Gareth Jones

[bas relief by Oleh Lesiuk]

HOME

 

Stop Press

 

Complete Soviet Articles & Background Information

 

Précis of Gareth's Soviet Famine Articles

 

All Published Articles

 

BOOKS

 

Tell Them We Are Starving

(2015)

 

 

Eyewitness to the Holodomor

(2013)

 

More Than Grain of Truth

(2005)

 

Manchukuo Incident

(2001)

 

TOPICAL

 

'Are you Listening NYT?'  U.N. Speech - Nov 2009

 

Gareth Recognised at Cambridge - Nov 2009

 

Reporter and the Genocide - Rome, March 2009

 

Order of Freedom Award -Nov 2008

 

Premiere of 'The Living' Documentary Kyiv - Nov 2008

 

Gareth Jones 'Famine' Diaries - Chicago 2008

 

Aberystwyth Memorial Plaque 2006

 

 

GENERAL

 

Scholarship Fund

 

Site Map

  

Links

 

Legal Notices

 

Sponsored Links

 

Contact

 THE WESTERN MAIL & SOUTH WALES NEWS, August 17th 1934 

VATICAN versus MUSSOLINI  

War That May Rend Italy 

CONTROL OF THE CHILDREN

---

By GARETH JONES 
TRIESTE, Italy.

The traveller who approaches Trieste from the north looks out on one side upon the deep blue, crystal clear Adriatic, and on the other upon a rocky region, where a few scattered shrubs grow and where scarcely a drop of running water is to be seen. 

In this almost pathless district, the Austro-Hungarian and Italian armies battled against each other for two years over such positions as Gorizia, Montfalcone, Monte san Michele, Doberdo, and Timavo (the river whose praises, Virgil sang). 

Today only the War cemeteries remain as a memorial to the strife of nearly 20 years ago.  But a new war is brewing in this region, a war which may spread throughout Italy.  It is not a war for trenches or hills or towns, but for the souls of the Italian children, a war between the Roman Catholic Church and the Fascist State. 

I have good authority for stating that there may soon be a break between the Vatican and Mussolini.  On the horizon there is a fierce struggle between Church and State. 

In this war, a few shots have already been fired in Trieste, where the fight between Church and State is twofold.  In other parts of Italy the bone of contention is one only sway over the child; but here a second cause of strife enters that is of particular interest to Wales, namely, the language question. 

CRUSHING LANGUAGE 

The region around Trieste, which borders on Yugoslavia, is to Italy what Wales is to Britain.  There live in the countryside here about 1,000,000 Slovenes, who speak a Slav language and to whom Italian is foreign.  The Italians are doing all they can to crush the Slovene language. 

The Bishop of Trieste is combating the Italianising influence.  He believes that all peoples have a right to worship in their own language, and he is fighting for the Slovene minority.  He has, however, been forbidden to publish a Prayer Book in the Slovene language. 

Imagine the revolt which would spread through Wales if Welsh Prayer Books were abolished!  Priests have already been imprisoned here for upholding the Slovene language. 

PRIESTS ACCUSE FASCISTS 

Roman Catholics are exceedingly bitter because the Slovene language is being persecuted.  But throughout Italy the Church is beginning to revolt against Fascist domination over the minds of the children. 

In private priests are accusing the Fascists of breaking the Concordat, the agreement reached between the Pope and Mussolini.  They are regretting that the Vatican is not bolder in upholding the rights of Roman Catholics.  They are beginning to demand a new Concordat. 

 “What is the use of Mussolini standing up for the rights of Catholics in Austria if he tramples upon them in Italy?” they ask. 

PARADES INSTEAD OF MASS 

The Fascists are accused of purposely alienating children from the church by making them parade at the very hours when they should be at Mass. 

There is also among priests a fear that Mussolini is not properly informed about the religious situation in the country; that the local Fascist authorities, who are notorious in some towns for their corruption and swindling, are sending false reports to their leader on the sentiment of the people, and that the Vatican is over-timid in hesitating to press their point of view. 

The Church will not remain hesitant for long, however, and a new war between the Vatican and Mussolini may soon rend Italy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adolf Hitler, Chancellor of Germany.

Previous

Top of Page

Contents

Next

 

Original Research, Content & Site Design by Nigel Linsan Colley. Copyright © 2001-17 All Rights Reserved Original document transcriptions by M.S. Colley.Click here for Legal Notices.  For all further details email:  Nigel Colley or Tel: (+44)  0796 303  8888