The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-18

as a statesman no less than as the
spiritual head of the church, anu
the Philadelphia Record speaks for
American editorial opinion when It
approves warmly "the selection OF
one who has diplomatic and foreign
service" and who consequently
may be expected to view world
questions in a broad and liberal
manner" For, the New York Post
adds, 1.-The record of the new pope
is one to inspire expectation that
he may show as great grasp or
international questions as Benedict
XIV exhibited"
Undoubtedly his will be the op-
portunity to play "a most import
ant part in ordering the affairs of
the world in a period of great I'M
easiness and uncertainty" the
| Wilkesbarre Record believes, and
since, as the Columbia Is. c. State
suggests, ''he yields perhaps great
| er power and influence over great
er number of persons than any
other ruler on the globe" the Roa-
noke Times finds his announced
! policy" of universal pacification
and Cancellation distinctly hope
full one Just what the reported
liberal tendencies" of Plus XI sig
Nifty the world will have an oppor-
tunity to know better as time
passes,'' but crediting him with
| genuine liberal tendencies" the
New York Globe feels that mo man
in the world has a better opportuD
! ity to exercise them than the new
head of the Catholice church.
Has Fine Opportunity.
In his work toward universal
pacification" the Indianapolis News
holds that Plus XI has a chance
| that was denied to Benedict, and
| there is every reason to believe he
will make the most of it" Another
new field is pointed out by the New
York Herald, for in several of the
young European republics erected
during the war. the Catholic church
because of it's hold on its members,
| is looked to as a restraining force
needed in the conflict against so
cialism, disorder and the other ills
that rise with every change of gov
ernmental form"
| To this task the new pontif is
able to bring quite exceptional ex-
perience of contact with secular af-
fairs" knowledge which the Phila-
delphia Bulletin feels may well
be of the greatest service in guild
ing the church through the troubled
period which the next few decades
are likely to bring" These varied
experiences are reviewed by many
papers. Because of his long resi-
,dence and work in Milan, where
the Boston Globe says, industrial
questions are more fiercely fought
than at any other point in west
ern Europe" the Hartford Times
sees him entering the Vatican ''bet'
ter equipped with first hand knowl.
edge of the disturbed social condi-
tons of the world and the cause:
of it than has been the good for
tune of most other popes."
In connection with those disturb
ances "he proved himself a power
to counterfeit the spread of the dan
gerous radicalism" which, the Buf'
falo Times remarks, has been tht
gravest problem which has facet
Italy since the war"
Political experience was addet
to industrial when he was sent K
Poland soon after the close OF tne
war ''to represent the Vatican il
the capital of the new republic.
| There, the Newark On. j. Stal
Eagle reports, che came in contac
with many problems of which thu
average American has little knowl
edge" He had to encounter tn,
march of Bolshevism into Poland
the Utica Observer continues, anC
Through his wonderful personal
ity and tireless work counteractet
the spread of radicalism and car
ried hope and confidence to thu
people in that country" The Chi
cago Post feels that the new pope
experience in Poland will equil
him to meet the leading problems o
the new day." and many nations,
the Des Moines Capital believes
will profit by his views on tn
question of sound government"