Evening star., 1932-02-11
Visit Is Made on Third An.
niversary Of Signing of
Lateran Treaty.
by the Associated Press.

10 am. and MADE It's way 10 VdClCau
City through troop-lined streets, on
which were crowded thousands OF
Italian people. in holiday attire. cheer
on his historic mission. The party was
escorted by caribineers and accom-
! panied by Ambassador De Vecchi OF the
Holy See The route was covered with
orange-colored sand, as Is done Tor
TIE cortege Of King Victor Emmanuel
No One Witnesses Meeting.
A short time later the Pontiff and
the premier met face to face in the
Pope's private apartments, shook hands
heartily and sealed their peace In
friendly conversation.
No one witnessed the meeting. Ira
dition, however, called for II Duce to
bend his knee and kiss the Pope's
episcopal ring as sign of reverence.
II Duce travelled a little less than
mile within Vatican City. Nearly all of
this was by car, but the last $50 yards
was afoot, so yards up four flights OF
stairs to the high second floor where
the Papal apartment Is located and 100
yards through 10 great, high-ceilinged
rooms to the Pope's library.
Mussolini might have entered the
,, enormous doorway in the right colonade
| where hangs the great bronze door that
| was shut for SO years when the Popes
we're theoretical prisoners" in the
Vatican or he could have taken the
elevator. but he went to the Pope as
| have millions of others, kings and pill
grims.
Entering the piazza OF San Pietro
before the great basilica. the premier's
| car swung to the left and almost cir
| cled ST. Peters, going behind it along
| winding rising road under arches in
walls several yards thick, through three
| small courts into the court of San
Damaso, heart Of the Catholic Church's
administration. the courtyard of the
palace Of the Vatican, where the Pope
| lives and where are the high Papal
| offices, such as that Of the secretary of
| state.
Saluted by Swiss Guards.
Swiss Guards in the gorgeous yellow
| and blue costumes designed by Michel
| angelo four centuries ago. saluted the
| head of the Italian government at the
gate of the city. In the court Of San
Damaso there was detachment OF
! papal gendarmes.
swiss Guards with haIberds were at
| the entrance to the Vatican, the door
way at the foot Of the stairs which
Mussolini mounted. He was received
at the door by the private chamberlain,
Mgr. Arborio Mella di SAINT Ella;
Mussolini entered first the Clemen-
tine room where another detachment
Of Swiss Guards presented arms with
their seven-foot halberds. Then, still
escorted, he walked through 10 great
! rooms to the Pope's private library,
| saluted by groups Of officers of the
Palatine and Noble Guards, chamber
lains and members Of papal orders.
This was their first meeting Both
| come from Milan. Mussolini doubtless
has seen the present Pope during cere-
Cardinal Ratti, was for seven months
archbishop of Milan. and Mussolini
| was the youngest leader OF the growing
| movement.
When Archille Ratti was elected
Pope, February 6, 1922. Mussolini was
| in Rome. He was in the monster
crowd of thousands be-ore st. Peters
when the election was proclaimed.
The Duce, according to a story told
by the minister Of agriculture, Giacomo
| Acerbo, exclaimed:
"I believe that with Pope Ratti one
can do something"
| Treaty Signed in 1929.
Soon afterwards the march on Rome
put Mussolini at the head Of the gov
ernment. Four years later began the
secret negotiations for settlement of the
old Roman question" February IL,
| 1929, Mussolini and Cardinal GaSparri,
papal secretary of state, signed the
Lateran treaty, the concordat and the
financial convention. ~
Mussolini has been twice publicly in
Vatican City. He went there June 6.
1929, for the exchange Of ratifications
of the treaties and to hand over the
voucher for 100000 to compensate
the Pope for loss of property and in
come during the 58-year hostility.
| Again Mussolini went to st. Peters,
April "a, 1880, Rome's birthday, but
more important then, the marriage day
Ciano, son of the present minister Of
communications. Mussolini, like others
| of the party Of is, crossed himself
with holy water, kissed the toe of St.
Peters statue and knelt at the altar.
AS he entered and left, tens Of thou
sands. massed on either side, gave him
the Fascist salute.
The third anniversary OF the signing
os the lateran treaty between Italy ana
Itae Vatican was celebrated To-Day
throughout Italy as a new nat'onal
| holiday.
Stores were closed and the tri-color
hung from government buildings. In
the Vatican the Swiss Guards and
Papal Gendarmes were in full uniform
and the papal flag of yellow and white
hung from the medieval structures.
Peace Shattered Last Summer.
The peace between the papacy and
the kingdom secured by the lateran
treaty of 1929 was rudely shattered last
Summer and then recemented by more
| recent events.
The rupture came over the Fascist
conflict with the Catholic Action So.
ciety because of the society's alleged
political activities.
This was smoothed over by the ac-
cord of September. The Catholic &C
ton agreed to accept no leaders who
were not pleasing to the Fascists. to
keep out of politics and to decentralize.
that is, to come under the authority OF
diocesan bishops insteads of the cen
tral authority in Rome. In return the
Fascists permitted the Catholic Actions
Clubs to reopen.
Several weeks ago the Pope gave fur-
ther evidence of the reconciliation by
decorating Musso1int with the order OF
the Golden Spur and Foreign Minls1er
Dino Grandi with the Order Of Plus TX.
<<-@A@1@"