The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-09

conviction. France has abolished the
concordat between the Pope and the
state.
In doing this has France violated an
international obligation9 II IS not diff
cult 70 answer this question both from
the standpoint u ethics and OF inter-
national law. The concordat was an
agreement made between Napoleon I.
and the Pope I'm 1901. with reference 20
tho status OF the Catholic Church IN
France. There is not o clause IN IL that
indicates that il was I'm the nature Of a
perpetual contract. Indeed, there is a
clause which indicates the contrary
lt was provided that n at any time the
successor Of the First Consul should not
be Catholic. there should be new
agreement.
I'm refusing TO regard the Pope any
longer as "a foreign potentate. France
has taken a step which Garibaldi and
Victor Emmanuel took for Italy yeats
ago I'm spite OF Napoleon III. At tho
last Hague Conference the existence Of
the Pope IA n sovereign was not even
recognized France may we'll claim that
% could not recognize the sovereigntv az
the Pope. because every vostige az IL
is gone.
Has France rcpudiated national
dcht2 Upon what IS the accusation
harcd2 Upon the assumption that -Ae
agreement 20 pay salaries I'm the concor-
dat was TO be perpetual. Tho article If
tho concordat reads. THE government
assures a proper salary 70 the bishops
and pastors whose dioceses may Doe iu-
cluded I'm the rearrangemcnt." There
was no contract az 10 how much should
Dee paid or how long.
Ii has been SAID that Hrance has
actually done what the State OF New
York would DO II 1t should seize AID
hold the property ~ Trinity Church
Trance has not assumed to-day in te
new law tho ownership 81 any buildings
COR churches which IL has not owned for
moro than a hundred years under tne
Cln.ordat In that document the Pope
formally renowned on behalf Of the
church tie title to the property acquired
hy The nation in the French Revolution.
For instance. the ancient churches. srcl
as Nofre Dame and te~ or1torie. the
former Catholic and the latter Pro-
tcst.lnt house OF worship. belong 90 fhe
French government For hundred
years France has allowed these religious
bodies 20 use them. The new law does
NOT conascate them. o. simply reafirms
tho title 90 them which was declared in
the concordat. NOT has the State On
fscated any church hlidinRs erected
since the coreordat and built hv The
individual offerings ~ pious Catholic.
The law does not raise the question %
their title. When there IS any doubt orr
tlis point 81 leaves the decision to the
courts.
with reference 90 other property. zeal
md personal. row held Dy the catholic.
Protestant, or Jewish churches. il re-
QGiries that an inventory shall be taken
~ the same. ana that 10 shall be legally
held hy associations or trustees formed
from the representatives, or these bodies.
The law reads. Conforming 20 the
regulations ~ the general Organization
q e H..~H.. D.
propose % assure the exercise" The
tv-erty-three eminent Catholic whose
address 20 the bishops has already been
referred 20 laid great stress upon this
they pointed out that the Pope had "t1e
power 70 outline what are the general
laws 81 Organization for "a Catholic assoc
citation ~ worship" They completely
answered the objection that such an as
ISOLATION must be composed only 81
laymen. the rock ~ Ofteuse % the P0ntlft.
These eminent Catholics showed con-
c'usivelv that the object ~ the law was
% prevent religious associations
from getting possession - the churches.
they declare We are not hindered POS
the law o. separation from believing
what we choose. nor from practicing
what we believe" tho hierarchy re-
mains intact. "our churches too. he nc
allowed - remain az the disposition o.
organized associations and under thn
direction ~ the bishops" and they
point out tho disastrous results o. not
organizing under the law.
The asperity OF The discussion. and
the evident desire Of the extreme radi-
calls 20 anront the dignity OF tho Pope
and The Catholic Church. and even 10
scon az religion itself. are greatly 20 be
depiored, IS IS the violence OF q few
extremists. both clerical and secular.
especially in the taking Of inventories,
prudent measure IN the law intro
duced az the demand 81 the conserva-
uves II Is 70 the credit ~ the great.
ma jority ~ Catholics. however. that they
have refused 10 listen 20 the appeals Of
incendiary Journals like Ia Croix: and
it Is 10 the credit OF the government
that 81 has demanded. and IN most cases
secured. moderation on the part Of It's
officials These are matters incident %
the enforcement Of the law: they do not
affect It's underlying principle.
We have shown what France has 10
done. II is not difficult 70 understand
what II has done Omitting all unneces-
sary and minor details Of the law. France
has apparently decided.
That the union between church and
state shall be severed: that tile Roman
Catholic Church shall no longer be "a
privileged religion: that all scots shoH
stand on the same footing before tho
law; that liberty Of conscience and free
dom Of worship shall be guaranteed 10
all, that the government will no longer
sustain official relations with the pope
that the state viii retain the title to tho
cathedrals and churches that belong 70
II; that Il shall freely place these az the
disposition Of tho different religions
bodies; that the property belonging 10
dlirerent scots shall be held bv their
legal representatives; that no religion
shall be salaried or supported by the
state. that the reduction Of saar,os NON,
paid shall be gradual and that pensions
Tor life may he given conditionalv 70
pastors and priests over forty-fve vaars
Of age; that tho state shall no long
nominate ministers OF religion 70 clerical
offices. but they are restored to all their
political rights.