Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-19
Settlement of Roman Question
Called Epochal World Event

An epochal event in world affairs as
we'll as q development of extreme i'm
portance to the Catholic Church and
the Italian nation is hailed by the
American press in the signing of the
concordat between the Vatican and
Italy. There are some suggestions that
any connection between church and
state is reactionary, but newspaper OBJ
servers generally agree with the view, as
expressed by the Binghamton Press,
that this was a triumph for tolerance
and common sense"
Tolerance and common sense have
triumphed in ITALY," declares the Bing-
hamton Press, 80 when history
records the most important event of
1929, the reconciliation of the Vatican
and the Italian government will have a
chief place, IL not the ranking place"
1t Is obviously an event of great
consequence to the entire world" In the
opinion Of the Philadelphia Record,
which adds: THE question of the tenn
poral power Of the papacy has on many
occasions agitated the Christian world
Now the nation which is closest to this
problem has recognized the papal claim,
and historic breach is bridged by
good will. The vital issue was
recognition of the right to rule. Tenn
poral power, then, the Pope will have.
but 1t Is agreed that 1t will only be a
base from which spiritual influence may
emanate."
While recording that many Catholics
fear more harm than good" from this
development, the Kansas City Journal
Post states that from the standpoint
OF the church the solution Is IDEAL;
that "the Holy See has lost territory
but in doing SO has gained an assurance
of religious prestige unjeopardized by
the embarraSsmentS which the respon-
sibilities of extensive political admins
tration often create" The paper, how
ever, holds that "since this papal SOW
ereignty need not involve military or
economic power, the concern about 1t
may seem to many academic"
Viewed from any standpoint, the
signing of the treaty in Rome is of great
historical importance" states the New
York Evening World, acclaiming an
agreement which brings to close a
most unhappy controversy between the
Vatican and the Quirinal." The Eve
ming World also emphasizes as impor-
tant 1.-The agreement of the Italian gov
eminent to enforce canon law through
out Italy," and continues: 1T may well
be assumed that Mussolini, who claims
credit for the successful elimination of
the negotiations, expects to profit by the
agreement. Italy is distinctly Catho-
lie country, and his concessions cannot
but tend to strengthen his position"
THE most pleasing feature of the
settlement at this time according to
the Little Rock Arkansas Democrat, 'is
that peace has come to Italy in It's
breach with the Church at Rome and
each side apparently feels that 1t has
won an epochal victory"
The st. Louis Globe Democrat COM
ments: "A question likely to be long
discussed Is whether Plus XI or MusSo-
lini comedies the more in reaching the
agreement that will be listed among the
important events of 1929. Some OF the
merely superficial aspects of this stroke
for papal temporal power are not unin-
teresting. For principle for which
Plus TX contended in vain, Plus XII
obtains recognition. A status which
Garibaldi and his Red Shirts upset H.
1870 is restored in part by Mussolini and
his Black Shirts, nearly SO years after
ward" On the subject of canon law,
that paper says: What this may mean
for Italy will be matter of absorbing
interest in every capital of the world,
Many of the forms and technicalities of
ordinary law are said to have originated
in the canon law. However much re-
vised when codified in 1917, 1t is certain
that its principles are unchanged, among
them the principles based on the Catho-
lie view as to marriage and divorce.
education as church function and
censorship over public expression"
THE concordat means much to the
prestige Of Mussolini," in the judgment
of the Cincinnati Times-Star. HE has
succeeded where others have failed for
almost so years. He has induced the
Pope to turn the key that made him
the prisoner of the Vatican He has
become his own liberator." The Mil
Waukee Journal concludes: ut does not
bind The church 70 EAscls1n. Dat EasgisEa