Premier Benito Mussolini’s replies to a section of the Catholic press which recently expressed dissatisfaction with the Italo-Vatican’s treatment of non-Catholic creeds aroused considerable comment in Catholic circles today, states a United Press despatch from Rome.
Mussolini remarked that more Catholic papers were confiscated during the past three months than in the preceding seven years.
One Catholic newspaper had suggested the banishment of Jews from Italy and the closing of synagogues, but the Premier defended the Jewish race and asserted that its members would be protected.
“The Jews have been in Rome since the time of the Caesars, and it would be ridiculous to consider any measure such as banishing them,” Mussolini said. “There were 50,000 Jews in the time of Augustus, and they asked permission to weep at Caesar’s grave. The Jews will remain undisturbed.”
Referring to those papers which attacked the ideals of the Italo-Vatican agreement as being anti-Papal, Mussolini declared that he disliked men who feared non-existent dangers.
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