New-York tribune., 1922-09-17

elsion that further economical changes
must Re made In order that all ex-
r.nses should not exceed the present
;ncome Of the Pope.
The late Pope Benedict, in an effort
70 reduce the heavy cost of upkeep in
the Church, called TO Rome his old
friend Commentators Beccar, a we'll
known financial expert, from Bologna,
~here the Pope had been Archbishop.
He was asked to look over every detail
IN the ledgcrs of the Vatican and de-
eide where economies could be effected.
The Commentators examined every
hook and gave the Pope written pro-
rram Of how these economies could be
nut into effect. This caused such an
tseonism in Vatican circles that after
short while the Commentators asked
the Pope to relieve him of his onerous
task. This was just before Pope Bene-
diets death,
When the new Pope was elected be-
ing very practical man, he elected
that no time should be wasted in put
datore's scheme of economy. Baccari
will be appointed Papai Economo and
have personal charge of the reduction
Plsn Calls for Reduction
OF STAFF to a Minimum
The main idea is to reduce the staff
to the minimum. The first step was
reducing the gendarmes from eighty to
fifty men. These were kept on condi-
ton that they should divide the work
between them. The recent protest on
the part of two of them, who pleaded
Illness for Sinking their sentry duty
in the garden, may result in the dis
banding Of the present corps, which
will be substituted by Swiss guards,
who are a most devoted corps and
chosen from volunteers in the Cath olic
cantons of Switzerland. There has
been. proposal that the Italian gem
darmes should be substituted by body
Of international volunteers who would
serve at the Papal court in similar
way as the present Knights of the
Cape and Sword, who are on duty and
unpaid during Papal functions.
The official inquiry made not only
during the present Popes reign but
| also during the late Pope Benedict's
brought to light many cases Of graft
on the part Of the lay employees of
the Vatican.
When Pope Benedict was driven
| through the garden he noticed, one day
1 in May, that there were new artichokes
| being picked. Returning to his rooms
little later than his usual hour, he
noticed that the gardener was carry
ing into side entrance an armfuI of
I these artichokes. Naturally he thought
that they would appear, cooked, that
night at his supper table, but neither
that day nor the next were artichokes
In any form served. When he drove
In the garden he spoke to the gardener,
who replied evasively in regard to the
crop picked. An inquiry was made and
the Pope was surprised to hear that
the old gardener had been making quite
good income from selling these vege-
tables, when first gathered, to a noble
] family, who paid him we'll in order to
get the new vegetables, fresh from the
| Papal gardens. The old man was very
] much surprised when he was given q
/ subordinate place, under a young gar
dener, as he had been selling the vege-
tables for number Of years and no
1 Pope had ever objected, so he thought
he had earned certain right over all
the new vegetables. He was not dis
/ missed, and is now pensioned, as being
l so old he could not have found an
other job.
1t has been the rule since the time
1 OF Leo XIII for the Vatican to keep out
Of debt. Leo XIII cleared it Of all debt,
and, until the war, every year showed
clean balance sheet, This was due, in
part, TO the gifts given to Leo XIII,
which have been estimated at 10000
O00
income From Peters Pence
| Reported as Decreasing
| But Peters Pence, which is the
money sent by the faithful to keep up
the Papacy, has been falling off, while
the cost of living and Of keeping the
vatican, which includes missions, am
0assadors, apostolic delegates, schools,
churches, the Sacred College and gen.
efal administration, has increased.
1t has been calculated that twenty
years ago the Catholic population in
Italy contributed 100000. the United
states $4,000, Austria the same
amount, Germany $4,000, Great Brit
sn $4,000, Belgium $4,000 and
france $4,000, in all s29o,o0o. Now
@e Pope receives very little from Ger
many and Austria, and this, when
saanged into Italian lire, is probably
very small sum indeed.
Il The Pope must keep relations with
a OF the sovereigns with whom he
aaS diplomatic intercourse, and for
@is reason he appoints ambassadors,
Sno bear the title Of nuncios, and mi
aor officials, who are called apostolic
ae'esates. All these receive salaries