Evening star., 1939-12-24
By the Associated Press.

President Roosevelt's appointment
OF a personal representative-M
c. Tavlor-to the Vatican estab-
fishes the first direct and continuing
contact between an American Presi-
dent and a Pope of Rome in nearly
three-quarters of a century.
Although diplomatic relations be-
tween the United States and the
Vatican are not thus fully, estab-
lished, 1t was considered iii diplo-
matte circles here to be a step in
that direction.
When Mr.. Taylor takes over the
post, it will be the first time in his
tory that there has been an Amer
lean representative with rank equiv
alent to that of Ambassador in con-
tact with the Pope. When Amer
ican diplomatic relations with the
papal states were disrupted in 1867,
the American envoy had only the
rank of Minister.
Closer Relations Predicted.
Closer relations with the Vatican
have been predicted frequently in
recent years on the basis of many
developments:
l. The Lateran Treaty between
the Vatican and Italy in 1929
created Vatican City, freed the
papacy from its 60-year "imprison-
ment," and made the Vatican an
independent, temporal state, whose
ruler was the Pope The United
States was thus given the oppor-
tunity, if it wished, Of appointing
representative to a temporal state
rather than to religion.
@ Cardinal Mundelein of Chicago,
who died recently, was a close
friend of the late Pope, Plus XII,
and the new Pope, Plus XII, and
also OF President Roosevelt. In
formed observers here ascribed a
large share Of the credit for Presi-
dent Roosevelt's move today to the
late Chicago cardinal.
They recalled the extraordinary
gestures of friendship and esteem
President Roosevelt accorded to Car
dinal Mundelein when the latter
visited Rome in November, 1898. On
that occasion, American Ambassador
William Phillips, on instructions
from the President, went from Rome
to Naples to meet the prelate and
escort him to Rome The Ambas-
sador introduced him to Count
Galeazzo Ciano, italian foreign min
lister and Mussolini's son-in-law, at
an Embassy luncheon.
Roosevelt Knows Pope.
3. The new Rope, Plus XII, is
personally aquainted with President
Roosevelt. AS Cardinal Pacelli,
papal secretary of state, he visited
the United States in 1896 and had
luncheon with the President at Hyde
Park.
4. The State Department this year
authorized the American consulate
general in Rome to authenticate
state documents originating in Vati-
can City and essential in American
legal proceedings. Previously, the
American Embassy and consulate
general in Rome had been required
to refrain from any connection with
the Vatican.
S. President Roosevelt appointed
Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy,
United States envoy to London, his
personal representative to the coro-
nation Of the present Pope, Plus XII.
Seventy-two years ago the United
States maintained ll-f1edged le-
cation to the papal states.
Polk Named First Envoy.
The year 1848 was year of revo-
luton in Europe and the rise of
democratic movements. Pope Plus
TX, who assembled the papal throne
in that year, announced a demo-
cratic program, and the United
States. enthusiastic over the papal
pronouncements, decided to send
diplomatic representative to the
Vatican.
President James K. Polk ap-
pointed as the first representative
Charge d'Affaires Jacob L. Martin.
The new envoy died in Rome only
four months later. Maj. Lewis Cass.
jr., succeeded him as Charge DAT
faires and was given the rank of
Minister in 1849. He remained un-
til 1857.
The last Minister was Rufus King,
who stayed from 1862 until 1867,