ITALY: Pontifical Protection

Bellicose Benito Mussolini last week found himself in the odd position of owing the protection of his life to peace-loving Pope Pius XII. After a bombproof shelter with walls nine feet thick had been prepared for His Holiness, and gas masks were distributed to all Vatican City residents, the belligerent powers belatedly came forth with formal assurance that Rome would not be attacked even if Italy got in the war. Reason: Even with the most accurate bomb sights, it would be practically impossible to bomb the Italian capital without hitting the Church’s Holy City. No side wants to risk the ire of the Catholic world.