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'Vatican Radio Assures that
To every prisoner of war at Christmas time the Pope gave a combined Christmas card and diary.
'War Prisoners iv( Jtaly are 'Well treated Diplomat's Tribute to Work of Holy See Only Means of Outside Relief to Prisoners of Japan ENORMOUS vIERCY TASK
of Vatican Radio Vatican Radio gave an assurance recently that British prisoners of war and internees in Italy are being well treated. "There will, of course," added the announcer, "always be individual hard cases, but these are cared for by the protecting Power, Switzerland, and the passing of time has resulted in amelioration of conditions where necessary." British civilians who have been allowed to remain in their own places of residence receive, through Switzerland, allowances and special grants for medical attention and other purposes, where necessary. Internees receive sufficient food and clothing, largely through the work of the Red Cross. Visit of Papal Nuncio. The Vatican spokesman gave an interesting account of a visit of the Papal Nuncio to one of the camps recently. Finding that he could not make himself heard from the ground, the Nuncio called for a table, mounted it, and then addressed the men, first in Italian and then in English. He told the troops that he had recently begun to study their language, but had not had the time to make much headway. After the first address he called for a melodeon player, and a British Tommy came forward, joined the Nuncio on the table, and played tunes. The Nuncio was told by the men of their delight at receiving reading matter supplied through the Vatican and other sources. One official had collected and distributed about 9,000 books in English. The Papal visitor later chatted informally with the men. From one group of 600 he accepted a cup of tea, and when he asked how many Catholics were present, he was told: Not one." Later he visited the camp hospital, where there were only twenty-five patients.
prisoners of war is doubly impressive because he was Minister at Berne, after long diplomatic experience, before becoming Minister to the Holy See in In Berne he saw much of Mgr. 1922. Maglione who was then Papal Nuncio there and is now Cardinal Secretary of State. "He was, therefore,' says Sir Odo, "in a position to inaugurate with authority a policy he had so ably implemented under the pontificate of Benedict XV. That the influence of his Eminence has been exercised in that direction (possibly 'sub rosa' in the
can aid to the prisoners in Japan was, as Sir Odo points out, the only means by which outside relief could be given when Japan declared war. Japan had not signed the Geneva Convention and refused to grant access to prison camps to the Red Cross or to the protecting Power. "Without loss of time," he writes, "the Vatican stepped into the breach with an offer of utilising the services of their priests on the spot who, as it appears, were permitted to circulate in the camps. This offer, coming as it did at a moment of great anxiety, was universally welcomed." He pays further tribute to the work in London of the Apostolic Delegate to Great Britain, Archbishop Godfrey, and he notes that "with meagre funds and the status of a neutral to be maintained, the position is not so simple as some people seem to think; but there is no cause for anxiety on behalf of the prisoners with Cardinal Maglione in charge at one end and Mgr. Godfrey
at the other." Details of Work. Vatican Radio gave the following details of its work done for prisoners of war and their relatives during last year: Messages read over radio, 37,787; radio messages from prisoners to their relatives, 11,227; messages from prisoners' families to the prisoners, 11,934; messages sent through Apostolic Delegate from prisoners in Italy to families in Britain, 61,183. "No cause for anxiety on behalf of the prisoners with Cardinal Maglione in charge at one end and Monsignor Godfrey at the other." To every prisoner of war at Christ. mas time the Pope gave a combined Christmas card and diary. The cover shows a picture of the Nativity and the Holy Father's autographed Christmas greeting in English. Throughout the diary are passages from the Pope's disAbout 70,000 of the diaries courses. have been printed.
Vatican and Prisoners. Sir Odo Russell's recent letter to the "Times" on the Vatican's work for the
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first stages of the war I, I am fully convinced." He notes the frequent visits to prisoners in Italy paid by the Papal Nuncio to the Kingdom of Italy, and he observes that "for a neutral State surrounded by Fascist territory this task could not have been easy: but the present Cardinal Secretary of State is not prone to shrink from obstacles." Vati-
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