Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-14
TREATY OPENS NEW
ERA, DUCE ASSERTS
Report Hints Vatican City
win Not Seek Entry in
League of Nations.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ROME, March 14-Political, religious
and moral aspects of the Lateran treaty
between the Italian government and the
Vatican were set forth at length by
Premier Mussolini in a report published
today
The report is that which will be pre-
sented the new parliament April 20,
when it convenes to deliberate ratif1ca-
ton of the treaty which was signed
February II. It propounds in consid-
cradle detail the events and circum-
stances leading to the birth of the
Roman question" details of its exist
ence through 60 years, and of its final
solution as represented by the treaty.
One of the most striking points in
the report is the yelled hint that the
| new Vatican City state will not apply
for membership in the League of Ma
tions since. the premier points out, the
Vatican City is recognized as q neutral
This, he says, involves inviolability and
remaining aloof from temporal compe-
tons" among states.
Treaty In Two Parts.
The treaty is described by the premier
as containing two parts, the first es-
tablishing peace between two powers,
civil and ecclesiastical, and the second,
or concordat, regulating collaboration
between them.
This collaboration between church
and state is carried through its various
phases. the premier stresing particu-
larly marriage. The treaty recognizes
religious marriages as having equal
force with cisn marriages now. he says,
and he acknowledges ecclesiastical juris-
diction in divorces and annulmentS
when marriage wa by religious cere-
mony.
The premier says he considers the
financial settlement between the gov
ernment and the Vatican as extremely
advantageous to the state and he 1auds
the Pontif for his faith in Italian gov
ernment securities.
New State Of Mind.
Fascism is credited with having
created new state of mind through
more easily found than in the time of
Camille Cayour, whose motto was &
"free church In free state" The pre-
mier says that the rigid principle of
separation of church and state has un-
F, dergone numerous temperings and ex-
| ceptions.
Long before the signing of the treaty
| February IL the premier says Facism
made of Italy an essentially Catholic
state, the crucifix being restored to
schoolhouse walls and courtrooms, and
civil holidays being made to coincide
with those of the church.
Denies Suppression.
The premier denies that the treaty
seeks to revive institutions of other
times incompatible with the spirit of
modern civilization which the church
itself has demonstrated itself able to
understand its admirable spirit of adap-
| tation."
He denies also that there will be any
! suppression of other SectS or of the re-
| ligious liberties of Protestants or ag-
nostics.
The report concludes with the state
ment that the treaty and concordat
| church and italy, which will be fecund
L
of the Italian people.
"The Italian government in power in
! 1870.' MusSolini continued, did not
intend to remove the Pope from Rome:
indeed, it offered to give Pope Leo TX
the city, but the Holy See refused while
in the present negotiations the Vatican
territory was reduced to minimum by
express desire of the Pontiff.
p.ouoSt Not cr,oted
During negotiations conducted from
1925 to 1929 the Holy See never asked
an outlet to the sea, corridors or other
complicated territorial ampliflcations.
At first the Vatican asked for the Villa
Doria Pamphili, with territory between
the Vatican gardens and hat villa,
totaling $40 acres, but this request was
not granted or was granted only in
case the Vatican should recognize the
sovereignty of the Italian states oy
paying one lira yearly rent
The Holy See did not insist limit
ing itself to skiing sovereignty of the
Vatican as 1t is constituted at present
Italy, the premier said, was guided
during these negotiations by the prin-
ciple of not admitting cessions of even
a minimum zone of Italian territory
except that already possessed by ths
|
entered into this order of ideas, helpful
to final happy result in the negotia-
!. tons.
The Pope being Justly convinced that
independence or splendor Of the papacy
was not necessarily bound to larger OF
smaller extension Of territory, the seven
year-old Fascist government created a
new atmosphere whereby the Roman
! question was possible of solution
! through reciprocal acknowledgment
of a de iure situation which had al
. ready become the immutahle de facte
situation"
Shows Independence.
The Lateran treaty shows, according
to the premier, the explicit and perfect
independence of the Holy See," consid.
ering the nature of the sovereignty o.
the Holy See and, above all, the pas.
toral mission of the Supreme Pontiff, 6
special measure had to be adopted re.
garding citizenship of the inmates of tht
> Vatican, right of extradition, admins
!. tration penal laws and other minor pc
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