The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-02-10
Late Pontiff, Peasant Born, Acclaimed As Outstanding Figure In Modern History

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 Of Pope Pius XI
 Vatican City = (U.p) - Plus XI was the 2eist Pope.
 He was born at Desio, May sl, 1857.
 The pontiH was ordained . Priest when he was 20,
 His appointment as an Arch- bishop came in 1919.
 On June IS. 1921, he was made Q Cardinal and less than nine months later, February 6. le22, was elected Pope.
 Plus xI was crowned February i2, 1922.
 He is known popularly as the Missionary Pope"
 Warsaw. He prepared the way for the eoneordat between Poland and the Holy See.
 Monsignor Ratti arrived in Poe land with the title of Apostolic Visitor for Poland and Lithuania. When the Holshevist invasion was at the doors of Warsaw, and the diplomatic corps was leaving Monsignor Ratti telegraphed to Benedict XIV asking his authoriza- ton to remain, even If the city should be occupied. The order came that he was to follow the Polish government,
 Shortly after the death in Feb- ruary, 1921. of Cardinal Andrea Ferrari, Archbishop of Milan, Archbishop Achille Ratti was called by Benedict XIV to take his place, and was made cardinal in June of the same year.
 Pope Benedict xv died or Jan- uary a, 1922 and Cardinal Ratti was chosen by the conclave to sue. ceed him February 6.
 Pope Plus xf's reign as sovereign Pontiff has been outstandingly not- able for the conciliation effected be- tween the Church and the Italian State realized by the Lateran Treaty and Concordat signed on February il, 1929, In the Lateran Palace, Rome.
 Long Negotiations
 Several years of negotiations led up to this agreement, which ended the dissensions between the Church and the Italian State. That event is the most important one so far during the Papacy of Plus xI.
 The conciliation was in great part Plus xI's personal work. The dls- cussions began on October {, 1926, and ended on February il, 1929. After the death of the Italian State Councillor. Domenico Baroni, the negotiations took place almost al. rectly between Plus xI and Mus. solini, Marquis Pacelh, brother of Cardinal Pacelli acting as inter- mediary. The Marquis pacelli had i23 private audiences with the Pope on the question of the conciliation.
 Tn 1923, Plus xI celebrated Holy Year. when more than 250,000 pil- griins visited Rome, including those from various parts of Italy. This year also saw the foundation of the Missionary Museum in the Lateran Palace. The exhibits were chiefly taken from the missionary exhibition held during Holy Year in the Vatican gardens.
 On July 25. 1929, Pope Plus xI made his first appearance outside the Vatican in the great Eucharis- tic procession, round St. Peters Square.
 Surprise visit On this occasion, he remained in Vatican territory but later in the same year, Plus xI made a surprise visit to the Basilica of St. John Lateran, arriving there very early in the morning.
 Other notable incidents of the reign of Plus xr have been the conclusion of a concordat with Prussia, the campaign against the French newspaper "L'Action Fran caise" and the subsequent excom- munication of its chief editors. There have been Eucharistic congresses at Chicago, Sydney. Mel- bourne, Buenos Aires and Carthage during his reign.
 After the conciliation. Plus xI received in private audiences the King and Queen of Italy and all the princes of the House of Savoy.
 The year 1881 witnessed the controversy between Church and State. which began in the spring and did not end until September. The polemic which developed was long and on occasions bitter in both. Fascist and Catholic press. The dispute arose over the Cath olic organization, "Axione Cattolico'' (Catholic Action). This is ar. organ ization for spreading Catholic edu- cation and creating a social sense of unity among lay Catholics. The Fascists accused Azione Cattolica and the Catholic young mems clubs. connected with it. of engaging in political propaganda. It was stated that a number of members of the