VIEW OF VATICAN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20054, 28 September 1939, Page 5

VIEW OF VATICAN

AMERICAN TREND POLICY OF NEUTRALITY HOSTILE TO SOVIET SYMPATHY WITH POLES (Reed. Sept. 28, 9 a.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 27. The Vatican City correspondent of the New York Times says that the friendliness of the Vatican toward President Roosevelt and his neutrality policies is very clearly shown in a leading article in the Osservatore Romano comparing the American policies with those of the Pope. It comments: “It is impossible not to perceive the almost literal identity of essential points.” This enthusiasm is not shared by the Italian press, some of the more extreme journals attacking the Osservatore Romano’s views. Vatican circles insist that the .Osservatore Romano is taking a line which all Italian newspapers will follow before long, not only regarding friendliness with the United States, but also antagonism to Russia and sympathy with Poland. Anglo-French View Ignored

The Rome correspondent of the New York Times says that Italy is going ahead with the peace campaign, regardless of what England and France say. There is a genuine conviction in high official circles in Italy that there is a chance for England and France to make the best bargain. Italian statesmen have a high opinion of Germany’s' strength and feel that even without the Soviet she is stronger militarily than England and France and would be able to carry on indefinitely. ’

Thus they are appealing over the heads of the French and British Governments to the people, says the correspondent. All Italian correspondents in London and Paris obviously have been instructed to write accordingly and the Italians believe the campaign is succeeding. Barring an unprovoked attack Italy would not go to war against the Allies.