Evening star., 1944-01-17
Influence Of Vatican
Held Jeopardized by
Stand on Fascism
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The future of Vatican influence in
world affairs "is plainly bound up
with the uncertain place Of religion"
in the postwar world, a spokesman
for the Foreign Policy Association
declared today.
Sherman s. Hayden. assistant to
the president of the privately
financed research organization, said
in special study report that the
Catholic Church faces difhcult re-
adjustments after the war, with the
possibility Of a strong opposition in
Italy.
Critics (of the papacy), both
friendly and hostile, have forecast a
period of unprecedented anticler-
icalism in Italy, believing that the
long association of the Vatican with
Fascism will reap Its harvest Of ha-
tired and even of persecution" Mr..
Hayden said.
Since the Allied invasion of Italy,
however, the church has come to be
regarded in some quarters as ref
uge from Fascism, but the papacy's
recognition of German Fascism as a
worse foe than Russian Communism
was belated, Mr.. Hayden continued
Didn't Bless Nazis.
Pope Plus, although steadfast In
opposition to Communism because
of its creed of atheism, seems to
have learned what his predecessor,
Pope Plus XII, never did, that Ger
man Fascism is the more serious
enemy of the church." the report
said. Mr.. Hayden pointed out the
present pontiff did not bestow any
blessing on the German attack on
Russia, which the Nazis propa-
gandized as an "anti-Bolshevik cru
SADIE
The Vatican's peace aims, enun-
ciated repeatedly since 1899, stress
the need for moral law, the re-
sponsibility of the strong, the equita-
BILE distribution of natural resources,
eventual disarmament and respect for
treaties, Mr.. Hayden said.
Such program, he added, "can
be reconciled only with the victory
Of the United Nations"
Catholic leaders here would not
comment on the report, explaining
that it was a discussion of general
Vatican policy and hence q matter
for discussion by the Pope himself
or Luigi Cardinal Maglione, Vatican
secretary of state.
Explains Report.
The Foreign Policy Association
regularly undertakes special studies
in the field of international affairs.
Mr. Hayden stated in the report re-
lating to the Vatican:
1T is charged by some that in
this war the Pope ought to take
sides, and by others that he has
taken the wrong side. More spe-
cifically. it is widely believed that
the authoritarian character of the
Catholic Church inclines it's hier-
archy, including the Pope himself
to natural sympathy for the
tatalitarian rather than the demo-
cratic states, and that this inchna-
ton has been frequently, if not
continuously, followed These criti-
cisms deserve examination.
Mr.. Hayden said in this connec-
ton that the church's "objectives
are always to obtain freedom to
practice the Catholic religion and to
propagate its to gain recognition of
Catholic marriages and to maintain
in Catholic hands the right of edu-
eating Catholic children. The
church does not seek bsyond this
to intervene in political questions
and the kind of government does
not matter. 1t makes no distinc-
tions and expresses no preferences
for one political system. as against
another Basically, Of course. the
church is neither democratic nor
totalitarian in philosophy, despite
ire oylfhnrifo ctr