New-York tribune., 1906-12-13
poJyTS At ISSUE IN FRANCE.

=
While tha great clerico-civil drama in France
moves irresistibly toward its elimination, II
will be well TO keep clearly in mind the act
nal issues involved, concerning which here
has anpeared at times 10 be some uncertainty
Af,cb reference has been made 10 the govern
,napt,s offer TO accept compliance with the law
os 1881 and some have apparently imagined
that TO be tantamount 10 a notification, or at
least a holding in abeyanCe Of the new law
of 1906 Such a notion is quite erroneous
The two laws serve two entirely different pur-
poses. and compliance with cannot satisfy
the requirements of the other; neither does
refusal to comply with one necessarily affect
compliance with the other; nor Yet is there any
intention the part of the French govern
nent 10 let either of them even temporarily
lapse
The Separation law of 1906, which has just
gone into force. provides for the abrogation OF
the COncOrd8t and the separation of State ana
Church. Under il Jhc various churches are
called upon TO form associations cHHaeteS, or
lay boards OF trustees. 10 be the custodlahs OF
the church buildings. which. il must he re-
mcmbered. largely belong not to the churches
hut to the communes. the departments or me
State. Wherever such boards are formed every
Thing is 10 go on Just as before the Church
occupving aud controlling the buildings and
public treasury for nine years 10 come. But
wherever boards Of trustees are net formed
the State declines 10 let public property remain
in IRRESPONSIBLE or alien hands, and therefore
itself takes possession of the church buildings,
which il VIII keep open and IN repair Ior WoI-
ship. and will not divert TO other uses Ihe
PoDp has forbidden the formation Of the re
ouired associations. and very few Of them have
been formed; wherefore the State IS now pro
ceedinc 10 enforce tie law by taking posses
sion of the buildings, for with all the talk Of
compromise there has been no thought OF with
holding enforcement of that law.
With that law enforced and the civil author-
ties in control Of the church buildings, the
question would naturally arise on what terms
the priests and their focks might continue to
uSc the buildings for worship. The answer *
given in what has been said about the law OF
1881 That law for the regulation Of public
meetings provided-and provides. for il Is sun
I'm force-rhat any responsible persons might
hold public meetings for religious worship on
condition Of making formal declaration o'
their intention 10 do. The government re-
Gently announced thai after it had taken legal
possession of the church buildings the priests
and their congregations might continue 10 use
them Just as before. without the formation OF
associations c11ttoIes, If only the priests or
some responsible persons of each church would
make the declaration or application called TOR
hv the law of 7SSl which declaration would
need 10 be made only once "a wear. 1t was at
first thought that the hierarchy would accept
this offer. and thus make possible the contin-
uancc Of services i'm the churches, hut ina the
end the Vatican declined 10 sanction such
course Yesterday two Catholic laymen Of
Paris On their own responsibility. made the
required application in behalf of all tn
..,--T IL. Tho. ,r... +-lr
Prefec1. however not without reason. decided
that Sucn an omnibus application would not
serve. bUt that special application must be
made by two persons in each individual church
The outlook is therefore, that in addition 10
reSuming possession of those buildings which
belong 10 the State department or commune
and ~cQues1ratinc the others and stopping all
payments To the clergy under the law OF 1906
,Ie government viii also. under the law Of
1Ns1 prohibit the u~e Of the churches by con
gre@ations which have not fled the necessary
declarations
An almost universal suspension Of religious
services throughout France would constitute
an ntolerable state of affairs. which could not
long he maintained. and which would doubt
less soon pe ended in one Of three ways. The
government would weld. or the hierarchy
would yield. or the people would break away
from the authority of the hierarchy and com
ply with the law of lSsl-though this last
course would lead pretty directly toward the
substitution Of a GaIlican for the Roman Cath
olic Church in France, a contingency regarded
10y the Vatican with grave apprehension. That
the government VIII yield is not 10 be ex-
pected The question of the day is then.
whether the Roman Catholic Church will com
PLY with 1na1 law Of 1881 with which other
bodies have been uncomplainingly complying
lor twenty-five years. or VIII invite instead a
precipitation Of chaos