OCR
with the Easterm Powers* The visible head of that group was Monsignore Kaas, who died at the end of April at the age of 71, and prowpted one of the leading Vatican officials to comment 8 This ( namely Kags' death ) is Gods gift to Adenauer. Kaas, a former Member of the German Reichstag and leading luminary of the Zentrum Party, was a past master of intriguee All his life Je. worked for ay alliance between the Catholic and the Marxist groups¢ After Hitler he took refuge in the Vatican, and while in no offi- ~ cial capacity, became a grave influence in the Secretariat of State. His great intelligence and his vast knowledge helped him. His was the scheme to overthrow Adenauer, to replace him by a go= vernement headed by Brtning or Arnold, to creat a coalition with the Socialists and through them to come to an agreement with the more moderate elements of the “astern Zone, In the service of this policy he was thinking even further, He wanted to find a modus vivendi between the Church and the Eastern Powers, His death came at a time, when he was getting ready to push his scheme with all his strength 3 and it came so unexpectedly, that those, who agree with him, have so far not been able to get a new leader for their schoole of thought. Thus the death of Kaas was a great boon to the right wing? Overshadowing this is the great design of the Popes His religious thought is now to increase the rapprochement between the Catholic Church and the Mohammedanse Contacts have been established on both sides. On both sides there is an ever increasing trend to insist on the mény common traits between the Church and the Isleame And the officious conversations so far have given some very encouraging signs¢ The trip of Spanish Foreign Minister Artajo in April was fundamentally along these same lines. The commentators seemed to have forgotten, that Artajo is also the Secretary General of Catholic Action for Spain, end that in this capacity too certain things were discussed. The Pope's idea ig primarily today one of a defensive alliance, He feeis, that great nd decisive things will take place in the Near East, and that only the closest touch between the Christian and the Muslin world could prevent Com:unism from gaining a definite foothold in the most strategic area. This policy coupled with Kaas‘ death is encouraging for the right wing. Furthermore the terrible jolt of the Tondi Affair has been of such a nature, as to show even confirmed wishful thinkers that even the Church is not safe from Commmist penetration. ‘The press has certainly not sufficiently emphasized the terrific blow the Tondi Affair was to the Churche