The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-07-25
love FOR CHILDREN
MAY LEAD Plus XII
TO LEAVE VATICAN
BY ALICE ROBE
written for the United Press)

written for the United Press)
ROME, July 25.-Will a little child
lead Pope Plus XI from his voluntary
prison in the Vatican?
Will children accomplish that which
diplomats and governments have failed
10 do since the Papal State lost its
temporal poweB in 1870?
These are questions which are be-
Ing asked in Vatican circles with grow
ing insistence.
And if this breaking down of his
toric tradition occurs, America will be
the cause.
The present Pope's broad humanita
rianism and his fondness for children,
especially, are as well known as his
erudition and his understanding of
world affairs.
When Edward L. Hearn came to
Rome recently as head of the Knights
OF Columbus in the Eternal City, His
Holiness Pope Plus XI questioned him
at length about practical humanitarian
work.
Pope Plus ks desire to make his
occupancy of the Papal throne one
which will always be remembered in
its socialSand moral humanitarian fea-
lures is frankly admitted.
which brought forth the papal enthusi-
asm at once is the establishment of
playgrounds-rea American play
grounds in the densely populated dis
tricts of Rome.
When the American playground sys-
tenn had been explained to His Holt
mes, with its shower baths, its sani-
tary and recreational features, his in
terest was intense
He refused the assistance of an in
terpreter and insisted that Hearn talk
to him in English although his replies
were in Italian. The Pope speaks Eng
lish, but with hesitancy
But that Is one of the greatest
steps in moral and social welfare" His
Holiness is quoted as saying. Its in
fluence is inestimable"
Dedicated to Pope
When it was explained that upon
the completion of the Fairgrounds they
would be dedicated to him and given
to the public in his name, Pope Plus
Xl's exclamation of pleasure set whis-
per of conjecture astir.
His Holiness is said to have ex-
claimed: Then l will come myself to
bless them! l will leave the Vatican
to give my benediction upon this great
work in public morals and health"
So keenly interested did the Pope
become that in looking over the plans
he suddenly asked:
But could you not place a play
ground here-I have piece of ground
which you could use. 1t is where 1
could look out from my windows and
watch the children at play"
Ascending the papal throne in the
midst of international tangles, whose
solution is one of his great interests,
the fact that Plus XI finds time to con-
slider the non-political features of so
clal welfare marks a dominant char
acteristic in the Pontiff
My first impression of Pope Plus XI
at a recent audience was of a man OF
unusually keen perceptive powers. OF
the three popes with whom have had
audiences, the present Pontiff radiates
the greatest alertness. In the audi
ence room there were five Americans
together Coming to US, the Holy Fa
Their stopped and inquired: "Amerj
cans?" With an apparent air of moi
scrulnlzing, the pope sees everything
His love of children was greatly in
evidence on this occasion Near me
was mother with a little bov. The
the child's head, then he blessed i
and passed on. Futher along was
mother with two tiny children, ont
not over two years old The pope
stopped again and talked with the
mother and children. When he passed
on tears of emotion were streaming
down the woman's cheeks
The devotion OF Pope Plus XI t.
children and their welfare is consid
cred good grounds for believing hi
expressed intention of leaving the Va
tican upon the dedication of tn,
knights of Columbus Fairgrounds
The rumor that Pope Plus XI is t
leave his prison walls" recurs witt
persistent regularity. 1t was believes
that he would break over those ira
ditional barriers which have held hi
predecessors so long during the recen
eucharistic conference.
There is now a firm belief in tn
minds of Roman observers that tn
present pope will ltake the histori
step.
If he does so upon the dedication Q
the Fairgrounds established in hi
name by the knights of Columbus, i
behalf of the children of Rome, it wi
establish more profoundly than eve
the great respect and love which hi
devotion to children has inspired
The acquisition of satisfactor
grounsd for playground centers me
a check for which the American wa
of doing things was quite unprepareC
The deal was practically conclude
when it was fortunately discovere
that the city had a right to run tire
roads through the property. OF cours