Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-15
Special Cablegram to The Star.


PARIS. December II, 1907.
- LERICAL education in France is
on it's last legs, unless some in
genious person can devise means
~ for forestalling the blow which
parliament intends to strike soon.
Already the old struggle between church
and state has been renewed. With the
present parliament only a few weeks old.
the contest has been taken up by the
republicans with as great vigor as when
it was a question Of the separation of the
church and the country.
The disposition of the ecclesiastical
property of which the congregations were
deprived under the partisan act of par
lament. has for the time taken place in
the background. The laws of 1901 and
1904 took from the congregations their
rights to a corporate existence, and they
have, therefore, no legal right to teach In
France.
The enactments of Waldeck- Rousseau
and Combes stopped the work of the
teaching monks for the time. The
religious education of the youth came to
a standstill There are ways of circum-
venting legislation in France. just as IN
other countries. and now the teaching
has been resumed with as much enthusi-
prevent. In fact. to all outward appear
ance there has never been any time when
the monks have Yielded to the power OF
the state. certain change of externals
has taken place. That is all. There are
scores of Christian schools that are en-
tirely independent of the government uni
versty system. The teachers are not
CARRIED in the gown of the clerical. They
dress as do other men, but they are monks
and priests. Just the same.
Civil associations or public school com
panies now carry on the old congrega-
tional institutions. The gray or the
black friar may no longer teach, but he
can superintend the instruction. II ne
chooses to separate himself from his order
there is no way to prevent his taking an
active part in the work. AT all events,
the professors can hold their Offices under
his surveillance. The country, then.
faces the fact that a considerable proper
ton Of the youth still receive Its educa-
ton from a staff Of professors In tune
with Catholicism. Just as was the case
before the famous law OF associations
created such CONSERVATION.
The teaching Is sound. 1t is modern in
every respect. The scholars can secure
no better instruction In the government
institutions. 1t is this very fact that
causes the republican groups to regard the
schools with a jealous eye. They envy
the success of these disguised clerical sys-
TENS. They have sworn to unity the edu-
cation OF the country, to wipe out the Tree
or private institution. The great Falloux
law of 1880 gave to all the right to open
schools. The repeal of this privilege has
often been advocated by the parliament
tary anti-clerical faction. but no one has
had the hardwood to face the storm that
would be sure to break over the head of
the man who moved to deprive the coun-
try Of its, at least, partial educational
freedom.
Even now. when the storm is lowering
over parliament, the proposed bill does
not directly repeal the Falloux law. 1t
does practically kill and render inopera-
tive the old education law, but it does
not do so in a straightforward manner.
This product of M. Masse and his COM
mittee on private secondary education.
it is declared, is masterpiece of cum
ming. 1t Is a move undertaken at the
behest Of the ministerialists. 1t tends to
abrogate the law of which France has
boosted in years when the church and
the state meant more than they do now.
Naturally the church Is alarmed for
| its colleges, noble groups of buildings.
where the laymen are trained, and the
| finer semnaries, where the young priests
receive their education. The new bill
gives almost unlimited power to inspect
| ors Of schools. They may even force the
doors of the private colleges to interro-
gate the pupils. They may condemn and
recommend. They may even close the in
stitution in case they conclude that 1t