New-York tribune., 1906-12-11
FRANCE AT THE CROSSROADS.

There i no exaCgeration in regarding to-days
crisis IN France as one Of the most important
in the history Of the Third Republic, on ac-
count both Of the menaces Of trouble In the
present solution Of it and Of the bearings of
that solution upon the wLole future lie Of
the nation. The world does not need 70 be re
minded of the strength and persistence of re
ligious feelings-whether we call them senti-
ments, prejudices or passions-Or of the te-
mendous part which they have more than once
played in the history Of the French people. In
no country have they been more potent. and
il Is 70 be feared that they will be productive
of serious disturbance now. We must hope that
there viii be at any rate no physical strife,
yet il cannot be overlooked that the temper
manifested by many persons during the last
yea and the utterances Of some in the last
few days portend a conflict which may pass
beyond mere words. In such case we should
have confidence IN the strength Of the gov
ernmenr ultimately, and perhaps promptly, TO
vindicate It's authority, but the circumstances
would be depl0rable
We have hitherto explained and discussed
AT length the nature Of the new law which
goes into effect to-day, and the opposition to
it Of the Roman Catholic Church 1t remains
10 be said, in addition. that in the last few
days the French government has done all if
CbIi1 uD 10 MAKE CDulpudltS Win IQe Ia " easy
ana 10 effect a reconciliation with the eccIesl-
astica authorities, and that the head Of the
Church on the other hand, has at the last
moment assumed an unexpectedly uncompro-
missing attitude. The government has gone so
far as TO Offer TO let the churches proceed with
a simple declaration under the old law of 1881
That offer the Vatican rejects and commands
the French churches to reject. Nothing is left
therefore. but for the civil authorities 10 begin
legal proceedings against practically all the
Catholic churches in France and immediately
10 take possession of their buildings and thus
stop the holding IF services That such a thing
can be done without violence is possible but
in France, it would he in any other land, It
is improbable
The Pope is reported to have said that he
sustains TO the churches the relation of a father
10 a family and that he cannot permit out
siders TO enter his home and regulate the in
terests Of his children without consulting him.
With that view Of the case it is not difficult
to sympathize But, on the other hand it IS
scarcely possible not to sympathize in the
strongest way with the French government
when it il return declares that il cannot per
nit any outsider 10 enter France and regulate
the interests Of its citizens Sympathy with
the Church goes no further than 10 desire its
spiritual freedom and immunity from civil die
taton- But such freedom and immunity seem
10 be amply guaranteed to it, and not to be
threatened by the new law Sympathy with
the civil government extends TO a desire 10
see II supreme in civil affairs, and IT must be
said that such supremacy seems to be disputed
and attacked by the Church in its refusal to
obey the civil law in purely civil matters The
government asks the various churches to or
ganize responsible bodies under the civil law,
just as all other corporations and associations
have done or are doing, and the Church re-
fuses, Whereupon the government proposes 10
enforce the law by taking possAssion oF +be
churches. just ms Il would take possession of
the offices Of any other contumacious corpora
ton That Is the matter IN a nutshell.
The real Issue is not whether the Church shall