The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, April 29, 1929, Page 10

T HE BISMARCK TRIBUNE TRIBUNE’S PAGE OF COMIC STRIPS AND FEATURES By RODNEY DUTCHER (NEA Service Writer) Washington—All those who write to the state department about the | appointment of an American minister to the Vatican are answered with a form letter asserting that “the ques- tion has not arisen.” There is a tendency among gov- ernment officials to believe that this letter will serve the purpose for a long time to come. Meanwhile, so many protests have been received against resumption of diplomatic relations between the ‘United States and the Vatican as to lead to the suspicion that some sort of a campaign has been organized against the possibility. If any decision eventually has to be made it will be made by President Hoover. Whether Hoover has given the question any thought at all is not known; at any rate, it has been im- possible to ascertain his views and of course the question “has not arisen” at the white house any more than it has at the state department. Two Opposing Viewpoints Probably there is some division of opinion. One idea is that represent- ation of the Vatican will be more or less obligatory now that there is to be a national separate entity known as the “City of the Vatican,” over which the pope will rule as a tem- poral as well as a spiritual sovereign. England, France and Germany, which are not Catholic nations, have had ministers there in the past. We haven't had one for many decades because we regarded the Vatican only as the seat of religion. But now there are some who feel that by all the rules of the interna- tional game we ought to appoint a Prominent American Catholic as a diplomat to the Vatican, as other na- tions do. But this viewpoint finds ‘scant en- couragement around the state depart- ment. Apparently it is not consid- ered this government's unescapable “duty” to send such an envoy. Up to the middle of the last century the pope ruled over a large state, with which we had a considerable amount there as well as a minister. There will be no American citi- zens in Vatican City, and there will be no trade. There is an American [eee to Rome who may be th trade. We maintained consuls regarded as in a position to protect any American interests which seem to need protection. Hence, one is asked, what's to be gained? State depart- ment officials who have given the matter some thought are willing to tacitly admit, of course, that domes- tically the problem might be some- what thorny. ‘There is an idea, in fact, that the Vatican itself may never raise the issue, if only in realization of the American situation. In that case it is more than likely that this govern- ment will merely let the matter ride. American Catholics have not yet dis- played any great interest in it. Consultation with the records re- veals the interesting fact that al- though the United States sent five ministers to the Holy See and main- tained diplomatic relations from 1848 until the cessation of the pope's tem- poral power in 1871, the papal state sent no minister to Washington. That is supposed to have been be- cause the papal minister would not | have been recognized here as the dean of the diplomatic corps. In European capitals the Vatican's representative is conceded that rank and precedes the secular envoys. The theory is that he represents God. Polk Sent First Envoy President James K. Polk and Secre- tary of State James Buchanan in- itiated the first diplomatic relations with the Holy See, proposing the Pointment of a minister “for com: mercial reasons.” The papal state then hdd 16,000 square miles of terri- tory. Buchanan, instructing John L. Martin, the first appointee, told him that the United States was in a dif- ferent position from most if not all other nations represented at Rome in that “it possesses no power whi soever over the question of religion.’ Martin was ordered to dono more than cultivate friendliest civil rela- tions and work for the extension of commerce between the two countries. As Tony tried to shut her eyes to the muted rumble of that strange conference between father and son, and to control the shudders that were rippling along every nerve in her body, a question began to knock at the door of her mind. Why was Dick’s father so suddenly in favor of the marriage? Why, why? He and his wife—Stanton society leaders by vir- tue of “old family” and great wealth —had been bitterly opposed to the engagement which poor Peg had an- nounced prematurely in the newspa- pers in June. Never yet had Mrs. ‘Talbot acknowledged the existence of a Tarver by so much as a nod. In their chance encounters at the Marl- boro Country Club, although Tony ‘was usually escorted by her son, Mrs. Talbot had looked over or through Tony without the faintest flicker of recognition. She had reduced poor, blundering Peg to tears by hanging up the receiver when Peg had called to explain the unfortunate episode of the premature announcement. Tony was so preoccupied with the puzzle of why Talbot senior wanted the marriage that she almost forgot to wonder what the outcome would Dick was unfair, she told her- , in saying that she was trying get out of keeping her word. She willing to marry him, but she ‘a right to demand that he help try to make a success of it. If wasn’t man enough to stand on own feet, then he wasn’t man igh to be a husband... were coming back, the fath- again about the boy's shoul- 8 jovial, somehow horrible smile the father's face. “Well, Tony, how about a little compromise?” the banker ‘s “Suppose I make you two youngsters a wedding present of a gEvEEases si ef modest little home, and raise the boy's salary to $75 a week? No use bang- ing your heads against a stone wall, you know. A small car, a part-time maid—” Tony considered for a long minute, her blue eyes earnestly searching the banker's face for an answer to that tormenting question, “Why?” ‘Then, “Mr. Talbot, I realize I seem very un- gracious and dictatorial, when you're being so amazingly—generous and pa- tient—” “Nothing amazing about it!” the banker contradicted her jovially. “I want the boy to marry you because I believe you'll make him a splendid wife, and because he’s got his heart set on you.” m “Thank you,” Tony answered quiet- ly. “I suppose I ought to accept your terms, but—on one condition; that you give me your word you will dis- charge Dick, as you would any other employee in your bank, if he fails to earn his salary, within a reasonable length of time.” The banker laughed heartily, and slapped his silent son on the back. “She's going to be a real slave-driver, isn't she, son? Next time anyone says anything to me. about this wild younger generation—well, how about it, Dick?” The miserable young man squared his shoulders, flung up his handsome head, smoothed his sleek black hafr with a trembling hand, then Jerkily to the girl. “I'll agree to anything, Tony, if you'll marry me, and—I'll do my best to—to be what you want me to be,” he stammered. ° 4 “Fine!” applauded his father, as Tony wordlessly thrust out a cold . “When will it be? Tomorrow?” NEXT: Wedding bells. 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