Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-10
RELIGIOUS CRISIS IN FRANCE
New Law Separating Church and State
Takes Effect Wednesday.
POPE FORBIDS COMPLIANCE WITH ACT
order from Vatican Prohibits Clergy
or Practitioners from Making APP
pIicatiORs to Hold Services
Conflicts Are Probable.

PARIS, Dec. 9-Three days hence the
church and state separation law goes into
effect in Paris and on December ~ and Is
it will be enforced in the various depart
ments, according to the time when copies
of the official journal containing the notice
of the PRONUNCIATION of the law reaches
them. The government Is facing the situa-
ton with calmness, but the prospect Of an
acute religious crisis has suddenly been in
creased by what appears to be an authorita-
tive announcement made by the Croix, the
clerical organ, that word has just arrived
from Rome that the pope absolutely for
bids Catholics, bishops, cures or parishion-
ers to make applications to hold religious
services under the public meeting law Of
1881 as proposed by the government. The
Croix stated that this interdicts the single
annual application which Minister OF Pub
lie Worship BRAND had announced as sum-
Client
used the words:
II am like the father Of a family-I can
not permit outsiders to enter my house and
regulate the interests of my children with
out consulting me-"
situation Greatly Complicated.
II such is the final decision Of the Vatican
the situation will be greatly complicated,
as II is likely to be interpreted by the
clericals as a final summons not to yield
an inch and also may arouse violence by
incorporates who already are placarding
Paris with appeals to the Catholics to re-
sst. On the other hand, clerical disturb
ances might Justify the government in using
extreme measures, although II plainly is
the desire Of Premier Clemenceau and NJ.
BRAND to avoid any appearance Of persecu-
ton. It might also cause the French
bishops, who, in despair of receiving final
instructions from Rome, had begun 70
issue pastoral letters OF advice TO their
priests and church wardens, hastily to re-
wise those documents, which are Of the
most contradictory nature, according to the
individual views of the writers.
Cardinal Lecot and Archbishop German
who have consistently favored submission
to the law and had already advised COM
pliance with It, pointed ont that its APP
plicstion is simply a formslity, single
application annually sufficing, while Ultra
montaines, like the bishop OF Chalons, had
| instructed their cures to continue TO cele
| brRte mass without making an application
until elected from their churches to maxi
duplicate copies OF the deeds and not L
surrender except 10 force. Others, lik
| Mgr Couille, archbishop Of Lyons, fearinI
| there might be a change OF views at Rome
took the precaution OF directing their cure
not 10 comply with the law, until furthe
| orders" Others still evaded the pOin
| altogether and simply instructed their cure
| to continue their services as before. Tn,
bishop Of Nice advised refusal TO comply
with the law on the ground that the people
/ OF the maritime Alps having voluntarily
accepted French rule IN 1880. are still
bound by the treaty previously made witt
! the Vatican.
Ready 90 Enforce Law.
In the meantime the government has com
| pleted preparations to enforce the law. N
| Caillaux. minister Of finance, has sent q
] circular TO the treasury ofhcials instructinl
/ them 70 seQuestsF al church property