Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-23
CHURCH NOW At BAY AL EXANDR|A AFFAIRS
Exnected That the Govern Attempt to Wreck Electric
nents Bill Will Pass. Train at Spring Park.
NEWSPAPERS ARE ALL CALM SUSPECT UNDER ARREST
Stouly Charge
Situation but s Locked Up
Steele NOW SARD0NC OF REALTY AT AUCTION
Occupations Holiday Exercises the Local
nrao,s Of Iivlibood-suf- Company In
fragsts in corporated-General
NEWSPAPERS ARE ALL CALM
Financial Support Feature OF the
Situation.
Steele NOW PROVES SARD0NIC
Priests Turning to Lay Occupations
as Means of Livlihood-Suf-
fragists in Force.


Special Cablegram to The Star.
PARIS. December 22.-The government s
church bill, which passed the chamber OF
deputies yesterday, will go to the senate
on Wednesday. 1t Is expected that 1t VIII
pass there promptly with even less DEBATE
than in the chamber, for the right Is not
strong in the senate, though there Is a pos
sibility of amendments being made by the
senate if it is found to be desirable Inc
Temps this evening points out that certain
unspecitic passages in the bill ought 10 pe
clarified by the senate.
Most of today's papers exhibit great SELL
repression in commenting on the Dill ana
Yesterdays proceedings, if indeed there was
any strong emotion or imperative convic-
tions to repress. AS a matter of fact the
new bill is received much as matter OIL
course Newspaper organs which are
strongly Catholic take the approved atl-
tude that the church is invinclble and VIII
prevail but do not say how. Government
organs still counsel moderation and do not
fear that there will be any departure there-
from by Premier Clemencean
The Soleil. for instance. says deliberately:
Persecution is soon to proceed with
yigor; barbarity is soon to come. SUBMIT
ting France to vile, odious despotlsm, WIFI
honor, but without COD
Premier Clemencean and Minister of
Public Worship BRAND however, have SAID
there will be no persecution. and seem de-
termned in their resolution
Steele Rather Ironic.
The Steele, which while far from being
pro-church is far from radical, sums up
the independent political view somewhat
ironically by saying: 1T is evident that
the pope aims to bring back Catholics to
the days of the catacombs. That has It's
advantages and disadvantages. me ao-
yantages which are doubtful. consist III IN
spiring Catholics to such degree of eXas-
peration that they would leave the cata-
combs, which, by the way, they Will hnd
disturbed by an underground railroad ana
return to the surface to destroy not ldols,
but the republic This form of enthusiasm
could not degenerate into a habit, for 1t Is
fatiguing The chief disadvantage is that
in striving TO revive the days of the cata-
combs the pope may only pflns odch
Little Father COmbeS.
This is unusually sardOnic for the Steele
and is the bitterest of today's comments.
There is an aspect of the whole subject
which has been little dealt with as yet by
the local press which touches the heart or
the church body near and deep That is
the question of financial support. A re-
port from one section of the country where
81 600 was formerly appropriated by the
church budget says the utmost efforts now
indicate that only 81 800 will be raised. AL
ready the priests of some poorer parishes
are applying for work at lay occupations
One has gone to wood turning, promising
his parishioners to return to them for any
rninistratIons they may need or when they
are able to support church.
Sufferers From Situation.
But laymen as we'll as clergymen are al
ready finding that their means of livelt-
hood has been taken away through the re-
duction of the church's financial position.
and some of them who are direct sufferers
by the religious war are already making
their voices heard.
Reports from Nancy state that manufac-
turers of church ornaments have been
driven to omen factories abroad. belt
maker whose business dates back for CEN
turies has moved to Switzerland. The eff
fects of maker Of church statuary VINO
died recent, were sold at auction the
other day. and statues which would ordl-
narily bring 800 francs were sold for 10
francs. Employers are dismissing hands
employed in embroidering chasubles, stoles
and banners. These employers are quoted
as saying that their sales diminished at
the rate of 5000 year. In the last two
years they have dismissed no workers ex-
cept two errand boys.
Able Parquier administrator of the
Church of the Sorbonne, has received OFF,
clal notice that his services will no longer
be required. 1t is generally believed that
cred character of the building to lapse, and
this causes much regret. The church was
built in 1850 and is a perfect example OF
Louis XIII style. and 1t contains the tomb
of Richelieu. which is the work of Cd
rardon.
Farce in the Chamber.
The attempt of French suffragists to imi-
tate their English sisters and besege the
chamber of deputies in crowd yesterday
before the ODening of the big church de-
bate proved fizzle. A mass meeting was
summoned for II o'clock in the morning be-
fore the chamber met but at that time only
five women We're present. and at the end of
an hour only fifteen had made their APP
pearance. Most of these. according to an
uugallaut reporter. were SeXagenarianS. but
their numerical weakness proved TO be their
strength They were Immediately allowed
TO enter and confer for an hour with the
socialist group. who were the sole occu-
pants of the chamber. They departed ap-
parenty satisfied with the impression they
had made