Evening star., 1945-06-03
Plus XII Hopes 10 See
Germany Rise Again,
Purged Of Naziism
BY the Associated Press.

VATICAN CITY, June Pope
Plus XII expressed the hope today
that the German people, purged of
NazlSm, can rise to new dignity
and new life" but said that postwar
Europe is menaced by a tyranny
no less despotic than those for whose
overthrow men planned"
In a world broadcast on Saint
Eugene's Day-his name day-the
pontiff reviewed the Vaticans pre-
war German policy.
The Holy Father defended the
rights of the small nations "to take
their destinieS in their own hands"
and said the future harmonious
relations between men" was threat
ened by mobs of "dispossessed, dis
illusioned, disappointed and hopeless
men who are going to swell the
ranks of revolution in the pay of
tyranny no less despotic than those
for whose overthrow men planned" :"
The Pope declared that the Vati-
can concluded the 1888 Concordat
with Germany "to set up a formid-
able barrier to the spread of ideas
at once subversive and violent" and
he asserted that Plus XI, his pre-
decessor. denounced the Nazi regime
in 1887 after the solemn pact" had
been deliberately violated by the
Germans.
Criticism Answered.
Nobody" he said, could accuse
the church of not having denounced
and exposed in time the true nature
of the National Socialist movement
and the danger to which it exposed
Christian civilization.
The Pope's outline of the churchs
stand on Germany apparently was
in answer to criticism that the
Vaticans attitude toward Nazi Ger
many had been ambiguous or fav-
orable.
The Pope declared that during the
years of nunciatTe in Berlin he
had occasion to learn the great
qualities of the people and we were
personally in close contact with its
most representative men"
For that reason" he added, I'VE
cherish the hope that it can rise
to new dignity and new life when
once it has laid the satanic Specter
raised by National Socialism. and
the guilty, as we have already at
other times had occasion to eX-
pound, have eXpiated the crimes
they have committed"
The Pope described the peace in
Europe today as yet very fragile
which cannot endure or be con-
solidated except by eXpending on
1t the most aSsiduouS care ;" y" and
called on all the peoples of the
world ito devote themselves to it,
each in his own office and at his
own place
Peace Requisites Listed.
The pontiff declared the primary
task of the peace trainers is to put
an end to the criminal war game
and to safeguard vital rights and
mutual obligations as between the
great and small, the powerful and
the weak"
The medium and small nations"
the pontiff declared, claim the
right to take their destinies into
their own hands. They can be led
to assume, with their full and will
ing consent, in the interest of COM
mon progress, obligations which will
modify their sovereign rights. But
after having sustained their share
their large share-of suffering in
order to overthrow a system of
brutal violence, they are entitled to
refuse to accept new political or
cultural system which is decisively
rejected by the great majority of
their people"
Pope Plus, apparently referring to
the World Security Conference at
San Francisco, said "the whole of
mankind follows the progress" of
new peace organization.
What a bitter disillusionment
1t would be if it were to fail" he
SAID, If SO many years of suffering
and self-Sacrlflce were to be made
IN vain by permitting again to pre-
vail that spirit of oppression from
which the world hoped to see itself
at last freed once and for all.
Warning Issued.
THE poor world, to which then
might be applied the words of
Christ: Its new state is become
worse than that from which it has
with such labor extricated itself
THE present political and social
situation suggests these words of
warning to us. We have at last to
deplore in more than one region the
murder of priests, the deportations
OF civilians and the killing of citizens
without trial or in personal vendetta.
No less sad is the news that has
reached us from .Slovenia and
Croatia"
However, the pope said, I'VE will
not lose heart" as the speeches
made by competent and responsible
men in the last few weeks make it
clear that they are aiming at the
triumph of right ="
The pope in conclusion expressed
hope that "a peace worthy of the
name" would finally be consum-
mated
"A peace" he said, that can be
approved by all right minded men
of every people and every nation;
a peace which future generations
may regard gratefully as the happy
outcome of sad period; a peace
that may stand out in the centuries
as resolute advance in the affrma-
ton of human dignity and ordered
liberty; a peace that may be like
the magma carta which closed the
dark age of violence; a peace that
under the merciful guidance of God
may let us pass through temporal
prosperity that we may not lose
eternal happiness"