The
man who tried to bribe
the Pope...
IN
"
secret meetings in the Vatican Palace the men of ambition were trying to fix the election of the next Pope. "Vote for me," urged the Cardinal of Rouen, "I can promise you promotion if you do.
"The votes are swinging to Rouen," whispered his friends. "Get in with the majority while there is still'' time."
While the world walled agog in the August sun, inside the sealed conclave at Rome the canvassing and the bargaining continued.
Fletion? A crude safiro by some anti-clerical writer No. I take that remarkable elegtion scene from the autoblography of the wise and sensitive Pope who, despite the burgainers, was Eventually elected.
He was Pope Pius II. AMBITION
Sick and ill, between burning spoems of gout, he wrote his autobiography while planuing the expedition which was his life's bitlonthe last crusade against the Turks. That was almust 500 years ago,
by ROBERT PITMAN
and mere influential members of the college summoned the Test and sought to gain the for papacy for themselves or their friends.
"They
promised, berged, threatened, and some, casting side all decency, pleaded their own causes and claimed, the papacy as their right...
"Many cardinals met in the
privies as being a secluded and His book was not printed at tired place. Here they agreed all until 128 · years after his as to how they might elect Guil- death. Even then it was heavily tuume Pope and they bound censored, and. since he wrote themselves by written pledges about himself in the third and by oath, Guillaume trust person, was aftributed not to ed them and was presently pro- Plus I but to one of his secre mising benefices and prefer
ment and dividing provinces cen- Emong them."
taries.
After nearly four more turies it now appears in
the first time,
-
It could almost be a descrip- expurgated form In English for tion of the hotel rooms of Chicago and Los Angeles during the coming Presidential conven- tions, couldn't It?
An American, Leona C. Gabel, has edited a one-volume edition, approved by Roman Catholle scholars.
Its itle: MEMOIRS
Pius II continues:-
OF A RENAISSANCE POPE, "Some time after midnight Translated by Florence A. Gragg the Cardinal of (Allen and Unwin, 308.).
After all those years, it keeps its candid quality.
its author's Glance ârst at account of a journey he took to Scotland as a young cleric.
Bologna went hurriedly to Aeneas's cell and waking him said: 'Look here, Aeneas! Don't you know that we already have a Pope? Some of the cardinals have met in the elect privies and decided Guillaume. They are only wait- ing for daylight.
10
Scotland intrigued him. Years
"I advise you to get up and iatur, as Pope, he wrote:--
The common people, who go and offer him your vote be- are poor and rude, stuff them fore he is elected. I know what selves with meat and fish, but means to have the Pope your eat bread as a luxury. The men enemy. I have had experience are short and brave; the women with Callxtus (the Pope before fair, charming, and casily won. Plus II), who never gave me Women there think less of a kiss friendly look, because I had not
voted for him." than in Italy of the touch of hand."
Or look at an episode from his
13
But soon Acneas persuaded life when Pove. In return for a the Cardinal of Bologna not to big political concession from the vote for Guillaume after all.
King of France he had decided
to make the French Bishop of
Arras cardinal,
Hearing of this, Alain. Car-
followed:-
DISGUSTED
Then Aeneas made a round
dinal of Avignon, stormed in to of the Italian cardinals. To one see the Pope. And here is how he argued: "You will see the Frenchmen the Pope describes what college Alled with
and the papacy will never again "Avignon said: 'I hear that be wrested from them," you mean to make Arras Then the next ballot began. cardinal. He is a heedless, per- The cardinals were allowed to nicious fellow. He thinks there write in one or two or more is nothing he does not know. I names in addition to their first foresee continuous warfare with choice. this man if he is given the red
hat.'
One cardinal even gave seven
"To this the Pope replied: names "in the hope," writes "What you say, Alain, is per- Plus I disgustedly, "that those fectly true. We know the man. he named might be influenced You have painted him as he is, by that good turn either to But what are we to do? It accede to him in that serutiny dangerous to make Arras cardi- or to vote for him in another." nal, but it is more dangerous to slight him."
'A WINESKIN'
When the results were read out, Aeneas of Siena led Gull- laume of Rouen by nine to six votes--the rest of the votes
When Afras finally became being spread among the other cardinal he did, indeed, make candidates.
At least 12 votes
The
THE CHINA MAIL, FRIDAY, JUNE 24,
Don Iddon's Diary
REPORTING ON
THE BRITI
AIRDROP INTO
AMERICA
Suddenly this summer...
The U.S. is glad that at least
the faithful
British love them
New York.
AFTER the fanfare at the Fair, the triumph of the Tattoo at At least Madison Square Garden. that's how Brigadier Alastair Mac- lean, the producer, and Sol Hurok, the famous American impresario, see it.
The British Tattoo is the biggest show ever to he presented at the Garden and with its cast of 550 British troops is about twice the number of performers who appear at the annual circus there.
Sol Hurok, who brought over the Bolshoi Ballet to the U.S., told me at the Garden: "This is perhaps the biggest thing I have ever attempted. For eight years I have been trying to get the British Military Tournament and Tattoo over here. They said it was impossible, impracticable. I couldn't be done, But it is being done for the first time ever.
New word for
the New World
"I will be something entirely new for this whale of a lot of good for country and do a both Britain and the US."
It will also make a lot of money. Mr Hurok never stages flops.
I saw the men rehearsing the massed pipes and drums of the Scot Guards, the Sea- forth Highlanders, and the Argyll and Suther land Highlanders; the colour guard of the Royal Air Force Regiment, with 36 physical training gymnasts, and the Royal Marines,
Brigadier Maclean, whom I had met earlier over a drink at the Pierre Hotel, told me: "I am completely satisfied with the way, things are going. We are getting more publicity than even the British Exhibition itself.
"All the men are here now-the last lot arrived at midnight the other night. It was quite an airlift and we used Comets and Bri- tonnias.
"Of course, Americane don't know what a tattoo - they think it's a stake or naked
A
In the absence of international affection-basking in the sun.
style boaters, and the cursing taxi drivers.
woman on a sailor's arm-and I have had to tell them."
The brigadier has been producing the Edin- burgh Tattoo for the past ten years and is obvi- ously the Master of Madison Square,
So, while the exhibition, brilliantly opened by Prince Philly recently, rolls along and the Coliseum is jammed day after day, we follow with this tremendous tattoo.
This
The Americans are grateful, British activity has come at a time when there are "Hate America" campaigns in Japan, Red Ching, and the Soviet Union, The people who want so much to be loved ind themselves scorned and abused.
The President's trip to the Orient was called
here "Operation Nightmare." And since ex- President Truman called for prayers for Mr Eisenhower's safety there were services In churches, chapels, and synagogues right across the country.
Rocky could
rock them
It is a lively, worrying summer here. Out- wardly, the city looks well with huge flowerpots along Fth and Madison Avenues. The trees in Central Park are in full bloom, the restaurants and bars are crowded day after day. The weather has been deal with the sun beating down on the barebacked, daringly dressed women, the sweating cope, the beatniks with the. Tony Curtis bair-do, the men wearing British-
THE KIND COUNCIL DEFIES VERWOERD
From LINDSAY SMITH
Johannesburg. COUNCIL'S kindness to 600,000 Africans has graphleally set the stage for an all-out clash with Dr Hendrik Verwoerd's Nationalist Party Govern- for his relations. The Pope re- "All sat pale and stient in ment. The Africans live in Johannesburg's south-
trouble for the Pope. He de were needed for election. manded two rich church livings, next moments are which were in the Pope's gift, recorded:-
fused. Later he wrote:
their places. For some time no
Then Arras had recourse to one spoke, no one opened his western townships.
Gallie wiles. He promised the lips, no one moved any part of Pope 12,000 ducats if he got his body except the eyes, which what he wanted. The Pope kept glancing all about. burst out furiously, 'Go to the
devil, you and
your threats! A DAGGER
They supply the brawn and muscle that keep Industry and trade going in this city of 1,252,- 800 people of all races. And your money go to hell with
Because they are Africans, you!"
Then Plus II describes the new cat- Chancellor, rose
Rodrigo, the Vice- they come under Dr Verwoerd's
and said: I laws. dinal at Mass:--
Because they live in the city, "He would heave sighs from accede to the Cardinal of Siena,
C
the
He has told me that he expects the counell to carry out Gov. eritment policy no matter what its own views are.
As Mr Cuyler is a member of the Government's Resettlement Board, set up to carry out the removal of 60,000 non-whites
the bottom of his heart, would an utterance which was like a they are under the control of from Sophiatown when weep, and pretend to talk with dagger in Rouen's heart, to pale
did he turn... " God; but before he had taken
the
predominantly English council refused to do the job, he speakchig Johannesburg Cky has more than an ordinary lown Council, which is strongly op- councillor's power in his hands. posed to Dr Verwoerd's mca- But there is a limit to what he sures for the control of Africans. can get done.
All the elements are here for
of his vestments and left the Then the slide towards Aeneas altar he struck with his fist one began. When the twelfth car- or other of the attendants, who dinal seceded to him, it was all bad made some slight mistake, over. All fell at his feet and the big clash.
The cardinal's morals are also saluted him as Pope, Speaking recorded by Plus II-
Dr
the Verwoerd expects
for those who had voted for his Johannesburg City Counch rival, one cardinal said:-
to
Electricity
"He was fond of women and
It has been almitted by coun- often passed days and nights
toe the line on all African cillors that they have acted among courtesans. A courtesan "Your holiness, we approve affairs, and merely to administer contrary to Government polley. of Tivoli who had slept with him your election, which we do not the laws for him. said she had lain with a wine- doubt is of God. We thought "skin"
before and sill think that you # Undertaker
But it is with his account of are worthy of this office. The
They have provided electric light in the townships at the council's expense, raised wages, and refused to recognise that
his own election that Pius II reason we did not vote for you The council, however, has been only a minimum wage of. £15 a will grip the modern reader. was your infirmity. We thought standing out against the Gov-month justifies an African a At that time he had not as your gout the one thing against ernment and Has been admini- right to a sub-economic home. sumed the name Pius, He was yout for the Church needs an stering the laws in a way that. They have subsidised Africans still Aeneas, Cardinal of Siena, active man. But, since God has brought strong protest from in a number of other ways at a His atrongest rival for the is satised, we must needs be sturdily built, dark-haired Eben cost to white ratepayers of many vacant papacy was Guillaume, satisfed too."
Cuyler, the leader of the minority thousands of pounds in yeer. Cardinal of Rouen.
They had good reason to be Nationalist group in the city The issue can be seen as Here is his picture of the satisfied. The tin thus elected remmell.
whites going out of their WAS tense days and nights spent by turned out to be one of the t Mr Cuyler, who was pre to make Tot contented labour the cardinals after the first in- sangst and soundest leaders of pusly an undertaker and still force, and a Government that determinais vote:----
Christendom during the century, has an interest in a funeral argues that these whites are They adjourned for lunaticon And his brillians and hot dipany, is an up-and-coming only entitled to carry out Gaya
Nationalist erament policy. hierarchy,
and then there were many pri- writing keeps us still in his debt. vate conferečices, The fieber
Kobion: Ezpreza-Barvice).
All the leading Presidential candidates have now established headquatrers in Manhattan.
IKE - PRAYERS WERE SAID
The big story now is the continuing farce duel be. tween Vice-President Rich- ard Nixon, now a sort of Acting President in Eisen- hower's absence, and Gover- nor Nelson Rockefeller,
I was in the R.C.A, studio the other night watching
him perform. Rockefeller is television "natural"
盆
Fluent and crudite, he also has the grin which seems indispersable to an Ameri- can politician
He can hardly call him. sela Republican when he is running on a ticket more Left than that of either Adlai Stevenson or Jack Kennedy,
The trouble with Rockefeller is that he has said so many things so many times, "Now I am running for President, now I'm not. Now I'm a candidate, now I'm not." The truth is, of course, he has a deep, intense longing for the job in the White House, great apprehension about the way the country is being run, and a low regard for Richard Nixon.
Nixon outshone Rockefeller at the British Exhibition he spoke with much more pungency and wit and handled the crowds better (Prince
"If It doesn't let up fifteen minutes Iel's call 192
Купи
DOLE
Philip outshore them both), but Rockefeller bas come back strongly in the past two days with Effective television appearances.
more
He could split the Republican Party right down the middle in his demands for a Imaginative foreign and domestic policy and his scathing indictment of Nixon.
It could hardly be a more mixed-up election. The Texan Senator, Lyndon Johnson, a leading Democrat, is ucting more like a Re- publican and defender of President Eisen- hower's record.
Mr K won't be
here again
Young Kennedy remains in front now and the "Step Kennedy" movement organised by Johnson, Symington and, to some extent, Stevenson is disorganised. Wisely, Kennedy's father is keeping out of the headlines, although he is supposed to be bank-rolling his son.
The religious issue, which looked like being a bonfire, has been doused since Khrushchev's vituperative remarks about President Eisen- hower. What is blazing in American minds is, "Who is best fitted to handle, outsmart, out- manoeuvre, and, if necessary, defy Khrushchev?" Kennedy, the youthful prodigy, does
not look the part to millions of people here. Nixion, after the kitchen debate in Moscow, in which he swapped verbal punches, look-
·ed better equipped,
B
At the moment it doesn't matter whether a man is a Protestant, a Baptist, a Methodist, Holy-roller or a Roman Catholic as long as he can face up to Khrushchev - excepting only Jewish United States citizens or coloured United States citizens.
Even if there were supermen among them, they have no chance for the Presidency what90- ever. Nor will they have in this century.
I don't think Mr Khrushchev realises what bitterness he has built against himself in the United States. He could never come here again. The wounds are too deep.
The lights go up
on Broadway
The lights went on again outside and inside the Broadway theatres recently as the strike collapsed ignominiously. Both producers and actors realised that they were not indispensable, Both sides got scared.
They were told plainly by the newspapers and the radio and TV commentators that, al- though the theatre was very nice and stage people were gifted mummers, New York could get along without them.
So they trooped back to work and three Broadway productions, The Andersonville Trial, Duel of Angels, and Finian's Rainbows, folded.
Mary Martin and Anne Bancroft still went on acting during the blackout. Miss Marlin went through the entire show of The Sound of Music for the Australian Prime Minister, Me Menzies, and his wife, at her home. And Miss Bantrafi went to the theatre every night, any- way, and played her role in The Miracle Worker on a darkened stage before an empty theatre,
"Come and get it”.
was my New Year'a résoluilan
"Wait for Daddy afte
—London Ezoriai Service) /