The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1937-02-03
By GEORGE C. JORDAN

VATICAN CITY, Feb. 3-Who-
ever succeeds Pope Plus will find be-
ing Pontiff an arduous task, with
long hours of fatiguing work sell
dom appreciated by the average
layman who sees His Holiness borne
comfortably into st. Peters basilica
on a special throne for the great
occasions.
While most of the men in line
for the honor have won their way
there by long years of work, cases
have been known of Cardinals plead
ing with their colleagues to spare
them the overwhelming response
biities of this spirt-wearing task.
Aside firm the weight of the ne
ccssity for making final DECISIONS
in grave questions concerning the
faith and duties of 100000, 900 peo-
pie, the physical strain on the Pom
tiff's strength is great
Until lis illness. Plus, during
most of the years of his pontificate
has arisen TO say mass at $3.50 or
7 O'Clock. A light breakfast after
ward carried him until 2;30 in the
afternoon. Press of work often
held it up until three OF four His
final meal came anywhere from
10 to II at night
Typical Day
When well routine work begins
about nine when he receives the
papal secretary of state to deal
with the more important interna-
tional affairs There follow audi
ences with the cardinals resident
in Rome, h e d of the various
church departments. archbishops
and bishops reporting on their do
ceses, then diplomatic representa-
tlveS accredited to the Holy See,
and finally public audiences before
luncheon
Spares Exertion
In addition, he listens to piles Of
correspondence read by his secre-
tary, dictates answers, hears news
reports, works out apostolic letters
and encyclicals, confers with lay
dignataries from all parts of the
world, and cfficiates at the install
ton of radio and many other i'm
provements he has brought to the
Vatican.
Time for reflection has to ne
found, besides, for even though as
tute helpers dig out the facts upon
which decisions are based, the IL
brarian pope studies metriculously
their voluminous reports That he
considers them in detail is shown
IN the times he returns these re-
ports for revision.
The next Pope may profit by some
of the devices by which Plus has
boarded his strength for work in
bis last years the latter has given
up virtually all exercise, although
In his youth he was an athlete,
( famed as a mountain climber. A
\ weekly auto ride in the Vatican
E gardens replaced his habitual daily
walk. Elevators were installed in
the palace to save climbing steps.
Lives AbstemiousIy
After the settlement of the "Ro-
man question" liberating the epris-
oner OF the Vatican" Plus has
spent a number of summers at
Castel Gandolfo His successor will
be able from the start to avoid the
firing of Roman summers.
Prelates emphasize, however, that
Plus has not pampered himself
A cigar smoker for years, he alb
tanned rigidly from the moment
of his election as Pope. He has
held his diet to what he needed to
keep up. Even the Castel Can
dolfo relief he did not grant HIM
self until 1884, five years after he
had ended the traditional "impris-
onment' of his office
Plus ks attitude toward work is
revealed in his hope expressed to
prelate, that he may Idle at the
breech busy.