Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-26
RI0T5NG IN FRANCE
ORDER CLOSING SCHOOLS RESIST
ED By PEAsANTRY.
Country Arouaa Brest the Scene Of
areatest Resistance to the
L Authorities.

serious situation Is prevailing in the
Catholic country. around Brest on account
OF the closing of the unauthorized schools.
The countrUside has taken up arms. and Is
determined to resist any attempt at the
forcible execution of the orders of the pre-
mier. An incident yesterday evening al
Saint-Meen. eighteen miles from Brest,
shows the spirit of the peasantry. Two
newspaper men of Brest drove there IN an
automobile to investigate the situation at
the sisters school Immediately after they
had entered the commune boy sounded a
bugle. and crowds of. peasants swarmed
from the field. armed with pitchforks and
lron-bound sticks. shouting: Long live the
sisters!'' Long live libertyr' One Of the
reporters was dragged from the automo-
bile. and the fanatics beat him with their
pftchforks and sticks. The newspaper man
explained in the Breton dialect that ne
had ony come In search Of information. but
the crowd refused to listen to him, ana the
reporter had to keep them at bay with a
revolver. He succeeded in regaining the
automobile and drove OF at full Speed foi-
lowed by a shower of stones.
A school at Plouda MEL, in the same neigh
borhood. has been converted into fortress
barrfcades have been erected. ana the IN
habitants have formed Gordon about the
surrounding area. The lady superior said
You see our barrcades. They must shoot
us before we yield There will be blood
shed * any one attempts to enter.
PiacardS have been posted in the town
ships urging resistance to the police.
The population of Landereneau. Twelve
miles from Brest. have formed relays to
guard the school. and peasant women Sill
on benches opposite the gate knitting while
awaiting the coming of the gendarmes.
They are greatly excited, and declare they
prefer to be shot rather than abandon the
schools. The lady superior of the convent
says:
Like the Bretons. we will only yield to
force. The women and other people who
are guarding the school night and day have
given us courageous example
The population of Roscor is guarding the
schools day and night. Sentineis are watch
ing the roads, and men are sleeping on the
green in the nelghborhood.
Count Albert de Nun. the clerical leader
in the chamber of deputies, is stumping
the country, denouncing the action of the
government and urging resistance.
A strange scene reminiscent of stormier,
sadder days in France occurred today al
the Elysee Palace. A large delegation OF
women, including the wives of several
members of the chamber of deputies, as
sembled at the palace to endeaVor person
ally to implore Nine. Loubet to appeal to
her husband. the president, to stop the
school prosecutions.
Nine. Ioubet sent out word to them by
Gen. Dubois, head of the presidents mill
tary household, that it was Impossible for
her to receive deputation upon a subject
executive. -
The wife of Deputy Reille made a violent
protest. f. ma
Tell Mime. Loubet." she said. that the
blood of WOmen,-wiii flow If measures are
not taken to stop this ill-treatment Of the
sisters. We will address letter to the
wife Of the, president in which we will de-
clare war upon the oppressors The Chris
tian women of France have decided not to
suffer in silence
President Loubet, at a cabinet council
today, signed a decree submitted by the
premier, NJ Combes, ordering the forcible
closure Of twenty-six Congregations
schools in Paris-and in the department of
the Seine Which4 have refused to dispense
voluntarily. DEGREES closing forcib!y SINH
lar scheolssin other departments will be
The Journal omcial publishes a decree,
signed by President Loubet. designating
twelve congrega tionalist schools in Paris
and fourteen iHs the department Of the
Seine which 1t orders to be closed innme-
diately, as they have been opened since the
authorization. AS a matter. Of fact most
of the schools designated have been closed
already and the sisters In charge Of them
have returned to converts
A great clerical demonstration was made
In front of the town hall at Anglers, capital
Of the. department of Maine-et-Loire, last
night and was continued until midnight.
The municipal council was in session at
the time of the demonstration. There was
much fighting, between students of the
Catholic College and the radicals, In which
several persons were injured Twelve ar
rests were made. ...