ROME AND THE ABYSSINIAN WAR
To the Editor of Tut: SPECTATOR.] S1R,—I think' Rose Macaulay was betrayed into injustice when, in her " Marginal Comments " of October 30th, she said that, though we considered Italy's attack on Abyssinia unjust, " the Church to which the Italian State adheres said otherwise."
In point of fact, the Church to which the Italian State adheres has never said otherwise. IVhat it has done is firmly to refuse to make a complete departure from its ordinary practice in modern times by pronouncing a public verdict on a
particular dispute.- --Yours truly, EN111.1 E Dow.
26 Temple Fortune Lane, N.11'.11.
[Miss Macaulay writes : - -I am sorry if my phrase " said otherwise misrepresented the attitude of the Church ; I should be very sorry to do this. I did not mean to mnvey that a definite public pronouncement had been made that the War was " just." I got my impression (which was shared by most observers. I think) partly from the Pope's congratulation of " a great and good people " (I quote the English version that I read : I did not, on that occasion, see the Italian reports) on the happy issue of the campaign ; and from more recent words of his on the benefit to civilisation which the War had been. Also, from the blessing of the troops going to the front by Cardinals and clergy all over the country. It all seemed quite natural : but left with many of us disappointment that the Church had missed a splendid chance of making a fine Christian and moral gesture of con- demnation of unjust aggression. It will be remembered that Archbishop Hinsley offered some explanation of the Papal attitude, early in the war.]
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