Evening star., 1950-06-07
Vatican Is Concerned
As Myron Taylor Aide
Leaves Post in Rome
Churchmen Wondering
IF Mission Begun by
Roosevelt Hos Ended
Bv David Laurence

Franklin Gowan, career officer
In the State Department who
served as counselor to Myron Tay-
lor, has returned to Rome after
visit to the United States but will
pack up his belongings and travel
to a diplomatic post in South
America to which he has just been
transferred. This has caused
grave concern to Vatican officials.
With Mr.. Gowan's departure,
they are wondering if the mission
which began under the late Pres
ident Roosevelt has come to an
end. Myron Taylor resigned on
January 18 last but as yet the
Vatican has not been officially ad-
vised of that fact. Was this an
oversight or was it intended to
leave the impression that no
change is contemplated?
The Russian Communists would
certainly like to believe that the
American Government has, in ef-
feet, severed its formal relations
with the Vatican. For it so hap
pens that 80 nations of the world
maintain fully accredited diplo-
matte representatives to the Va
tican. There are 18 ambassadors.
16 ministers and five charge daft
fairs. Only the United States and
Russia do not have legations or
embassies at the Vatican.
There was a time. before the
American Civil War. when the
United States Government main
tanned diplomatic relations with
the Vatican, but for long period
of years thereafter, until the late
President Roosevelt sent Mr.. Tay-
lor to Rome as his personal rep
resentative," no formal relation
ship had existed.
Importance of Mission.
The Importance of continuing
the mission begun by Mr.. Roose-
welt is emphasized by proponents
of the idea as directly related now
to the successful prosecution of the
so-called "cold war" The strong
est anti-Communist blocs in
France, Italy, Yugoslavia, Austria,
Belgium. and Spain. as we'll as in
Poland, Hungary and Czechoslo-
vakia. are made up primarily of
Catholics.
1t is an open secret that the
anti-Communist elections in Italy
were swung largely by Catholic in
fuences. The argument in favor
of resumption of relations is being
advanced to no small extent on
the basis that the anti Communist
world will be heartened by a better
feeling between the Vatican and
the American Government. In
Latin America, for example, in
nearly every country the backbone
of anti-communism is the large
Catholic population.
The displeasure at the Vatican
over the complete silence that fol-
lowed Mr.. Taylor's departure in
January is reflected in various
ways. Quite recently leading
Catholics in the United States
were told not to press the issue
and that it was not desired to in
f1uence the course of the American
Government in the matter. The
reasoning is that, if the United
States sees At to ignore the Vati-
can at time when American Off
cials are talking about mobilizing
the spiritual and moral forces of
the world and if this inconsistency
seems to the Russian Communists
q vindication of their anti-Vati-
can policies, then it is something
to be accepted with a tragic sense
of resignation.
Churchmen Wonder.
With Great Britain. Norway
Sweden, Denmark and SWitzer-
land-which are certainly not pre-
dominantly Catholic countries
sending fully accredited diplomats
to the Vatican. it is natural that
the Rome churchmen wonder
what peculiar circumstances are
causing the President of the
United States to terminate so ten
uous relationship as that main
tanned by the personal repre-
sentative" method.
Could it be that President Tru-
man Is hesitating to make a de.
cision until after the autumn con-
gressional elections? There may
be voters in some States to whom
such a course might be acceptable
but there are other States-like
Massachusetts, and New York ano
Illinois-where there are large
numbers Of Catholic voters who
would surely resent any decision
being made on such a basis. In.
cidentally. Representative Johr
Mccormack of Massachusetts
Democratic majority leader. ha.
recommended to the President
that he meet the question forth.
rightly and appoint an American
minister to the Vatican, sending
such a nomination to the Senate
This would require majority vote
in the Senate to confirm, ano
. then the matter of an appropria.
ton would be part of the State
Departments annual budget.
Mr.. Truman is probably vel
aware of the delicate problems in.
volved but, as Vatican officials
see it. this is a time when inter-
national considerations are para.
mount and the uplifting influence
that would come to anti -Commu.
mist Europe from a restoration BY
the President of the persona
representative" mission or it.
equivalent outweighs any possible
objections.
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