The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-01

into which the ballot papers are cast is Chalice, placed upon a table in the center of the aisle, at which sit the three Scrutators, elected by ballot, whose duty it is to take out the ballot papers after the votes have been cast, count them first to see that the number tallies with the number of voters, and read out the names. Three other Card inals, also elected by ballot, sit on the opposite side of the table and control the work of the Scrutators-- a double precaution to guard against any possible mistake or fraud. If a Cardinal in Conclave Is i'll and unable to attend, three other Cardinals are charged with collect ing the absent Cardinals vote in closed box.
 The Cardinals other than the Scrutators and Revisers are seated upon thrones specially erected along the south and north walls of the Chapel. The canopies and drapings are of green and purple cloth-- purple to denote those Cardinals ap- pointed by the late Pope, green to denote those appointed by his pre- decessors, On the altar stand the Blessed Sacrament. There is nobody present save the Cardinals, all clothed in bright scarlet robes, with perhaps, few notable exceptions like a black habit of Jesuit, the white and black of Dominican, the brown of Franciscan.
 Prayers are held before each bal lot, at which other persons within the Conclave-- secretaries, servants and ceremonial officials, may attend Then the Cardinal Camerdengo (the Chamberlain in charge of the cere- monies) requests all save the Card inals to retire, calling out the Latin words: extra Omnes. The doors are closed and locked; and the fateful moment arrives.
 Casting of Ballots
 Votes are cast in order of Senior- ity. Each Cardinal in turn ap- breaches the Chalice and, before casting in his paper, takes solemn oath that he is voting for the mem- Der of the Sacred College whom he sincerely believes is best fitted to succeed to the throne of St. Peter.
 A two-thirds majority is required for election. Voting is secret and the ballot papers are burned immediate ly after each election in the presence of all the Cardinals. If an exact two-thirds majority results, the voting paper of the successful can- didate is scrutinized to make sure he has not voted for himself. If he has done so, the election is void.
 Each ballot paper contains a space at the top in which the voter is requested to write his name. At the bottom a corresponding space is reserved in which the voter writes a motto" or sign, which he alone knows. This constitutes check on the authenticity of each ballot. In the middle the voter records his choice. He then folds the paper so that it can be opened by the Scru- tators without revealing the voters name or motto. In this form 1t is cast into the Chalice.
 If the first ballot is inconclusive, a second ballot may immediately take place on the principle of the single transferable vote. If a voter is unwilling to transfer his vote, he enters the word Nemini ("no one else'D into his second ballot paper; otherwise he enters the name of his second choice. This second ballot was introduced in order to hasten the result of the elections, which were sometimes very protracted owning to the stubborn resistance of an important minority against particular name.
 Precautions for Secrecy
 Extraordinary precautions are taken to maintain secrecy and to exclude any pressure from the out side world. Every entrance to the apartments in the Vatican reserved for the Conclave is closed except one. This single door is locked from the outside by Prince Chigi Albani, hereditary Marshal of the Holy Ro- man Church, from within by the Cardinal Camerlengo. Nobody is permitted to enter or leave, unless a member falls seriously i'll, or if a Cardinal arrives late and must be admitted, with his secretary and servant (the limit of his personal staff). There are doctors and sur- geons attached to the Conclave, so that ordinary illness provides no reason for leaving. During the last election, one of the Cardinals actually died in Conclave.
 Altogether from 200 to 300 persons are shut off from the outside world. They include cooks, servants, secretaries and ceremonial officials. Food is introduced by means of a revolving dumb-waiter. All food is examined before it is allowed to pass through. A body of the Swiss Guard is on perpetual duty outside at all points of possible exit or entrance.
 During the obsequies of dead Pope which last nine days, carpen- ters and masons convert the apart ments into little, self f-contained, three-room flats for each Cardinal, and wall up all illicit doors and dangerously situated windows. Meals are taken up by the Cardinals ill solitary state within these cells, to which they retire on the termina- ton of each ballot or religious cere- mony. No common life is permitted among the voters. Even letters are opened and censored.
 Long Live The Pope!
 On the conclusion of a successful ballot, the candidates who has re- ceived the required proportion of votes is formally asked for his con- sent to accept office. He is then asked to state the name for which he will be known as Pope. Three white soutanes of different sizes hang waiting to clothe him. The new Pope ascends the vacant throne, the Fisherman's Ring is pressed upon his finger and each of the unsuc- cessful Cardinals proceeds to pay homage to his new Sovereign.
 A wisp of white smoke is released