DEPARTMENT OF  STATE                    
 
                     INCOMING TELEGRAM                      
 
                          RA-1198                           
 
                                                            
 
 
This telegram must be paraphrased before being  
communicated to anyone other than a government agency.  
                        (restricted)                        
 
                        Vatican City                        
 
                  Dated December 18, 1944                   
 
                       Rec'd 1:36 pm                        
 
                     Secreatry of State                     
 
                         Washington                         
 
                  407, December 18, 1 pm,                   
 
                     FOR THE PRESIDENT                      
 
                                                            
 
 
Heretofore it has been the practice that you send a personal Christmas   
message to the Pope.  I am having an audience on Wendnesday and if you   
care to prepare one I shall be glad to deliver it in person at that   
time.  The congressional audience of which the press has undoubtedly   
given full details was nost successful. I later offered the members of   
the committee the opportunity to visit soup kitchens and orphanages.    
This conflicted with some of their plans but Mrs. Luce volunteered to   
accompany me.  Reporters of International News agencies four in number   
accompanied us.  It was their first experience and I think made a   
profound impression concerning conditions here.  Mrs. Luce was very much   
moved and later called upon me to suggest that she secure temporary   
                leave from her Congressional                
 
                           duties