New-York tribune., 1922-01-22

though his piety and scholarship were
cordially recognized.
Plus X on his accession found Mon
signor della Chcsa serving as Secre-
tary Of the Cypher and as conductor OF
the Holy Office. places O. considerable
influence, to which he had been ap-
pointed two years before, in 1901. Very
soon it was evident that he could not
work in harmony with Cardinal Merry
del Val, the new head Of the Papal
Cabinet and Plus X accordingly re-
secretary OF state and offered him the
post OF Nuncio at Madrid. for which
his former experience as secretary
there would have fitted him But this
offer was declined largely. ii was sur
missed. because the radical government
at the Spanish capital was intensely
and aggressivcly anti-clerica, and Mon
signor della Chiesa knew that he would
be unable to make any headway against
it, and That therefore his career at
Madrid would be unsatisfactory and
lomat
SO the future Pope remained for a
time idle and "in opposition" The
benevolent Plus X soon, however, real
ICED that he was not being treated ac-
cording to his high spiritual and intel
lectual desserts and therefore decided
to make amends. SO in 1907 he appoint
ed him to be Archbishop Of Bologna, to
succeed the late Cardinal Archbi shop
Svampa. This appointment to one of
the most important Sees in Italy was
regarded as a notable promotion,
though Of Monsignor della Chiesa's tit-
ness for it there was no question. Pos
sibly Cardinal Merry del Val approved
o L 81
removed from Rome q man who had be-
come to him a grievous thorn in the
flesh. Additional significance and pres
tlge were attached to the event by the
circums stance that Pope Plus X himself
performed the solemn rite of consecra-
ton of the new Archbishop in the Sis
tine Chapel. This circum stance gave
rise to the entirely erroneous report
that the new Archbishop was strongly
attached to the policies Of Plus X and
Merry del Val.
Accession to the Paracy
1t was on December 16, 1907, that he
was appointed Archbishop of Bologna.
FOR nearly seven years he devoted him
SELF to the arduous duties of his office
with zeal and with great success. In
May, 1914, he was elevated to the rank
Of Cardinal. At that time probably
neither he nor anybody else thought
much Of his chances of ever being
called to fill the Chair of st. Peter
But events moved rapidly and surprs
irgly in that year. At the beginning
OF August the German war against hu
manity began Three weeks later Pope
Plus X died of q broken heart. and the
Sacred College met in solemn conclave
to elect his successor.
Pope Plus died on August 20, 1914
On the evening of Monday, August 81,
the conclave began, conducted, accord
ing to immemorial custom, behind
closed and sealed doors. Cardinal Far
ley, of New York, was among its mem
bers, but Cardinal Gibbons. of Balti-
more, and Cardinal O'Connell of Bos-
ton, were in mid-ocean on their way
thither. and did not arrive until the
day after the election. Cardinal della
Chiesa had not been "among those
mentioned" as candidates for the
Papacy. He had been a Cardinal only
a little more than three months. But
on the ninth ballot he was elected
There was no attempt by any govern.
ment to exercise the veto power, which
At the last election had barred Car