political revolution Nigh
'0r detach, and to seize the protectorat
ne of the Holy Places in Palestine. whic
ne British arms have wrested from II
rs Turk. This is Rome, never-changin