Evening star., 1927-10-16
ROME SEES HOPE
FOR PAPAL STATE
Italians Stirred by Debate
Over Plea for Holy
See Territory.
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
ROME, October dissolution of the
s'Roman question" on lines laid down
by the Osservatore Romano, official
Vatican organ, today continues to be
the absorbing topic of Italian nfe'
since relations between the church
and the state have been the most I'M
portant problem which united Italy
has had to face for over a hah CEN
tury. It,.
The Italian press. realizing the
gravity of the problem and the DELI
cate phase of negotiations 1t is now
going through, was very reticent. the
naioritv of newspapers merely repro.
ducing Osservatore's editorials, with
out expressing any opinion, as II not
wishing to handicap the intentions
existing on both sides.
Triumph for Mussolini.
The Fascista press merely says that
%he fact of the Vatican having at last
come to the point of initiating discus
sion on a possible readjustment status
quo, and clearly setting forth the basis
on which an agreement might be
reached, is the greatest triumph Tor
Premier Mussolini and his regime.
Roman newspapers reproduced for.
eign comment. especially that OF
French and English papers, which.
however. are considered as premature
In accepting the whole question as al
ready settled. People here who are
acquainted with Vatican methods and
traditions believe that some time must
elapse before any practical accord can
be reached.
Also, all suggested solutions appear
ing in the French and English press
giving the "Leonine City to the Pope.
or a corridor from the Vatican to the
sea, or similar territorial suggestions,
are merely reiterations of former an.
cient projects discussed several times
and discarded on both sides; so that
the truth is. nobody knows at the pres
ent moment-perhaps not even Pope
Plus or Premier Mussolini-what will
be the actual ground on which accord
may be established.
Restitution" Avoided.
The Giornale d'Italia points out
the ability and tact of the parsonage
who inspired. or perhaps wrote. the
editorials that appeared in Osserva-
tore, calling attention to the fact
that in speaking of what should be
given back the Holy See ably avoided
the word restitution" which might
have made the hair stand upon the
heads of many people, but turned this
difficulty by speaking as if it were
the most simple thing in the world,
not restitution of territory. but re-
establishment of papal sovereignty as
reparation of the wrong done the
church by the Italian revolution, say
ing at is universally admitted that
one revolution can correct another
revolution. Therefore, the Fascista
revolution can remedy what the revo-
luton for the unity of Italy did
against the prerogatives of the
church."
Time Is Seen Ripe.
The Roman newspaper goes on to
say that these considerations could not
be made under the spur of events
which led to the fall from temporal
power, but now, after 81 years, fol-
lowing Pope Plus TX and four more
Popes and the World War, it is pos
sible to discuss the Roman question"
with equanimity on both sides.
A frank statement by the Holy See
that IL does not seek international
guarantees Of foreign Intervention
renders direct discussion between the
heads OF the church and the state
not only possible, but makes the prob
ability of an agreement almost certain.
considering the good faith on both
sides.