New-York tribune., 1922-12-24
Divorce Evil, Dancing and
IHmOdest Dress Perils
to Society, He Warns
Church in EncyclicaI
MAY Call World
Council in 1925
Catholicism Must Fight
Atheism as Root of All
Disorder, He Declares

]
strife Of to-day and severely condemn.
ing the moral laxity which. he declares
runs through all classes. Pope Plus Xl
is considering the possibility Of calling
an ecumenical council in Rome In 1925
he announced in the Pspal eneyelies
issued to-day.
The conditions brought about by the
peace treaty, which he eharaeterizes a.
the fictitious peace written on paper,
the Pope holds responsible for much Of
the trouble now abroad IN the world
while he declares that the right 70 dc
violence" long established through the
war. has been the means Of ralmost
annihilsting sentiments Of mercy
charity and compassion"
Assalls Dress Of Women
On the score Of modern 1ooseness. o
the Pontiff says:
"We deplore that modesty in women
and girls is trampled under foot by
looseness in dressing, in talking and in
dancing unseemly dances, with open
insult to the misery Of others, often
rendered more provoking by the all too
frequent ostentation and impudenee Of
those whom sudden gains have en-
riehed but not improved"
Class struggles are held chiefly 70
| blame for this looseninR Of social ties
by the Pope. He calls them the
"plague Of society" and declares that
they "attaek all the vital forces, name
ly, work, industry, art, commerce and
agriculture.
"In the sweet sanctuary Of the fam
| ily," the document goes on, "the germ
of dissolution also has penetrated, fos-
tered by the war and the increased
/ immortality, whence this germ is propa-
gated, TO sll individuals. We deplore
/ the spread Of morbid rsstlesSness
among the people Of all ages and con-
! ditions, Of insubordination and Of un-
willingness 70 labor
Speaking Of the possible Ecumenieal
Council in 1925, the next jubilee year
/ Of the Church, the encyelieal says that
such a general meeting Of the whole
episcopaey would be most suitable 10
| the coming jubilee year, whence i'm
mense advantage might come to the
cause Of peace after so long and 40
profound an upheavel. But the reas-
sembling Of the Ecumenieal Council At
the Vatican would be such grave
event that IL is necessary 70 wait and
pray, as did the pious leader Of Gods
! elect people until God gives a clearer
sign Of His wishes"
The encyclical begins by expressions
of regret for the strife and violence
which until recently have rent Italy.
The Pope says that mankind, the So
cial classes and the various peoples
have not yet attained a true peace
after the terrors Of war.
Peace Of Christ Only Hope
The document continues: "The Athe.
/ ists nroclaim the necessity to have
| laws and governments without God
and the family without God, lowering
/ the great sacrament Of marriage 20
/ the level OF a mere civil contract
thereby undermining not only the do
mestic but also the social founda-
| tions.
aThe atheists want God banished
from the schools, which therefore
would become incapable OF preparing
/ the elements Of peace and order for
| families and for society"
Going on TO enumerate the remedies,
the POntiff says the most urgent Is
pacification Of the spirit so as not
| 10 have mere apparent peace but that
true and cordial peace which can only
be the peace Of Christ.
ain the peace Of Christ respect for
order and authority will return, but
only the Catholic Church, the united
| and infallible holder and interpreter
of this doctrine Of Christ. has the
capacity eficaciously to fight that ma
terialism which has already aecumu-
lated so many ruins, and TO bring
back to individuals. families and so
ciety the true healthy Christian spirit-
uality. as superior to the philosophi-
cal as revelation is superior 70 pure
reason; the capacity to teach true
democracy, instilling into the masses
the spirit Of true fraternity
Reafirms Church Rights
The eneyclical says the Church does
not interfere in purely human things,
hut also does not permit political
powers 10 make this a pretext to les
sen the rights conceded by God. The
Pontif adds, therefore, that he adopts
the words Of Benedict XIV: ave toll
crate nothing contrary TO the liberty
and dignity Of the Church, the benefits
Of which are benefits Of the highest
Importance TO the progress Of eivili-
zation."
The Pope expresses pain at seeing
that italy. "our mother country,
where God, who rules the courts Of
history. has fixed the seat Of His vicar
an earth" il not among the states
yenresented at the Vatican.