The Washington times., 1938-04-07
VATICAN HITLER.
PACT FORIESEEN.
WITHIN 10 DAYS.
Complete Freedom of.
Worship Likely
BY PIERRE J. HUSS
Copyright. 1898, by Interna tional
News ServicaN


BERLIN, April 7 GN.S0.-A
lasting peace" between Germany
and Austria and the Holy See is
the aim Of Theodor Cardinal In
nlt1er, archbishop of Vienna, the
prelate informed International
News Service today.
1nnitzer returned to Vienna
after conference with Pope Plus
In which the pontiff instructed
him to present a virtual ultima
tum to the German government
demanding absolute freedom of
worship for Catholics as the pre-
requisite basis for any new con-
cordat between Berlin and the
Vatican.
RAPID PROGRESS MADE
Indications here were that nego-
tiations were proceeding rapidly
due largely to the pontiff's own
determination to bring about a
settlement within the shortest pos
sible time. Information in reliable
quarters spoke of an agreement
within 10 days"
Immediately after his arrival
In Vienna this correspondent for
warded to Cardinal Innitzer a re-
quest for q statement of his plans
regarding the effort to bring about
q rapprochement between Nazi
Germany and the Catholic
church,
The archbishop instructed his
secretary to reply as follows:
There is tremendous work in
volved in bringing about con-
cluSion of a final and satisfac-
tory solution of all pending prob
lens in the interest of lasting
peace between the Reich and
the Vatican.
POPE "HEARTENED"
"For the time being, His Emf
nence must be excused from
making any premature state
ment. I may say, however, that
His Eminence is greatly heart
ened by the interest indicated
by American readers in his ef-
forts toward peace, but he re-
quests that he not be urged at
the moment to make any def
mite statement"
Meanwhile, it was learned in
reliable quarters here that Cardi-
nal 1nnitzer is endeavoring, in
collaboration with an intermedi-
airy of the German government,
to reShape the long-standing con-
cordat between Austria and the
Vatican in such a manner that
1t will become a satisfactory in
strument for future friendly re-
lations between all Of Germany
and the Holy See.
1t was plainly evident from in
dications here that Cardinal limit
ger is not only busy with settling
church problems in Austria, but is
also engaged in an attempt to
iron out all the difficulties be-
tween Germany itself and the
Vatican.
COVERS WIDE SCOPE
Everything is in the max
Ing" the cardinals secretary
said.
Cardinal Innitzer, who inter-
viewed Reichsfuehrer Hitler i'm
mediately after the Austrian occu-
patton, is scheduled to see him
again shortly and will then re-
turn to Rome to report to the
Pope.
It was regarded as entirely
probable that if the truce is ef-
fected Hitler will visit the Pope
while he is in Rome during the
first week of May for his SEIZED
uled conference with Premier Mus
solini.
Official quarters remained quiet
regarding progress of the negotia-
lions. Observers regarded it as
significant, viewer. that the
bishops Of Bavaria, Germany's
Catholic stronghold. have ordered
all parish churches to peal their
bells on Saturday evening as a
signal to their followers to vote
favorably on Sunday in the plebis-
cite staged for public approval of