Evening star., 1932-03-06

lily OF The VAI1CAN.-
the press of Italy, including
the OsServatore Romano, and
~ the leading Catholic journals.
studiously, as if by special
| command, abstain from any comments
on the themes discussed by the Pope
and Mussolini during the memorable
hour in the papal library, there are re-
| newed and re-emphasized reports OF an
! impending great step to be undertaken
| by the Vatican on behalf of interna-
tional peace.
| These reports are current. not only in
well Informed ecclesiastical circles, but
are heard also in the ranks CT the Fas-
clst hierarchy. The plans with which
these reports deal are constantly TAX
ing more definite shape
II no intimation of these vast and
sensational projects has heretofore
found its way into the columns OF the
newspapers, it only proves once more
the iron quality of that discipline and
censorship that the "Duce" has been
/ able to impost on reportorial ambl-
tlons 1t may still be remembered that,
at time when the final measures for
reconciliation between the Italian gov
ernment and the papacy were being
grated, the press, though in possession
OF all the facts remained silent until
MuSsolini lifted the seals CT discre-
ton"
That the views exchanged between
Pope and dictator concerned interna-
tional rather than local or Italian af
fairs was made plain by the nature and
character of the prayer which the Pope
offered at the end of his allocution
after the celebration of the mass in the
pontif1cal chapel. Plus XI stood on the
steps Of the Cornerstone" in the Vati-
can Basilica when he delivered the
brief address in Italian which he COM
plemented by a prayer for the peace of
the nations, spoken in Latin. This
prayer was taken from the Roman
liturgy, which is the Catholic equivalent
of the English book of common prayer.
The Pope himself called attention to
the form and substance of this prayer,
which he said was taken from the
teacher Of all prayer the liturgy The
prayer in question is used on many oc-
casions, but it is significant that it has
in the past frequently served as the
opening words of important assemblies
and conferences. Similar prayers, be
it noted have often been pronounced
at the beginning of general councils OF
the church.
Differences Adjusted.
The primary object of the meeting
between the Pope and the dictator was
to attest most publicly and most solemn
ly that they themselves had forgotten
or adjusted their own sharp and ac-
centuated differences on basis of
arbitration. 1t was felt by both of the
distinguished personages that, before
they could be heard in a plea for uni
versal peace and disarmament, they
must set an example by a disarmament
of their own. The disarmament between
the Vatican and Fascism involving con-
siderable sacrifices on both sides. was
to be the prelude and the condition
precedent to their appearance, singly or
collectively, on the international stage
as the proponents and advocates of a
new basis for tranquiliZing a discordant
and suspicious world. The qualification
was deemed essential by both.
While the course of Mussolini may
not as yet have been charted in all its
details, its general direction has been
plainly indicated by the rejection on
the part of his press of the French plan
proposed at Geneva. The Fascist edi-
tors have not been kind to the peace
draft unrolled by M. Tardieu, referring
to it somewhat caustically as "a pro-
posed enlargement of the French For
eign Legion" On the other hand, the
course the Vatican intends to pursue in
its coming effort to supersede Geneva
as the peace headquarters of the civil
lied world, is concrete and tangible in
all its details, it is asserted 1t is fur
ther said the plan is free from the
evils of pure negation, that all its essen
tial features are positive and con-
structive and that it's basis is broad
enough for all practical purposes.
According to authentic information,