The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-13
The Civil Power Asserts Itself I'm
France.


In the struggle between the civrl au-
thorities and the Catholic Church which
was witnessed during the first French
Revolution the Church proved the
stronger, and In 1901 secured a Concordat,
though it lost nearly all the land and
personal property which had been accu-
mulated in many centuries. Whether
the present collision between the Gov
eminent and the representatives Of the
Catholic religion will have a similar
result depends, no doubt, on the amount
Of sympathy which the treatment of the
clergy may
The Clemeneeau Cabinet will make a
grave mistake il it allows itself to be
provoked to harsh measures that will
wear the aspect Of persecution. 1t is to
be hoped that a conflict may be averted
at the last moment by the adoption of
an expedient suggested by NJ. GEORGES
LEYGUEs, a well known Radical Repub-
Iican, who formerly was Minister of the
Colonies. He has telegraphed the Mayors
Of communes asking them to persuade
two Catholic laymen In each parish TO
make the declaration required for the
authorization of public meetings under
the law of 1881. The Pope has forbidden
priests to make such a declaration, but
he has laid no such injunction upon
laymen. Such a proceeding would be
a mere formality. The law mentioned
provides that a public meeting may be
held for any purpose, II a notice Of the
time, place and intent thereof be given
to the Project Of a Department, or to the
Mayor Of a commune, by two persons,
one of whom must be a resident of the
locality where the meeting Is to be held.
No such notice has hitherto been exacted
in the case Of meetings held for worship,
but there seems to be no IA why
Catholic laymen should not be permitted
to comply with the law.
1t is certain that the Government does
not want to close the churches, and has
tried to avoid the necessity OF doing so.
Neither does IL wish to suspend that
clause of the Separation law by which
the State agreed TO pay TO those priests
who have been exercising religious
functions for a given number Of years
stipends equal to three-quarters or one
half Of their previous salaries, the
amount paid, however, not to exceed
$500 in any cas- No charge whatever
was TO be made for the use of the
churches by the ministers Of religion,
and for n year or two at all events no
rent was to be paid for the lodgings and
school rooms used by the clergy. Now,
however, owing to the Pope's refusal to
permit the Bishops and priests to make
! the declaration required by the law Of
1881, all prelates and clergymen have
been notified TO evacuate their resi-
dences, and all ecclesiastical students
have been ordered to join the colors at
an early date.
The Clemenceau Cabinet has agreed,
It seems, to ask Parliament not only to
stop the pensions Of the clergy, but to
take possession of all the public property
of Catholics and to distribute the build
ings, including presbyteries and semi
naries as we'll as churches, among the
Departments and communes, to be en-
ployed for secular purposes. Parlia-
ment will also be requested to authorize
the Government to expel from the
try n eccleslastic whose presence is
thought dangerous to the public peace
We should point out that the means Of
coercion furnished by the Separation
act is limited to a provision that viola
tions of the law shall be tried in the
police courts, and that a maximum pen
atty Of fifteen francs fine or fifteen days
imprisonment may be imposed.
If the papal injunction that only
passive resistance should be offered
is obeyed, no resort to violence may
be necessary on the part Of the Govern
ment. If, however, Catholic priests
or laymen undertake to enter the
churches without making the statutory
declaration, they will be arrested by the
policemen who's are stationed at tho
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