Pope's Paper

Last week, on the second day after Italy went to war, the Pope's newspaper failed to appear for the first time since 1870. Official explanation for Osservatore Romano's nonappearance: "The printing press has broken down." But on other occasions when its seven-year-old U. S. press has failed to function, Osservatore has appeared in mimeograph.

On Thursday, shorn of all war news whatsoever, Osservatore reappeared, announced: "In the present circumstances ... we are compelled to abstain from now on from printing the various bulletins." Il Duce once more permitted Osservatore to circulate throughout Italy--if it could.

Bulky, balding Count Giuseppe Dalla Torre continued in the editor's chair of Osservatore Romano, was still flanked by bodyguards wherever he went. Within the Vatican, friends of the Allies grumbled that Pius XII's predecessor would not have let his newspaper be gagged. But the story went around that Pius XII had stiffened when Professor Guido Gonella, pro-Ally commentator for Osservatore, disappeared for two days. The Holy Father threatened a broadcast to the world. Professor Gonella reappeared.

Pius XII has kept strict silence about Italy's war activities. As during the Spanish War, some Italian prelates have not. Last week Most Rev. Evasio Colli, Bishop of Parma and head of the Central Bureau of Catholic Action, asked its members to pray God "so that He may bless our dear country and protect the sons of Italy who are fighting bravely. . . . Every one must perform with perfect discipline the duty assigned to him."

Two days later the whole Italian clergy sent a message to Il Duce. "May the sure victory of our arms gloriously place the Italian flag on the Holy Sepulchre, and revindicate the glory and rights of the House of Savoy, restorer of harmony amongst civilized people of Imperial and Christian Rome." Il Duce, self-styled "Protector of Islam" (which includes Palestine's Arabs), said nothing.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.