The menace., 1919-04-12
LEAGUE OF NATIONS CAPITAL in BELGIUM?
Presidents Visit to Pope Indicates Plan to Place international
Capital In Roman Catholic Stronghold
By GILBERT o. NATIONS.
President Free Press Defense League.
81 Bliss Bldg. Washington, D. o.

Though apparently deemed unworthy to know
the purpose OF the visit made to the pope by Pres
dent Wilson, the American people obtained on St.
Patrick's Day fragment Of information on that
deeply concealed mystery The character and
source OF this information justify the belief that it
IS true and therefore Of vital interest and impor
tance
1t will be remembered that the views and felic
tations exchanged between the president and the
head OF the French republic were all freely given
to the press. The visit to London was likewise ac-
corded full and free publicity There was no Sc
crecy about the reception of our president by the
king and the premier of Italy
But the purpose and subject-matter of the con-
ference with the pope have been studously shrouded
IN secrecy that was manfestly intended to be i'm
penetrable Even the Roman Catholic press in this
country including diocesan organs of the cardinals
and archbishops, have declared that neither they
nor any person not present at the secret interview
had any definite idea what was discussed though
they admitted that the sovereign pontff might COM
municate the information to the hierarchy at his
own pleasure.
Under the italian law Of papal guarantees the
pope has his own private postal and telegraph sys-
tens maintained at the expense of Italy but pro-
tected with the most complete secrecy. Under that
law he may communicate with the clergy and mem
bership of his ecclesiastical empire in every part Of
the world in cipher SO his messages will have pre.
csely the same security as the state kilograms of
other governments
Should he deem it conducive to papal interests
thus to inform the hierarchy in this country what
plans or views were exchanged at his secret con-
ference with our chief executive, then the Irish,
German and Hungarian prelates the 600 priests
and 100000 members of the papal empire in this
country would have full information touching the
interview while 85000000 loyal American citizens
would be kept in dense ignorance on the subject.
Those acquainted with the political attitude of
the leading metropolitan daily papers know that the
New York World is about the foremost journalistic
champion Of the present national, administration.
This fact ntensfes public interest in a Rome dis
patch dated March 16 which appeared in that great
newspaper on March IT, Beatrice Baskerville. staff
correspondent of the World obtained the informa-
tion in his dispatch from Hendrix Christian An
dersen, who had recently been given gold medal
by the pope and was therefore most probably de-
vout papiSt and active promoter of vatican ambi-
tions.
The extraordinary interest in the subject-mat.
ter of the dispatch is such as to warrant its repro
duction in full. 1t reads as follows:
ROME March 16-What passed between the pope and
President Wilson when he received at the vatican has
been the subject Of much speculation Hendrix Christian
Andersen, the famous American sculptor today told mo
Of the impression President Wilson made on the pope as
described by His Holiness.
II was surprised by President Wilson'S keen interest in
his League of Nations, said the pope to Mr. Andersen
He simple and frank that liked him immediately
must that when first heard talk about the League Of
Nations did not feel enthusiastic but President Wilson put
the matter SO clearly that my doubts began to melt and
before our interview closed agreed with him on the main
lines Of his PLAN The President struck as being far
more interested in his League Of Nations than in fixing the
frontiers of the newly created states He could talk of
nothing else and converted to his ideas"
Mr. Andersen conceived the idea moro than twenty years
go OF an international city tho nucleus of League of
Nations and Of world peace Now he has every detail of
the ctys plans perfected to the heating and lighting
President Wilson, Col House and Premier Lloyd George have
expressed great interest in Mr. Andersen International city
which he proposes TO BE ERECTED IN BELGIUM. The
pope anxious to Mr.. Andersen to whom he pre
Sented gold medal after two and half hours talk The
pope then said:
This plan Of yours interests me more because Of nv
meeting with President Wilson"
If the statements in this dispatch are true as
they appear to be, then we are informed for the
first time that our president went to the vatican to
convert the autocrat Of that institution to his