The Pope last week sent Cardinal Logue a subscription of
£2,770 for the "White Cross," which has been ostensibly founded to relieve distress in Ireland. In a covering letter the Pope ventured to "exhort English as well as Irish calmly to consider whether the time has not arrived to abandon violence and treat of some means of mutual agreement." The Pope expressed his intention "to take sides with neither of the contending parties." But he was in effect taking sides when he assumed that it was a mere party quarrel. The Pope ought to know that the troubles have been caused by Sinn Fein murder-gangs, whose policy is to assassinate all servants of the Crown and all loyal citizens who do not allow themselves to be robbed with impunity. If the Pope had made it clear that his Church disapproves of murder and arson as political methods, he would have done well for his Irish followers. As it is, the Pope's recommendation of a conference of "men selected by the whole Irish nation" is not helpful. If the Slim Feiners cared to work the new Act, the Council of Ireland would form just such a conference. But the murder-gang will not permit the moderate Nationalists to do anything of the kind.
