East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1922-02-24
LOYALTY IS
STRIKING QUALITY OF
NEW POPE Plus N
Professor and Head of Depart
ment of Latin and Greek at
U. of L Friend of Pontiff.


IOWA CITY. Ia. Feb. 24.-(A. P.l
His humble loyalty is the striking
quality OF the new Pope, Plus XI. as
noted by personal friend. DIR. b. L.
Ulhman. professor and head OF the de-
partment of Latin and Greek at the
University of Iowa.
HE was kindly and courteous and
a very human being" Professor Ull-
man says.
81 first met Achille Ratti in 1906
when I visited the Ambrosian Library
at Milan to examine certain Latin
manuscripts DIR. Ullman said. AT
that time he was a plain doctor of
the Ambrosian' and acted as assistant
librarian. The Ambrosian Library is
one of the famous libraries of Italy
and contains some very valuable man
uscripts. These manuscripts were
Ratti's constant companions and
friends. He worked with them all day
long examining and studying the old
treasures which he loved.
''The most striking quality which |
found in Ratti in 1906 was his atti-
tude of respect, admiration, loyalty,
and deep humility towards his superb
or. the librarian of the Ambrosian,
Antonio Geriani, who even then was
Ill and who died soon after 1t is GER
tain that Ceriani had q profund in
fluence on Achille Ratti's life. After
Ceriani's death. Ratti. who succeeded
him as librarian, was very active In
bringing out a memorial volume of
scholarly papers in Ceriani's honor.
His attitude toward Ceriani Is mol
doubt an indication of one of the new
pope's chief qualities his humble 10y
atty.
"Ratti was very helpful to me in my
work, not only in 1906, but also in
1907 and 1910, when l revisited the
and spent some time there
In intimate contact with the man.
Classical scholars and palaeo-
graphers respected Ratti for his excel
lent scholarship as displayed in num-
erous learned articles These articles
are generally concerned with manu-
scripts.
Il possess several of his articles, au-
tographed copies which he sent me At
various times. We kept up a desul-
tory correspondence from our first
meeting in 1905.
"In one of his articles he tells about
among some old manu-
scripts and coming upon certain frag-
ments which suddenly attracted my
attention and piqued my curiosity.
There you have the characteristic atti-
ude of the scholar making a discov-
cry. IT was great surprise to me |
that he left the field of scholarship
Tor the diplomatic and executive. We
have one more illustrious example to
prove that scholarship Is splendid
for any career
IL was greatly astonished to learn
that the new pope was nearly 20
years old Judging by the way he
looked in 1910, my guess was that he |
was not much more than so at the
present time. He has many years be-
'ore him. The pictures recently pub
ished are excellent likenesses. The
very recent ones clearly show the /
change in facial expression due to
his change of occupation from the
field of quiet scholarship to that OF
more strenuous executive work.
"In spite of the few weeks | spent
In his company, feel that know the
pope intimately because We sat side by
side all day long and exchanged views
on matters Of common interest He
was kindly and courteous to me and a
very human being. In 1910 he dis
cussed with Mrs Ullman, who accom-
panied me, the best methods OF sweep
ing up floors without dust