The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-11
In France

What looked a week ago like a truce
between Church and State in France
has suddenly been broken by a per-
emptory order from Pope PIUs X, and
it now seems probable that the enforce
ment Of the Separation law, which
becomes operative to-day, may result
In a collision between Catholics and the
representatives Of the Government.
AS late as Friday, December 7, Car
dinal LEcoT, Archbishop Of Bordeaux,
had instructed the priests in his arch
diocese to make the declaration required
by the law Of 1881 relating to assem-
blages, in order that their congregations
might continue to use the church build
ings. The fact may be recalled that
NJ. BRAND, Minister OF Education and
Public Worship, had announced in the
Chamber Of Deputies that such declara-
ton would be accepted in lieu OF that
required by the Separation act Of 1905.
On Saturday, December s, however,
Cardinal LECor received a message from
the Pope ~forbidding priests to make a
declaration either under the law Of 1881
vi uIlNlCI llIC NV i 1tOOy dIld Juo SdEOllldl
fastened to countermand his previous
instructions. As the Pope's message also
orders the priests TO continue religious
services in the churches Il Is hard to see
how a conflict with the civil power can
be avoided. NJ. BRAND had intended
that the Governments assumption Of
ownership OF ecclesiastical property in
each diocese and parish should be a
mere formality and that upon exhibit
ton of the statutory declaration OF
1881 the priests and the Catholic laity
would be permitted TO use the church
buildings as before. This was the utmost
concession that the Government felt
itself able to make, and it was taken for
granted that no canonical objections
could be made TO the statute of 1881,
which had been passed more than
twenty years before the abolition Of the
Concordat, and without eliciting any
protest on the part of the Vatican.
By telling French Catholics to go on
using the churches after these have
passed into the possession Of the civil
authorities the Pope practically orders
them to violate the law. No self-respect-
ing Government could be expected to
tolerate such an assertion OF superior
authority within its jurisdiction. We
presume, therefore, that the church
buildings will remain closed except in
those parishes-there will be few, if
anywhere priests disregard the papal
instructions and make the statutory
declarations.
According to a telegram to The SUN
from Rome, the conflict now imminent
could have been avoided il the French
Government, instead of seeking to
arrange a compromise with the French
hierarchy, had opened direct negotia-
tons with the Vatican. In that ven
the Pope, we are informed, would have
consented to reconcile the rights of the
Church with the provisions of the Sep
aration law, but he could not permit
such n reconcilement TO be effected with
out his sanction. On the other hand,
Premier C~LEMENCEAU and NJ. BRAND
contend that the French Republic would
forfeit its independence if out of defer
enc to a foreign Power it agreed to
change in any particular a law express
ing the national will. This assertion
sounds plausible, but laws have been
modified more than once In order to
avert an International contest or internal
Observation-Disclosures d0r sxampla- rs-