Evening star., 1939-02-10

one dangerous rock 10 announcer. d0
offered to show them q better and
easier way and conducted them along
his path. To show their gratitude the
soldiers christened the path Via
Rattl," and 1t ilas been known by that
name ever since.
On his elevation to the tiara. tho
Italian Alpine Club sent him con-
gratulatory telegram, which he priced
more than many from princes and
prelates. He always cherished q bit
Of rock sent to him by the English
climbers from. the topmost point
reached in the attempt to scale Mount
Everest.
Chaplain Of Dominican
Monastery at CenacolO.
The activity of Achille Ratti up until
1911 was chiefly absorbed in the work
Of the Ambrosiana Library, but he
also found time to act as chaplain for
the Dominican Monastery Of the Cena.
colo, where the famous mural painting
by Leonardo da Vinci, THE Last Sup
per-" is to be seen. Here he exercised
a great influence encouraging the work
Of the monks among the youth Of tho
community.
In 1911 Msgr. Ehrle, prefect Of the
Vatican Library, announced his inten-
ton of withdrawing from the heavy
responsibilities of that institution. He
recommended Father Ratti to Plus x,
and his holiness assigned Father Ratti
as coadjutor prefect. At the outbreak
of the war, when Msgr. Ehrle retired,
the Pope made the coadjutor a mon
signor and appointed him prefect, with
the added titles Of apostolic protono-
tary and canon of st. Peters. In this
capacity Msgr Ratti represented the
Vatican in the centenary OF Oxford
University the same year.
He now transferred his residence
from Milan to the Vatican. Here he
worked through the terrible years OF
the Great War, and it was said that
he then manifested the diplomatic
qualities which were to bring him later
fame. preferment and eventual eleva-
ton to the throne Of st. Peter.
He came into contact with the chap
lain general appointed by the Pope 70
oversee the work of army chaplains.
Later he became a go-between when
italian military leaders intimated that
the church, by Austrian intrigue, had
been responsible for the disastrous
Italian defeat of Caporetto. 1t was
said that he gave Cardinal Gasparrt
the information on which the latter
was able to refute the charge.
The treaty of Brest-Litovsk on
March 3, 1918, between the Russian
Soviets and the Germans, changed
radically the conditions in the whole
OF Eastern Europe. Benedict XIV now
wore the tiara following the death Of
Plus x in 1914. The Pope was of the
opinion that temporary papal repre-
sentative should be sent into the af.
fected territories, especially into Po-
land. For this important post Benedict
XIV chose Msgr. Ratti, sending him to
Warsaw as apostolic visitor" Later
the Office was extended to include all
the territory previously belonging to
the deposed Russian empire.
1t was Msgr. Ratti's difficult task to
maintain an attitude Of impartial neu-
trality toward both the Germans aud
the Poles, and considering the conflict
of interest, 1t required unusual skill to
remain the friend of both sides He
proved his great tact in the undertak-
ing, maintaining cordial relations with
the opposing parties.
Poland then became an autonomous
nation, and Msgr. Ratti was made the
first apostolic nuncio to the new state
in October, 1919. He was consecrated
titular Bishop of Lepanto in the War
saw Cathedral by Cardinal Kakovski
whose friend and counselor he had be-
come.
The next year, during the Bolshevik
invasion, Msgr. Ratti remained as the
only member of the diplomatic corps
in the Polish capital, while the Boil
sheviks we're at the gates Of Warsaw
He was given much popular praise for
this act
Then came the vexatious question OF
Upper Silesia, on which his attitude
was somewhat criticized by the Polish
press, but when the solution was final
ly reached. he was universally praised
for his strict conduct by the Polish
government.
In the Spring Of 1921 Cardinal Fer
rari, Archbishop Of Milan, died, and
in May the Pope summoned Msgr.
Ratti from Warsaw. created him car
dinal and appointed him to the arch
diocese Of Milan.
The choice Of his motto was pro-
phetic. His coat Of arms bore the
words "reptum transit" meaning "it
passes rapidly" Just eight months
after his elevation to the cardinalate
he was elected Supreme Pontif of the
Roman Church. Benedict XIV died
January %, 1922, and Achille Ratti
was elected Pope February 6, receiv-
ing an almost unanimous vote on the
fourteenth ballot. Explaining why he
took the name Of Plus, he said:
IT was born under a Plus: I came
to Rome under Plus, Plus Is the
name Of peace-then Plus shall be my
name"
Human Side Shown
In Varied Ways.
The human side of this steadfast
churchman was shown in varied
ways. His profound scholarship.
mathematical bent and love of
mountaineering led him to deep
interest in science and exploration.
He believed that modern science
had confirmed the reality Of the
Biblical miracles and he saw no
legitimate field for conflict between
it and religion.
He gave moral and spiritual sup
port to many undertakings. includ-
ing the Inflated North Pole flight
of Gen. Umberto Mobile in the
dirigible Italia. When Mobile was
broken" by the Italian govern
ment after his expedition ended In