Evening star., 1943-07-22
109-Acre Vatican Civ
Includes Services Of
SeIf-Contained Town

Vatican City. carefully spared in
the ruinous raid on Rome by the
all-American air armada, is the
worlds smallest state, an admin
istrative island completely sur
rounded by Italy. 1t is sovereign,
independent and separate city state
recognized as having the usual po-
litical, civil and diplomatic appur-
tenances of empires and kingdoms,
1t has its own army, coins money.
prints postage stamps.
The city crowns an eminence from
which a soothsaying King of legen-
Diary Rome gave to the people his
vaticinia, supposed messages from
the gods, says the National Geo.
graphic Society The ridge which
constitutes the site was outside
Rome's ancient limits. Total area
is about 100 acres-about one
eighth the acreage of New York
City's Central Park.
Has Largest Church.
Despite its small size, Vatican City
includes the worlds largest church,
st. Peters; it has a Pontifiical Pal
ace of 1000 rooms, a Well-equipped
observatory, a. mint, power plant,
and printing presses for 1t news
paper and bulletins 1t has gardens
and courts, a school, post office,
grocery store, garage, Jail and air
raid shelters. < :
Among the modern facilities is a
powerful broadcasting station in
stalled by the wireless telegraphy
pioneer Marconi. Before. 1929 COM
munication with the outside world
was limited to few telephones. Tel
ephone service now links the papal
Offices with all countries. A double
tracked railway line 600 feet long
is notable convenience. The sta
ton is work of art A 300-foot
tunnel under Vatican Hill serves as
the yards" The letters S. c. v.
(Stato della Citta del Vaticano)
appear on the tags of all motor
cars belonging to the city's thousand
residents.
Art Treasures Vast.
Industries include tapestry weav-
ing, mosaics, book binding, repair of
ancient and damaged manuscripts
and documents. Sale of postage
stamps to tourists was an active
business. So we'll stocked are the
Vatican's museums, picture galleries
and libraries it has been said that
a visitor could not view all their
treasures If he took lifetime
For it's standing army" Vatican
City looks to its picturesque Swiss
Guard, German-speaking corps
whose members Switzerland has
provided since the 18th century.
The corps has totaled about 100
men-roughly one guard for each
acre of territory. The Italian
Papal Gendarmery Of 100 moo and
three officers is an additional pro-
tective force.
Before the uniflcation of Italy in
1870, the papal territory stretched
across mid-Italy from sea to sea,
included more than 100000 people
from 1870 to 1928 the Vatican was
the property of the Italian govern
ment and use rested on government
grant.
Cites 1929 Agreement.
What had become known as "the
Roman question" was peacefully set
tied in 1929. Italy recognized the
Holy Sees absolute power and SOW
erign jurisdiction within Vatican
City. The see recognized the King
dom of Italy under the rule of the
House of Savoy, with Rome as the
capital of the Italian state. A
cash indemnity of more than s39,-
000,000. plus Italian government
bonds to the amount of about $52,-
100000 was paid the see for the loss
of it's temporal possessions.
Diplomatic relations were estab-
lished between the italian and pa
pal governments. Before the war
more than 80 nations had sent ac-
credited representatives to the
Vatican.