Evening star., 1922-07-30
|1taly's Contribution to the War
Landed by Former Vice President

ship of the church. and as the Pope
himself claimed political su-
premacy 1t would not have been
surprising had he, instead of de-
clartng his neutrality, decided to
stand with the Austro- Hungarian
empire. Indeed, 1t would have been
strange IL the sympathies of the
clerical party in Italy had not been
with the central powers. l speak
in no critical spirit Of the church.
Its supreme pontiff claiming what
he did. 1t would have been unnat-
ural had not the sympathies Of his
party been with the government
that entertained like views. Re-
versing the situation, had the pom
tfff been a Protestant it would
have been quite remarkable had
his sympathies not been with Great
Britain and America. 1t was not.
therefore. a thing to be wondered
at that written documents and ap-
peals throughout the kingdom
. were to the effect that Protestant
England and atheistic France were
really waging war against the
church.
Now add to this condition of pub
lie opinion the fact that Italy was
permeated with socialistic ideas
and that the cardinal principle of
socialism is an intense hatred of
war. Is it any wonder that many
devout churchmen and many unbe-
levers Joined together IA an ef-
fort to keep Italy neutral? More
over there were the trade relations
which existed between Italy and
the central powers. The British
empire was not paying and had
not paid any attention to the eco
nomic welfare of the Italian peo-
pie, while the business relations
which had grown up between the
kingdom and the central powers
had been Of commercial advantage
to the people.
In pointing out internal condi-
tions I do not criticize the cleri-
cal party as religious organization.
confronted the Italian government
and the Italian people. first in de-
claring neutrality, and secondly in
actively entering into the war. l
am too much OF an American to
assault any mans religious belief.
Upon the other hand. I am too
much of an American to consent
tudl any mere, Tic "oIlu
a religious organization shall con-
troll the political conduct of
people.
1t is my deliberate judgment
that Italy could not have entered
the war II a majority OF the clergy
OF the Roman Catholic faith had
been willing to follow up their
silent acquiescence in the politi-
cal supremacy OF the Pope by an
,of o., nv,c he 10
to maintain that dogma. Italy is
intensely Roman Catholic. almost
Overwhelmingly SO. The king him
self is a good Catholic and most
of the public officials Of the king
dom are of his faith. 1t must be
that large numbers of the clergy,
while not denying the political su-
premacy of the head Of the church,
nevertheless quietly disputed it.
1t seems to be the case of a claim,
not yet ready to be submitted to
public adjudication. but asserted for
fear it may be forgotten.
~
With these religious controver-
sizes and conflicting claims / have
nothing to do. They interest me
only mildly and 1 doubt very much
whether the claim OF the Pope to
political supremacy interests many
members Of the church. save those
who belong to the party Of the
Vatican. do not cite them for
controversial purposes. should
engage in no controversy as to the
truth or falsity Of any claim un-
less II asserted itself in America.
But I refer to all these conditions
of external and internal impor-
tance to Italy. that Americans may
understand that perhaps no people
who entered into the great war
upon the side of the allies had SO
many adverse and contending cur
rents of thought with which to
deal in making UP their final de-
cision as the italian people.
Let US give to these lovers Of
liberty and lovers Of their church
the high credit which belongs to
them. They are a people whose
hearts are moved by Justice and
whose sympathies are enlisted for
the right. They were willing to
give of blood and substance to the
uttermost to the cause in which
they believed. English-speaking
men should appreciate the fine
spirit that moved the Italian gov
ernment and italian people to en-
ter the great war. and appreciating
1t. they should cultivate a friend
ship based upon just treatment and
kindly sentiment
Copyright. 1922. by Thomas R. Marshall.)