Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-01
IS Now on Between
France and Vatican.
PapaI Nuncio at Paris Plainly
Told to Leave Town.
Nothing Further Expected to Come
Out of the Incident, but France Evil
IDENTIFY Intends to Give the Vatican
Pointed Lesson.

Paris, July 30.-Foreign Minister Del
casse, Saturday afternoon, addressed a
note to the Papal nuncio. to the effect
that in consequence of the rupture of
relations between France and the Vati-
can the nuncios mission in Paris no
longer had any object.
This action followed the RECENT of
the Pope's answer to the governments
recent demands i'll the case of the bish-
ops OF DIXON and Laval.
The Holy Sees lengthy reply to the
French note, though most court.ousIy
worded, merely amounted to a polite
statement that the Pope does not in
tend to infringe the stipul,tions of the
cOncOrdat and will not Withdraw the
letters calling the bishops of Dion and
Laval to Rome.
Foreign Minister Delcassc. Friday
night sent NJ. de COurcele, the French
charge d'affairs at the Vatican. two
notes, one for the Papal secretary Of
state, announcing the rupture, and the
second Il personal note, ilStructing the
charge d'affairs and the others of the
staff Of the embassy to return to Paris
Immediately after his mission is accom-
piiShed.
It is not expected that the rupture
will have any immediate consequences
beyond the mutual withdrawal of the
representatives of France and the Vat
lean and the suppression of the embas-
Sy and nunciature as the denunciation
of the cOncordHt requires parliamentary
action. Consequently, fresh develop
ments are Improbable until the appoint
ment of new bishops come up.
The papal note and the firm attitude
taken therein by Plus X is another
.n"mcntous development in the inhar-
n..,liG,is relations between Rome and
i'rance-Whose result, it would seem,
must he the abrOgatiOn of the cOncOr-
dat--Which have followed the anti-cler-
i";;l efforts of ''laiciZing" the schools.
The bishops of DIXON and Laval We're
called 10 Rome as the result of an in
est iGatiOn Of charges against each.
The biyhop of Laval, Mgr. Geay, was
some time ago asked to resign by Car
dinal Merry del Val, Papal secretary of
state. Instead of complying Mgr. Geay
sent the Papal letter to the minister of
worship, and after a council of state
had considered it, was advised not to
reply to Rome.
The head of the inquisition, Cardinal
S. Vanutelli, asked Mgr. NordeZ. bish
Op Of DIXON, to resign. He adopted the
course of the bishop of Laval and re-
ceived the same advice, the government
maintaining that the Vatican had no
right under the cOncOrdat to act direct
ly without consulting the government.
The rupture of relations between
France and the Vatican does not cause
surprise.
1t had been generally forcsenn that
Premier COmbeS was determined to
bring it about despite the opposition
which. doubtless, he met from certain
members of the cabinet
The impression prevails that the
government will be satisfied with hay
ing given the Vatican Il lesson and that
it will not seek to repeal the concordat
when Parliament reasSnmbleS.
The fact that the Vatican's reply to
the French note was drawn up in Ital-
IAN which is the official language
neither of the church. France nor di
plomacy, causes some irritation.