Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-13
Italian Police Raid
u. 5. Church in Rome
And ChiseI OFF Name
BY the Assecioied Press

ROME. Feb. 13.-Italian po-
lice descended today upon
Rome's Church of Christ, CHS
eled its name of a wall and took
away an Italian preacher. A
news cameraman of the Associ-
ated Press also was taken into
custody for photographing them.
They vainly ordered an A. P.
correspondent away from the
scene.
The word Christ" in g.
inch-high letters, was the first
word removed in this action
against the Protestant religious
organization, which has Ameri-
can financial backing.
The Roman police struck
quickly after worshippers were
forced to leave a Church of
Christ in Leghorn late last night.
Photographer Released.
A. P. Photographer Reno Nassi.
an Italian citizen, was seized
with his camera and hustled off
in police car despite protests.
A. P. Correspondent Allan Jacks,
a United Stvtes citizen, was
ordered to leave, but refused.
Later. Mr.. Nassi was released
without charges and his camera
was returned. The Italian
preacher. Lido Petrini. was re-
leased after an hour and ordered
to appear at hearing today.
The police left as soon as the
name had been entirely removed
from the wall.
The sign was removed on di-
rect orders of the Rome Questura,
or police headquarters, which is
under the Italian Ministry of In
terror.
The new Premier of predom-
inately Catholic Italy, Mario
Scelba, is tie Minister of the In
terror as we'll as government
chief.
Police Leader Apologies.
The chief of the police party
declined at first to give his name
and identified himself as Com
mendatore Pinko." This was an
obvious jibe at Church of Christ
preachers. who in the past fire.
quently have been assailed by
Italian critics as leftists. This
they have always denied.
Later the police officer apollo
eized and identified himself as
Commissario de Rusk, the pre-
cinct captain.
In 1850. when the cults
troubles with Italian officials first
began, the Italian Interior Min
istry was headed by Mr.. Scelba.
He then criticized the Church of
Christ and other Protestant
evangelical cults as aiding Com
munism in italy"
Two days ago. the Vatican and
the Italian government cele-
brated the 25th anniversary of
the Lateran Pacts. The pactS
establish the Roman Catholic re-
ligion as the Italian state
religion.
The new Republican constitu-
ton says all religious confess
sionS are equal before the law"
Reports on Difficulties
Last month DR.. Cline Rex
Paden Of Brownf1eld and Lub-
book, Tex. who first organized
the Church of Christ in Italy.
visited the United States to re-
port on what he called con
tinued difficulties" of the evan
gelical church in Italy.
In the first collective letter of
its kind. Italy's top Catholic pre-
lates warned Catholics February
against what was described as
Protestant propaganda. The le-
ter, signed by the Cardinal Arch
bishops of eight major Italian
cities and bishops and archbish-
ops of IL other cities. said:
"Pernicious errors are arising
in Italy from Protestant propa-
ganda which tends to menace
the spiritual unity OF the Italian
people"
Today, the policemen and
workman paused in removing the
church name to give Mr.. Paden
a chance to protest to the United
States Embassy and the Interior
Ministry. They waited a few min
utes. Then they finished the work
with chisels and hammers.