" GERMAN-SOVIET PACT MAKES WAR LESS AVOIDABLE" Vatican Comment

" The German-Soviet Pact is more likely to precipitate war than to pre vent it," writes the Osservalore Romano, Vatican semi-official news paper.
"The Holy See was not very surprised at the news of the Germano-Soviet rapprochement," it is stated in Vatican circles.
It is emphasised that the Vatican, which is above all purely political disputes, and which judges the international situation from a purely spiritual paint of view, considers with the greatest objectivity and calm the events, even the most unexpected, which occur at this critical time. • ..It is added that for some time the highly-placed officials in the Vatican believed that the hesitations of Moscow were caused by the fact that the Soviet leaders were only thinking of the adVantages which might accrue to them by joining this or the other side in the actual conflict.