Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-23

FI.'u pIuS ldN.-.NuN.
sounded the then emperor Of Ger
many as to the terms upon which he
would lay down the gage of battle.
In May, 1916, Monsignor Bonzano,
papal delegate to Washington, de-
llNered to President Wilson a mes
sage from the Pope in which he in
tlmated that America might .volun-
teef 10 conciliate the Europcan
beIiigerents. The note came at a time
when the United States and Germany.
were IN the midst of Il diplomatic
crisis and Mr.. Wilson, in his reply.
did not respond to the pontiffs sug-
Sestlons for bringing about peace.
The next communication from the
Vatican to the White House came on
January 16, 1917, and contained the
approNal' by Benedict of the Prcsi-
dents peace note. Three months lat
cr the United States herself had re-
sorted TO the arbitrament of arms
ana entered the struggle on the side
OF the allies
On August s, 1917, still hopeful of
saving the world from a veritable
cataclysm, Pope Benedict issued in
his own handwriting his famous ap-
peal to the nations, cxhorting the
bolligerent rulers to end the war for
the sake of humanity.
one passage read: Gas to the
damages to be repaired and as to the
war expenses, we see no other means
of solving the question than bv SUBJ
mltting as general principle COM
plete and reciprocal conformation.
which would be justified, moreover
by the immense benefit TO be derived
from disarma so much so that
no one will understand the continual
ton of similar carnage, solely for
reasons of an economic order" The
Pope, however, recommended the
evacuation of Belgium by the Ger
mans, DIFFERENTIATION and free
dom of small nations. Earlier in that
year G917) he had warned the Ger
man and Austrian rulers that a
ruthless submarine policy would
ALLEVIATE the sympathy of all neu-
trails. When Berlin put out one of
her innumerable peace 'feclcrs,"
Benedict, in reply. insisted Germany
must stop her deportation of Bel
gian civilians and rcpatriate all eN-
lies. In September. 1918, the Vatican
finally announced it would take steps
toward bringing about peace only
when invited to do so by both groups
of belligcrents.
Panied by the Smelling of Paris by
the German long range guns in the
spring of 1918, Pope Benedict sent
protest to Emperor Charles of Aus
tria and to the Berlin government
against what he chara cterized as "a
wanton massacre"
The POpe's qualification over the
capture of Jerusalem by the allies
under the British General Allenby
caused bitter comment in the Ger
man press. According to the Rome
Messagero on December IS, 1917, a
few days after the fall of the Holy
City, he warned Christian states
against aiding the Turks in recap
turing it.
Pope Benedict's attitude toward
the peace conference of 1919 was
said to have been one of fathcrly
solicitude. Early the previoys De-
cember in letter to President Will
son, he pleaded for aid on behalf of
oppressed nationalities and later
committed the church of which he
was the head to "do all in it's power
to support the decisions of the dele
gates at Versailles" In all of his
messages and addresses he expressed
the hope that peace would be based
upon Christian principles.
While the peoples of every land
were suffering in some form the rig
ors of war, the Pope personally OBJ
served all the rules for food conser-
walton formulated by the italian
authorities and with his own hand
ordered the Vatican on food card ra-
tons which continued until the end
of the conflict.
Always abstemious in eating and
drinking Benedict Nv. observed even
greater simplicity at the table dur
ing the troublous days of his pOntifi-
cate. Visitors have said that he
lived as plainly as the poorest con-
tributors of Peters Pence.
Giamoco della Chiesa. the spiritual
head of 300.OO0,O00 Catholics, was born
of noble line at Pegli Italy, on No
vember II. 1854. His father was the
Marchese della Chiesa, pronounced
Keeaza) He received his education
at the Capronican college and later
attended the Academy of Ecclesias-
tics. Ordained to the priesthood in
1873 he soon attracted the attention
of Cardinal Rampolla, who under
Pope Leo XIII was the Papal Secre-
tary of State. He accompanied RAM
polla to Madrid in 1883 when his pa
tron was Nuncio, remaining there
until 1887 when he returned to Rome
upon the elevation of Rampolla to
the Cardinalate.
In 1901, after having served four
years as Secretary of the Nunciature
in Spain. he was appointed Secretary
OF the Cyher. This position gave its
incumbent considerable authority
and the same year Mgr. della Chiesa
was named as Consultor Of the Holy
Office.
A notable nron,ofior ca,uo IN him