The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-01-21
PASSES AWAY

IW.uI
|preYenteA the ftitillment OF come
OF his aspiration.
One 81 the incidents OF his pons
tfical career WIS the visit which.
President Wilson paid 10 him on
January 4. 1919 when the presis
dent went to Rome prior TO the
opentng OF the Peace Conferences
at Paris. Social and treaty dies-
lions were discussed, 1t Is said.
during the private audience at the
conclusion Of which Pope Benedict
presented to his guest q Handsome
mosaic reproducing Guido Rents.
famous picture Of Saint Peter,
valued at $4,000.
One OF the smallest men ply
sIeally ever elected TO the chair OF
81. Peter the former Cardinal.
della Chieaa never expected to be.
thus honored by the Sacred Col
lege and Is said to have wept when
apprtsed Of his election. He would.
have preferred, he aaid, to remain
|a simple priest or, at most, Car
dlnal md Archbishop Of Bologna.
On the day of his election he
spoke of'the burden Of responsible
tty thrust upon zone frails braino
and expressed his horror OF the.
world conflict then being waged
and his hope that It would quickly
snd One week Gfter his corona
ton, when the Fisherman's Ring.
was placed upon his finger. he.
issued an Encyelical to the episco-
pacy OF the world IN which rulers
E'werei exhorted to put aside dissen-
sions and to ENTER into a council
OF peace with all speed" The
appeal fell on stony ground. how
ever, and later. on December 12.
1914, the Vatican authorities an
nounced the pope's plan for a
Christmas truce was failing "be-
cause OF the opposition Of a certain
power" Reports we're that Russia
and Turkey had refused to ac-
qulesce. Along a thousand miles
Of battlefront, tho following
Christmas Day; thousands Of cam
non Numbered an answer to Bsne.
diets appeal to clay down your
Again on January Is, 1915.
Pope Benedict took up the task Of
bringing peace to a war-torn
world. decreeing that on February
.. priests and laity Of the Catholic
church throughout the world.
should unite in services and pray
ers for the restoration OF universal.
a11ity and good will. Thenext oc-
caston Benedict exercised his hli-
name prerogatiYe was on July %.
1915, the first anniversary OF the
war, when he issued an appeal to.
All rulers, declaring that "blessed
ne he who first extends the olive
branch and tenders his handlto the
enemy IN offering his reasonable
conditions OF peace"
In March. 1916, the Pope again
reiterated his prayer for the dawn
81 q new and better day. Zach
belltgerent should clearly state his
desires" he said, .but shJ III lie
Ers1dy TO mike the necessa:r sucr.
fices OF pride end particula. inter
ests." Previously Benedict had
written to the late Emperor Francis
Joseph, OF Austria, asking him to
shorten the war" and likewise
sounded the then Emperor OF Ger.
many as to the terms upon which
he would lay down the gage Of bat.
tie. lj45aSy
In May, 1915. Monsignor Bon
zano, papal delegate to Washing.
ton, delivered to President Wilson
a message from the Pope In which
no intimated that America might
volunteer to %conciliate he European
belligerents. The note came at a
time when the United States and
Germany were in the midst of a
diplomatic crisis and MIR. Wilson,
In his reply, did not respond to the
pontiff7s suggestions for bringing
about peace. The next communion.
ton from the Vatican to the White
House came on January 16, 1917,
and contained the approval by
Benedict Of the Presidents peace
note. Three months later the
United States herself had resefttd
to the arbftrament OF arms and en-.
tered the struggle on the side OF
the Allies.
On August s, 1917, still hopeful
of saving the world from a veritable
cataclysm, Pope Benedict issued in
his own handwriting his famous ap.
peal to the nations, e%xhorting the
bellgerent, rulers to end the war
for tho sake OF humanity.
One passage read: "As to the
damages to be repaired and as to.
the war expenses, we see no other
means Of solving the question than
by submitting as n general princt-
pie complete and reciprocal con-
donation, which would be justified,
moreover by the immense benefit
to be derived from disarmament, SO
much SO that no one will under.
stand the continuation OF a similar
carnage, solely for reasons OF an
economic order" The Pope, how
ever, recommended the evacuation
OF Belgium by the Germans. self.
determination and freedom OF small
nations. Earlier in that year t1917)
he hal warned the German and