Evening star., 1939-02-10
Cardinals Prepare to Elect
New Pontiff as World Mourns
Death of Plus, Pope of Peace
PreIutes' Concluve
Likely to Be Set
For Februory25
(Obituary and Page OF pictures
on Pages A-6 and All

Plus XI, the Pope of peace" 261St
head of the Church of Rome, died
today at dawn just five days after
the 18th anniversary of his reign.
His frail body, wasted by illness
and with features Shrunken, was
borne in the afternoon to the red
draped 18th century Sistine Chapel,
where the new pontiff will be
elected, to lie in state for the hon.
age of dignitaries.
Tomorrow the body will be taken
to st. Peters Cathedral where the
first of nine funeral services will be
held Sunday. Burial will be Feb
ruary Is in st. Peters.
The death of the Pontiff, nearly 81,
marked an interregnum in the ad-
ministration of the church which
Eugenio Cardinal Pacelli will fill as
chamberlain of the Holy Roman
Church" until a new Pope is elected.
Conclave Likely February rs.
The conclave of cardinals may
convene February 25, though it can
be called as late as February %, to
choose the successor of PiuX XII.
Three United States cardinals were
expected to leave New York tomor-
row to attend the assembly for the
first time as group.
The new Pope will be elected by a
tWo-thirdS majority of those of the
81 cardinals who attend the con-
clave. The time of his coronation
will depend on how quickly the bal
loting is ended
From the dead Pope's hand Cardi-
nal Pacelli took the fisherman's
ring, symbol of papal authority. It's
seal, in a new ring, will be given
to the new Pope as a sign of his
selection.
Into the hands of the 62-year old
Cardinal Pacelli were yielded the
manifold duties as interim ruler
sort of Pope pro tem-of the
church with 331,500,OOO members
throughout the world until selection
of the 262d occupant of the throne
of st. Peter.
His Office as papal secretary of
state, which he had filled with diplo-
matte skill since February, 1890,
lapsed upon the death of the Pope
who appointed him, but his Office
of camerlengo - chamberlain-con-
tinued and to him fell the first
task of officially pronouncing Pope
Plus dead.
Inventory Made of Effects.
AS chamberlain he called meet
Ing of the prelates of the papal
court to take part in an ancient
ceremony making inventory of the
late Pope's effects and then called
together the deans Of the three or
ders of cardinals-cardinal bishops,
cardinal priests and cardinal dea-
cons-and set in motion machinery
to govern until the Sacred College
OF Cardinals elects new Pope.
The interim government is han
died by series of "congregazioni"
or committees of four cardinals,
three of whom take turns accord
Ing to seniority. The camerlengo
is the guiding member of each sue
cessive committee.
The congregation may issue
edlcts, coin money or otherwise ex-
ert full governmental authority, but
they rarely take measures which
might commit the next Pope.
Mostly they are limited to pre-
pairing the way for the new Pope's
election. They must approve plans
for the temporary block of cells
wherein the cardinals are locked
during the electoral conclave.
Secretaries, BARRIERS, cooks and
kitchen boys who serve the cardi-
nails in the conclave must be ex-
amined and approved by the con-
gregazioni.
Pope Dies in Early Morning.
Pope Plus XI died just before the
church bells of old Rome sounded
morning Angelus.
Approaching his 82d birthday an
niversary, on May 81, he had been i'll
since Tuesday of cardiac asthma,
which caused death, although he
had weakened gradually in general
health since severe illness in De-
cember, 1886, and another attack
November 25, last year.
Dr. Aminta Milani, called from a
sick bed, nodded that the end had
come at 5:3l am. on the fifth day
of the 18th year since Plus XI was
elected head of the Catholic Church.
Prayer on Lips at End.
During the administration of the
last rites witnesses said they saw the
Pope's lips move. Some close to him
thought they heard him say:
Our last rites, like those of all
mortals, Sister Therese of the infant
Jesus, art near to us. God is merci-
full. May His will be done"
st. Therese, whom Plus canonized,
was the saint to whom he had in
trusted his health.
Death came while the holy father
was preparing to embark upon a
new task-an extraordinary address
tomorrow to all Italian bishops on
the 10th anniversary of the Lateran
accord with Italy-by which he be-
came the first Pope in SO years to
emerge from the Vatican walls. He
had been expected to deal with the
status of the concordat.
The news was given officially to
all Rome by the deep-throated
"Campanone," 11-ton master of the
(See POPE, Page A-30