The Washington herald., 1922-01-25
THREE CARDINALS
BELIEVED INLEAD
FOR PAPAL THRONE
Patriarch of Venice Des.
ignated by Benedict
AS His Successor.

ROME. Jan. "a. - Speculation on
the successor Of Pope Benedict now
ccnrers around three cardinals
Mafi. la Fontaire and Ratti. The
name of Cardinal la Fontaino.
patriarch OF Venice. has come into
prominence through the statement
Of Renodict's private chamberlain
Cavaliicre FaEaini that the late
Pope repeatedly expressed the hope
that la Fontaine would become the
next pontifI.
FaEaini declared in an interviev
that while Benedict was undergoing
his last Illness the Pope designated
tho patriarch Of Venice as his sue
cessor.
II is conceded however. that ~.
wishes Of Cardinal Merry Del Val
and Cardinal GaSparri probably will
control tho majority sentiment IN
the Sacred College. II is Of interest
{" not" that the Sacred College now
consists ~ eIr5t cardinals cresto~
when leo was Pore. TWENTY-FIVE
when Plus Y was Pope and Merry
Del Val was his secretary ~ state.
and twenty-eiFht appointed by
Benedict XIV when Gasparri was
secretary OF state.
Power IN Two Cardinals.
Accordingly the attitude OF these
two cardinals may be determining
factors in the conclave.
Immediately declaimers that the
italian government is supporting, or
viii support. any one candidate for
the papacy were made in the nress
Tuesday. following earlier hints
that the government favored the
candidacy Of Cardinal Mafi. who e
known as very friendly to the royal
'amily. and a consistent disciple Of
Tho policies OF Renedict Nv.
Reports that Premier Ronomi ha1
sent out secret circular support-
ing Cardinal Nam drew indicnar
denials from the Popolo Romano
which insisted that the government
would maintain an absolutely ncu-
tral attitude. In accordance WIZ
this principle of neutrality. the gov
ernment has postponed the openinr
of parliament. which had been
scheduled for the same date as tho
beginning Of the Sacred College
conclave-FAhruary ..
Nearly 100000 people. Il is esti.
mated. passed by the body Of m,
late Pope Tuesday as il lay on IN,
MAGNIFICENT catafalque in st. Pc.
ters. A requiem mass was suns
at 2 O'Clock in the morning at the
close Of which four cardinals ,r
hiack vestments passed around the
body with the cense-s.
A repetition of this ceremony will
occur every dav for nine days. wher
the euloEy will be delivered ir
latin by n priest previously chosen
for this office.
burial Services Thursday.
Following consultation of phy.
sicians. IL was decided 70 conduc,
the actual burial services for tn.
Pope on Thursday evening.
Tho question Of Bcnedict's sue.
cessor has provoked an intense de.
bate among italian newspapers
which are particularly occupied ir
discussing the part 10 be played IN
the conclave by the foreign card!,
mails. 1t is feared by some news.
papers that the conclave will TAX,
on the atmosphere OF an allied
council. in which the interests Of
the belligerent nations will be dis.
cussFd. resulting in an allied and
pro-German alignment, which
might hopelessly divide the con.
clave and thus delay the election.
One section OF the press openly
declares that IL Is simply natural
that each government should ash
its cardinals to support its national
policy.
Membership in the sacred colleg,
has now been reduced to sixty
through the death of Cardinal
Sancos. Of Toledo. and the inability
OF Cardinals Priesco Of Naples. Mis-.
terlango of Slorence, Mindezbellc
of Lisbon, and Arcoperde of Brazil
to attend either because OF Hines,
or advanced age