The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-25
CLEMENCEAU IS RELENTLESS.
INVENTORIES OF CHURCH PROP
ERTY NEARLY COMPLETED.
rance In n state ~ suspense as 90 whether
Real Trouble WIN Attend Enforce
ment Of Separation Law on Decem-
her II-Ihurch Defence incidents.
,so,,,a, cable pcspa,cn 10 Tuw Sun.

A w
spccfa, Cob,e Dcspd,ch 10 THE Sun.
PARIS. Nov. 2t.-As the time approaches
for the separation law to go technically into
effect there are daily developments and
daily discussions in the newspapers cover
ing the whole situation. As vet there ia
no more indication thar there wal months
ago as TO whether there is likely to he real
trouble. The inventories Of church proper
ties have been proceeding. with little real
difficulty. and Premier Clemenceau an
nounced to day to the Cabinet that the in
ventories would be completed within two
or three days.
The resent work on the inventories
has been expeditiously performed, with
as little friction ~ could have been ex-
pected. The authorities have been self
restrained but relentless. not provoking the
passions Of the people, but carrying out
their duties with all requisite vigor.
NJ. Bonnet. who was Project Of Loire In
f~erieure, has been replaced by M. Husrt,
q Treasury funotionary, because In NJ.
Clemenceau's eyes NJ. Bonnet showed too
much slowness and too little energy in ex-
ecuting orders 70 make the inventories.
NJ. Huart is unhappy over his transfer, but
has r~esignedly accepted the job, NJ. Glenn
enceau promising TO keep him on his pres
ent work only for a short period. NJ. Bon
net, meanwhile. has received another
post.
An army officer has been less fortunate.
Cen. Picquart announces 3 that Capt. Msgniez
has been incarcerated by military authority
and ordered before the Council OF War
for refusing to obey orders to carry out
inventories. These incidents reveal the
rigor of the Governments purpose.
On the part Of the most obstinate OF
thu faithful a new shift has been adopted.
In resisting the recent inventories they
have flied the churches with sulphur
torches TO smoke out the authorities. In
one instance a church caught fire and
II was necessary TO call out the IRE de-
partment. This led TO ieers in one min
isterial organ at a holy religions d
methods. The paper said that in olden
times heretics were burned az h stake.
Nowadays action against them is limited
TO attempts at asphyxiation.
It may be that the Archbishop OF Paris
will be the first dignitary to feel the weight
Of the separation law in a material way!
fhe .archiepiscopa palace may be taken
by the State for a home for the new Minis
try of Labor, but this has not yet been
definitely decided upon.
4. Premier Clemenoeau's success in his
difficult task, which Is in marked contrast
with the last attempt to take inventories,
is greatly due to his use of q sufficient
military force Of from 200 to 800 in each
church, while the order in which the churches
are to be visited IL kept absolutely secret.
As might be expected, the chief opposition
has been shown in Brittany. where the
natives assembled in threatening crowd
but took no action except in two or three
cases. The priests restrained their flocks
from violence, but refu . toopenth church
doors. which we're then forced. b. opera
ton Of taking the inventories seldom ex-
ceeded an hour. In many churches very
little property remained to be inventoried.
Less than twenty persons were arrested
throughout the whole operation and few
Of these were held. Three clergymen were
arrested and two OF them were sentenced
10 imprisonment, one for three days and the
other for a month. The Commissioner of
Police at Douarnenez resigned rather than
act, but this was the sole example OF his
kind.
Many churches were barricaded from
the inside. In four sulphur was used and
in one ammonia was thrown. One Of the
most reg~rettable incidents was the break
ing down of the doors of the church at la
Roche, which dates from the fifteenth
century.
Able Blaise, who says he has built the
church at Nancy at his own expense, has
taken legal action against the project for
intrIsion on private property.
The case of the Church OF st. Augustine,
the last in Paris TO be inventoried, howsa
change in the spirit of resistance since
the previous attempt to take an inventory
at that church. Then, it will be remem-
bered. a fashionable congregation filed the
church and withstood a stream from the
firemen's hose. Serious rioting ensued.
This week Able Jouin contented himself
with reading a strongly worded protest,
but the inventories were taken pedceahly.
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