Evening star., 1938-11-29
Churth-State Clash
Is Emphasized by
Pope's Illness
MussoIini's Great Skill
Nay Be Necessary to
Ease Situation
BY DEWITT MACKENZIE,
Associated Press STAFF Writer.

6OSC III uOtIVuu
BY DEWITT MACKENZIE,
Associated Press staff Writer.
ROME, Nov. 29-The deep con-
cern of the italian public over the
illness of Pope Plus served to en-
phasize the delicacy of the situation
created by the clash between church
and state over the Fascist anti
Semitic policy.
The reaction of the people when
any pontiff Is sick is always such
as to reaff1rm their adherence as
q whole to the church.
That reaction is no less marked
now than in the past. To put it
another way, any major con-
troversy between the Vatican and
the government might, if protracted,
resolve itself into a test Of the
loyalty of the public to its deep
rooted religion, and of course by the
D same token into test of loyalty
to the temporal government.
In the present instance the Jewish
question doesn't stand out alone as
q point of friction, for there are
other subjects of contention.
Moves of Hitler.
But apart from that there Is an
other element which, while not the
object of open argument, is likely
to have a bearing on relations be-
tween the church and the state.
This is the fact that Mussolini's
great ally, Adolf Hitler, is attempt
ing to force RECOMMENDATION on the
church in Germany by methods
which the faithful denounce as
persecution.
These things taken together Gre
ate position which observers feel
might call for all the great skill
of Mussolini to handle successfully.
Should the controversy become
greatly aggravated the time might
arrive when II Duce would have
to ask the people to choose between
him and the church.
1t would indeed take very bold
person to essay a test of strength
with the spiritual sovereign of one
sixth the total population of the
earth.
AS matter of fact, in travelling
through many countries I have
found that observers generally feel
that one of the gravest dangers any
dictatorship can court is to try to
enforce the regimentation on re-
igion-Catholic, Protestant, Jewish
or any other.
Fight for Rights.
Even the primitive savage of
Africa will fight for his right to
worship his own way.
Thus far, while there have been
some difficult moments between the
church and the Fascist government,
Mussolini has not given any indica-
ton that he intended to force such
an issue.
In fact, 1t was he who signed the
famous Lateran Treaty in 1929, end
Ing the church-state quarrel which
had been going on almost so years.
Under this treaty the Catholic re-
hgion became the state religion, and
the Pope the Prisoner of the Vati-
can" was once more free to set foot
AL CIle OUTSIDE WOrlQ.
No one knows Mussolini's mind
but Mussolini. He is a lone worker.
However, those who have been privi-
legged to watch him at close range
Tor a long Time are under the i'm
preston that he intends to avoid
any test OF strength with the Vati-
can.
Not Afraid to Fight.
The point is not, of course, that
II Duce is afraid to fight with any,
body. Fear never has appeared in
his makeup. But while he is fear
less he also is widely credited with
possessing one of the most astute
minds of history.
An even less keen intellect can
see that if the public of this country
were forced to make such a choice,
the best that the government could
hope for would be an Italian DO
Itlcal house divided against itself.
Those who think the big leaders
don't watch the temper of their peo-
pie are in. error. Both Mussolini and
Hitler are most careful to keep in
touch with public sentiment and
frame their policy in accordance
with the reactions which they note.
This does not necessarily mean
that the public approves all the
policies applied to them, but it does
mean the dictators believe they are
safe IN pursuing those policies.
Seen Opposing Nazi Drive.
Not only have observers felt that
Mussolini has no intention of Great
Ing a religious war~in his own coun-
try, but they believe he has disap-
proved Of Nazi Leader Hitler's drive
against the Catholic and Protestant
churches. The Jewish question broke
In Italy last July, when fascism pro-
claimed its doctrine of race, affirm
ing the superiority of Aryans and
decreeing against intermixture with
non-Aryan elements such as Jews.
The church, declining to subscribe
to any philosophy which erects bar
riers between races, Immediately
took issue with fascism, as It had
with Hitler's Aryan theories.
To cap the climax, new Fascist
laws have been promulgated making
marriages between Jews and italian
Aryans illegal. The church claims
that this violates the concordat of
1929, which recognized church mar
riages as having the force of civil
ceremonies. The church maintains
Its right to marry whom it will.