In spite of this, we desire to make a protest
against any such proposal. It is certain that if the Vatican were allowed to be represented in London a long vista of embarrassments and undesirable intrigues, -whether directly inspired by the Vatican Itself or not, would be opened up. In our opinion, the desire of the Papacy for temporal power has always been a heavy burden on the Pope's back, and has been a real impediment to spiritual influence. We wish to speak with all respect of the Pope as the spiritual head of his great Church. As for Roman Catholics in England during the war, we could not find a word of criticism to utter even if we droned to do so. Their conduct throughout was just and dignified while being also splendidly patriotio. But the pretension of the Papacy to temporal power ID another matter altogether, and we ought to be the last nation to °moorage it. The French receive no Papal Envoy. The United States receives no Papal Envoy. Why should we receive One?
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