The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-14
FRANCE WORKSHOPS IN PEACE.
NO DISORDER MARKS FIRST DAY
OF RELIGIOUS CRISIS.


ave been a day OF battle to-day has been
az quiet, both in Paris and ~throughout
France, as a slumberolis summer day In a
country c~hurchysrd.
Public religious services were held in all
the churches, most OF them in violation OF
the law of the land and in obedience to
the will of the Pope, or, as most observers
in Paris believe, in obedience to the de-
termination OF Cardinal Merry del Val
Papal Secretary of State, who in the public
discussion figures in much the same role
AZ a dominating reactionary as was filed by
P-obiedonostseff, Procurstor-General Of the
Holy Synod, when that prelste forced the
Car into a r~eactionsry measure WHICH
only postponed Russia's bitterest struggle
toward modernity.
While the church services were in progress
to-day under the Pope's ruling the civil
authorities were systematically taking
measures. under due process sof law, TO
punish violations OF the Sc p~sration act.
Every church in which services were held
without a declaration having been made
was visited by policemen, who were not
only in plain clothes, but were 40 elegantly
dressed as to pass for well to do worship
pers.
These officers recorded infractions OF
the Law, made out verbal processes and
promptly summoned the priests before q
commissariat, some for this afternoon,
but everything was done quietly and in
an orderly manner The police did not
make themselves conspicuous or offensive.
The faithful showed no disposition to re-
sent their presence or mission.
As a matter Of fact the services were not
largely attended and right here is the chief
unknown quantity which battles the prophets
who would forecast the course OF this
religious struggle. Nobody knows whether
the nominal adherents Of the Catholic
Church throughout France can or will
in large numbers arouse themselves to the
pitch Of emotional intensity necessary to
preciptate real religious warfare.
II is by no means certain that to-dsy's
auietness in the churches was not rather
due to lack Of intensity of devotion than
to a conscious desire to avoid difficulties.
Even in st. Augustin's Church, whose
able had been summoned charged with
melting his parishioners to violent resist
ance in his Sunday sermon, there was a
congregation Of only 200, mostly elderly
women and men and boys. a,
Even the newspapersi W, ich; as has been
cabled to The SUN, rave conducted more
war in their columns than has been visible
else where, except in Prime Minister Gle
menceau's declarations this week, are mod
crate to-day, like the sea going down after
a windstorm. To-day they do not men
ton war. but they give extended considera-
ton to developments and also to plans for
the future treatment of the subject Of the
exercise of religion in France.
Three days ago o. e heard the statement
that the Church weld put the Government
in a hole, forcing It to take measures that
would be sure to be regarded as persecu-
ton. To-day the question is asked II the
Government has not scored by its method
Of putting the law into operation without
any arbitrary action.
Of course the matter il not yet settled;
and there is an air Of expectancy every
where, but il is not feverish. The present
conditions csnnot continue indefinitely.
The priests declare that they will say mass
daily, although each mass will mean a
process verbal. The maximum penalty is
small, and a repetition does not aggravats
the offence.
1t is not known yet what penalty will bs
inflicted on the priests summoned to-day.
They were merely questioned. At least
one of them, the cure Of 1t. German des
Pres, gave a rather startling, il at first glance
a somewhat sophisticated reply to the
commissary's charge that he had violated
the law of 1881. He told the commisssry
he believed he had not violated that law
as he had not held a public meeting. He
added:
...,,.aA Ella rfubf nc a Eronch of izan
10 enter a church and pray under Minister
Brands circular. which also said that the
churches must remain open. ! went IN
church to pray for ecclesiastics. One form
of prayer is the mass. In praying | did not
take note whether any persons were present
or how many. | did not ask anybody IA
come. The doors were open and the faith
full entered also to pray
The Ministerial Council will meet to
l morrow morning to determine what meas
ures shall be taken by the Government for
s the further regulation of the Church ques-
ton.
= A delegation of Radical Socialists calIec
= on Premier Clemenceau to-day to inquir'
1 what was TO be DONE. NJ. Clemencesu replied
that after to-morrcw's meeting of thu
Council the Government would inform tn
: Chamber OF its plans. The Socialists. VIII,
p are entirely in accord with M. Clemenceau
were satisfied with this.
The Premier explained that the procA
a verbaux were merely to record violation
, of the law in the churches. The Govern
: ment, he said, was occupying itself witt
projects for regulating pensions, the liqui
dalton Of Church goods, the immediat
A remission OF Church properties to the Stat
\ and communes, and measures for the pub
: lie safety. The first and fourth of thes
projects, he believed, were bound togetheI
the loss of French citizenship carryin
h with it under the existing laws the loss G
d pensions. This is supposed to foreshado'
an attempt to enact a law embOdying n
Clemenceau's oft repeated idea that Churc
functiOnaries who obey the Pope againi
French law should be declared not to !
Frenchmen. but subjects Of a foreign Powe
a. The cases OF the three priests summons
\, last Sunday for alleged offences were Gale