The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-01-19
TROUBLES in FRANCE
A Campaign Of Falsehood and
Misrepresentation.
Anti-Catho]ic Conspiracy of
the American Press.
Editor Irish Standard:

Editor Irish Standard:
For the second time in the last
decade Of years we have evidence of
an anti-Catholic conspiracy amongst
the newspapers Of the American press.
The conspiracy Of SANDER against
the Philippine Friars is yet fresh in
the minds of all. 1t was partially sue.
cessful. The Friars were temporarily
expelled from the islands, but, In the
Investigations which ensued, their good
name was fully vindicated, and our
government has had ample reason to
regret the haste which led to the COM
mission Of what Tallyrand declared to
be "worse than crime-a blunder."
Just now we are i'll the midst of 4
second campaign of falsehood and mis-
representation, this time with regard
to the ecclesiastical troubles in France
These troubles, we are told, are SIM
ply the result of an effort on the part
of the French government to effect a
separation of Church and State. So
said a leading journal of Minneapolis in
a heavily loaded NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
the sentiments Of other leading jour-
mails throughout the country-and in
so saying the writer could hardly help
knowing that he was naisstating the
facts. Seldom has there been more
glazing perversion Of the truth on the
part of one who is supposed to fur
nish correct information to the pub
lie. And at this late stage Of the dis
pute there is no excuse for ignorance.
From the Catholic press and pulpit
have issued clear statements Of the
controversy which have been pub
lished broadcast throughout the coun-
try. Eminent jurists have written on
| the subject from a purely legal stand
point, and their statements have been
given to the public. But large por-
ton Of the American press prefers to
get it's information on Catholic affairs
from anti-Catholic sources. The in
t1del, the atheist and the Jew are
quoted with regard to matters on
which Catholic alone can talk intelli-
gently and authoritatively.
We live in an euphemistic age. Even
the awful crime of murder and as
sassination has been toned down to
"relnoval;" and when anarchists plot
the assassination of hated omcial
they merely determine upon his ire
moval." 1t is no wonder, then, that the
wholesale robbery of the French,
Church should be 1nitigated into q
separation Of Church and State The
| abolition Of the Concordat" was an
| other eupfemism. Its proper appela-
tion should have been: National Repu-
| dfation in France, for there never was
| an obligation more binding in law and
equity than the debt which the French
| republic repudiated in abolishing the
"Concordat;" and the late consumma-
ton OF the infamy then inaugurated,
known as the Law of Separation"
should have been called: A scheme for
| the spoliation Of the Church. It is
simply national ''hold-up." The State
has no more right to the Church prop
erty of France than the foot-pad has
to the pocketbook Of his victim. Nor
| is this view of the case confined to
| Review, which will not be accused Of
| bias toward the Catholic Church, stig-
matizes the action of the government
as a Colossal crime" and gigantic
act of plumber and sacrilege;" and,
indeed, no other view can be taken Of
it by any man who is not dead to all
to the systematic Misrepresentation
of the British press-from which the
American press takes it's cue-tl1e Re.
view further says:
| Perhaps the most offensive feature
in this press campaign is the attempt
made to represent the Pope as the as
sailant Of the laws and liberties Of
Frenchmen. The truth is that through
out the struggle, the Republic and not
the Pope has been the lawbreaker; but
history may be trusted to set the
wrong right, and to do a generous II
| tardy justice to the brave men who
are fighting the battle Of religious lib
erty for the world and are preserving
for France the faith of Christ
Shame on the American press. or at
least on that portion OF 1t which is en-
gagged in the unholy work Of bounding
1.-The brave men who are fighting the
battle Of religious liberty for the
world H. F. L.
ST. John'a Aoaden1v Oastrovad.