Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-12-24


the popes maintained schools and UNI
versities and from the revenues of the
land and properties helped establish the
lother great universities of Europe. By
lthe use of these gifts the popes made
Rome the center of learning and cul-
ture, during the middle ages when ed
lucation almost died out under the re-
peated uprisings and invasions of the
barbarous races of northern Europe.
Here scholars found encouragement.
Here flourished art, music. arehitee-
tur and the natural sciences. In Rome
the intellectual treasures Of Ancient
Greece and Rome were preserved untn
Europe emerged from barbarism into
civilization. In the city of the popes
THE oppressed of all nations could find
refuge. When the capital of the R0-
man empire was moved from Rome to
COnstantinople, the popes time after
time defended the citizens of Rome and
i adjacent territory against invasion. In
any great calamity or need they found
the vicar of Christ an ever ready
friend. Rome and the papal states be-
longed to the pope by long tenure, Dy
Just and wise administration and by
1.-THE consent of Catholics the world ov-
,pr who had enriched then, by their
Igifts. What claims had the king of
ITALY that could compare with thesef
How could the citizens of Rome right
fully dispose of the patririony of the
Ichurch9 The writer says A'but Italy
.Iwas kind to the pope" since he was
allowed absolute authority in the vati.
lean and it's grounds. In consideration
t0f what the Italian government appro-
ipriated and still appropriates, the kind
ness to the pope is little enough--a
mere sop thrown by the robber to his
victim. The religious corporations were
disorganized and their Offices adminis-
tered by state officials instead of the
religious orders whose devotions and
sacrifices had founded and maintained
their activities. A large part of their
revenues was turned into the state
Treasury. The Italian law of guarantees
was enacted because of the protest of
1.-THE pope and the whole Catholic world
tat the confiscation of church property
land money and the danger to the per-
sonal safety of the pope. While each
successor of Plus TX has reiterated his
protest, it is not true that the pope is
the personal enemy of the king or the
italian people. The relations between
the government and the vatican have
been amicable for the past twenty
years.
The matter did not end with the ruth
less annexation Of territory and confis-
cation of church revenues. Books and
papers daring to champion the pope's
side of the Roman question have been
suppressed by the government, while an
ti-reigious organs flourish unmolested.
lowing to the action Of Italy, the pope
was denied representation at the Hague
peace conference on the ground that
he is not civil ruler. And it was
Italy that deprived him of his civil au-
thority. The Italian government is
loath to have the Roman question
brought into the Light because it has
a poor cause to sustain and knows it.
Notwithstanding the offer of the
kaiser twenty years ago to use his in
fluence to ''remedy the popes posi-
ton" and recent intimations by the
central powers to open the subject OF
restitution to the pontiff if they we're
successful in the war; Cardinal Gas.
parri, the papal secretary of state, has
repeatedly assured the allies that the
question is matter for settlement be-
, tween the vatican and the Italian gov
! ernment. Does this look as if e'the
pope would get into the peace confer
,, ence and turn down the king and king
dom of Ttaly"Y
, Newspapers and magazines COM
! menting on Gulach 5 pro-German ac-
' tivities during his official residence at
the vatican say that the pope was sur
, prised and overwhelmed when Gerlachs
disloyal acts against the allied cause
: became known to him. Cardinal Gas
parn gave all information and aid he
possibly could to the Italian police who
Investigated the case of this spy. So
this single fact" of Gerlach acting
as an agent of Germany while connect
ed with the vatican does not as the
o writer asserts show the underhanded
methods practiced in the vatican" A
!. single fact" half suppressed does
n not prove much to fair minded per-
+ sons. We have had numerous spies in
g high places in this country, but we do
' not regard our officials as disloyal be-
! cause Of their presence.
! The writer continues thus: "I will
d not dispute the pope Is infaliability by'
Q suggesting that he did not know what
v his servant (Gerlach) was doing.'.
: This innuendo reveals two things: ];
q The writer has not informed himself
= thoroughly on the Gerlach affair, as sae
; leading papers and magazines seem to
A accept the statements of the pope and
s Cardinal Gasparri as evidence of their
e good faith; or else he does not choose
!. to credit such sources of information
q the only ones we have until time and
dispassionate research give US more
S complete history of the events of the
d past four years. 2, He has not the
Il fsintest idea of what is meant by the
4 infallibility Of the pope. If he had he
l. would know that the pope's infallibil.
4 ity would in no way be affected by any
# knowledge Of the actions of MonsignOr
Il Gerlach. If he would know the meaning
t Of papel infallibility as the church
n teaches it and as Catholics understand
# it. beg to refer him to penny cat
"a echism, the dictionary, the encyclope
dia OF any treatise on Catholic doc
y trine. Truly ga little learning is q
IS dangerous thing"
-(MRS.) EVA D. GGNNERS.
g S91 n. Commercial st.