THE DOLLAR AND THE VATICAN.
By Avro Manhattan. Obtained from the Protestant Truth Society, 184 Fleet Street, London, E.C.4. Price 22/- post free.
This is not a religious book in the sense that any attempt is made to cast the light of God’s Word upon the spirit and work of the Church of Rome. The author is an ex-Romanist but does not appear to hold any distinctive Christian principles and seems to be inclined to agnosticism. He cannot therefore be accused of writing from the Protestant viewpoint. His book is a well-documented and factual account of the political movements of the Vatican at the present time with their inevitable detrimental effects on the peace of the world.
The author’s thesis lies in the emergence since the last World War of two imperialistic powers both of which are determined upon the conquest of the world. The first of these is Communism which finds its propaganda power and militant might principally in Soviet Russia. The second is Capitalism which takes its special form in the United States of America, from whence also it obtains its main drive and military support. This form of Capitalism is seen in the rise of the great business trusts or organisations which dominate American life and which have great influence in the rule of that mighty nation. Between these two powers there can be no compromise, in the opinion of their leaders, and so we find in every sphere of international activity a continual conflict in the various phases of what is termed the “cold war.” In addition to these two powers, however, the author sees a third imperialistic force aiming at the elimination of all that is not consistent with its tenets and with the establishing of its reign over the minds of men. This power is Papal Rome with its seat in the Vatican and its world-wide influence exercised through its 400,000,000 adherents in various parts of the world. No other religion or power can be compared to the Vatican in this respect for as Mr. Manhattan truly notes, “It is no exaggeration to say that the Secretariat of State of the Vatican has in every devout Catholic access to a potential source of news, and in every intelligent priest a trained informer. One of the main tasks of a priest is to keep his finger on the pulse of his people, not only in religious, but also in social, political, and even economic matters. This enables him to acquire an inside knowledge of the real conditions of his village or parish, unmatched by that of any local authority. Whatever is judged useful is imparted to the local hierarchy, whence it is passed to the bishop, who, in turn, takes it to the Vatican” (page 17). This system applies to a vast number of nations, races, kingdoms, and empires spread over the centuries, so that in the Vatican we have a power in the affairs of the world of tremendous influence.
It is the contention of the writer of this book that the Vatican has lined up with the imperialism of the American Dollar to form the alliance most likely to further its own interests. The undoubted wealth of the U.S.A. enables it to gain power by economic penetration. This applies not merely to backward countries, but even Britain herself is involved in these toils, as can be seen at the time of writing by her having to ask that the interest on the American Loan be waived. U.S.A. is also the main power in the United Nations Organisation where she has tremendous influence. The Vatican, ever alert to the most advantageous move, has chosen to throw in its lot with this nation through the large business trusts which dominate its political life. The advantages to both parties are obvious. The powerful trusts enjoy the religious support of the Vatican for their schemes while the Vatican prospers from the economic and political power of American Finance. Common ground is also found by these two parties in their hatred of Communism as a rival power and their unalterable intention is the destruction of that system by whatever means they can, not excluding the idea of a “preventive war.” This being known in Russia, the seat of Communism, it is easy to see how we live on the brink of a volcano which may erupt at any moment, should the Lord permit such a calamity.
In developing his theme, Mr. Manhattan shows how the Church of Rome has always tried to ally itself with the reigning power. Special note is taken of how, in modern times, the Fascism of Mussolini and Hitler gained its support. That Hitler was raised to power by the backing of certain industrial magnates is well known from the book written by Fritz Thyssen called I Paid Hitler. Thyssen was the most powerful steel magnate in Germany at the time and also a most devoted son of the Roman Church, as well as the close friend of Mgr. Pacelli, the Vatican’s representative in Germany, and now the present Pope. What may not be so well known is that some of the big trusts in the U.S.A. co-operated with Thyssen in his efforts to put Hitler into power and to arm him as far as they could (page 118).
The defeat of Germany and the overthrow of Hitler had placed the Vatican in a bad position and a new ally had to be found to further the interests of popery. The rise to political power of the big trusts in the U.S.A. had been noted and used by the Vatican before, and its post-war policy became evident in the alliance already noticed. Mr. Manhattan maintains that the Vatican desires a Republican Administration as this is dominated by Big Business who also control a considerable share of the Press. The magazine, Time, which is quite popular in this country belongs to this group and its recent handling of the Suez crisis has made it only too plain where it stands. How true also do the allegations made in Britain seem that the American Oil Companies are not at all averse to seeing Britain discredited in the Middle East. With regard to John Foster Dulles, the present Secretary of State in the Eisenhower Administration, Mr. Manhattan states that he was “the former negotiator for American financial aid to the Nazis of Hitler’s Germany, the financial helper of Fascist dictators, Horthy of Hungary and General Franco of Spain.” Mr. Manhattan also handles at length the attempts to begin a “preventive” war and shows how the Vatican was deeply involved in the scheme. In fact, the whole book is brimful of the most enlightening information and presents a most alarming study of the subject. We recommend it to the attention of our people.
In reading this book, however, one feels more than a mere intensification of interest in world affairs. There arises in the mind a realisation of how very much alone Britain is in the world at the present time. If the statements in this book are true, then it is difficult to see how much faith can be placed in the U.S.A. especially when it is known that the Vatican holds such sway. The desire of the Pope and his satellites for the overthrow of Britain is still as strong as ever. Russia is also our foe while the Arab and Asian groups are filled with distrust of what they call our “colonial” policy. How great is the need of our beloved land of the prayers of the Lord’s people that Britain would once more return to the God Whom she has so largely forsaken and find in Him her refuge and strength! Constant prayer is also needed for the overthrow of Popery and idolatry and for the outpouring of the Divine Spirit to raise up the Cause of Christ so that He should “have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth” (Psalm lxxii. 8). If a reading of this book would stimulate us to this end then we would not have read it in vain.—D. McLEAN.