492/42
March 22, 1944
My dear Mr. Secretary,
I must ask your kind indulgence for resuming so soon the theme of my
letter of March 18th, expressing some concern of the Holy See. But the
Cardinal Secretary of State has just sent me a further communication, and
I think it well at the present time to keep you informed.
In the consciousness of his exalted spiritual mission, the Holy Father is
unwilling to assume the responsibility of not having made know the truth,
or of having neglected to exhort all belligerents to sentiments of humane
consideration for the dangers and difficulties of civilian populations in
all war areas. It is for these reasons that His Holiness desires, through
this communication, to open his whole mind before his beloved people of
America and before the President of the United States.
Cardinal Maglione points out that it is there the prevailing conviction
that adequate precautionary measures would make it possible to limit
aerial attacks strictly to abjectives of military importance. This
ular point was stressed in some detail in my letter of March
His Eminence also emphasizes that the continued bombings of Rome are
lowering the prestige of the Allies, embittering a populace otherwise well
disposed, and producing the further effect of fomenting Communism which is
already rife in the great mass of the people.
The Honorable
Cordell Hull
Secretary of State
Washington, D.C.