The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1918-01-26

II L II
IN pallng treasonable activity,
LlE within the Italian lines, which
led to the disastrous retreat
"a .ne hitherto victorious army is no
longer open to question.
Day by day evidence increases
proving the guilt of the Roman cleri-
Gals in the overwhelming Italian ca
lamity resulting In the Wholesale and
needless slaughter" Of thousands of
ltaly's noblest sons, the laying waste
OF vast areas Of her soil, the virtual
servitude Of the population unable to
flee before the advancing foe and the
blow to the allied forces of democ-
racy in their heroic struggle against
entrenched militaristic autocracy.
This crime against democracy, hu-
manity and the forces Of enlightened
progress is Of far greater magnitude
than the conspiracy headed by the
pope's erstwhile chamberlain, which
among other criminal acts, included
blowing up two Italian battleships
and causing ths wanton slaughter OF
over two thousand of the flower OF
Italy's navy.
The cry Of the retreating disloyal
soldiers "long live peace" "long live
the pope" gave the key to the mys-
terry or showed the hand behind the
reasonable acts. Readers Of PHI
gT1m's Progress will remember that
on one occasion the Interpreter
showed Christian q mystery. A Are
was burning furiously and a man
was throwing water upon it but in
spite of this the flames rose higher
and higher. Finally the Interpreter
took Christian behind the furnace
and there he beheld a man feeding
the flames by pouring oil upon it.
This it would seem will illustrate the
situation at the present time. Here
In Italy, for example, the flames of
autocracy have been constantly fed
by sabotage and conspiracy such as
that headed by Gerlach, by clerical
reasonable activity In the army and
throughout Italy, and by the recent
act Of all Roman Catholic bishops in
Germany when from their episcopal
thrones they officially condemned pop
uIar sovereignty, one Of the chiet
principles involved in the allies great
world struggle and upheld tho prin-
ctples Of monarchy In general and
the cause OF the ruthless autoordoy-
prGcticing kaiser In particular. These
are merely three typical examples of
how the vatican forces are feeding
the flames of militaristic autocracy
which England, France, America and
Italy are striving TO destroy in order
that the world may be made safe for
democracy and humanity and that
liberty and Justice may prevail
throughout the world.
One Of the clearest and most grap-
hic accounts Of the part which Rome
played In aiding the AWstro-G German
forces attempt 10 crush ITALY, which
had Il proved successful would have
entitled Benedict XV to be termed
the kaiser's 0rentcst ally, was re-
Gently published IN Premier Clemeu-
rAnu's paper "PHomlms Hb~e" and
-o'-inted In full In the New YOrk
T;nss,
The fact that two Of the worlds
greatest secular journals, one In
France and the other In America.
published this bold arraignment Of
the papacy Is only less significant
than the contents Of the special cor
respondents article, tho author Of
which had, as special commissioner
for Premier Clemenceau's journal
travelled through Italy visiting the
army fronts and rural sections as
well as such great cities as Rome,
Venice and Milan. Everywhere he
conducted a careful personal investi-
vation, examining documents and
other related data as we'll an per
sonally interviewing representative
citizens In all walks Of life. This was
done In order to get the authentic
facts ~Nlatinp 20 the needless disaster
IN ItHlV and her arms.
The FIRST conclusion laid down as
an established fact By this special
commissioner for "PHomme Libro''
Ia that:
"The Italians have been victims of
an interior coalition against tho pro
SGngttien Of the war coalition of
special intsrssts lea~ued against the
interests Of the oomtry."
This trinity o. tree On against
Italy's prestige and arrns or the three
bodies who eonspired against world
dernnSrnrv and for tho tr;u,,nL cf