The Washington herald., 1907-02-24
Freemasonry in France
Its Participation in Politics-How it Differs from
Same Body in this Country.

the Grand Orient 70 the heads Of tho
lodges inviting them 10 send IN to head
quarters information Of confidential
nature. About this time the police also
began sending secret reports 10 the Grand
Orient.
The detective service Of the Grand
Orient was thus gradually perfected, and
by reason Of the feeling against mill
tarisn stirred by the Dreyfus affair." was
directed more and more against the Off
GERS Of the army. Gen. Andre. on en-
tering the ministry Of war. found this
highly efficient machine at his disposal.
and was very glad. though not himself
Mason. to avail himself OF Il when he
had posts to ill or promotions to make.
Army Espionage.
In 1865, with view &c making its in
formation bureau still more effective, the
Grand Council Of the Grand Orient sent
a circular TO all its correspondents asking
for the following information regarding
army officers; Civil status Of the father
and mother OF the officer; civil status OF
his wife; the schools in which the officer
and his wife were educated; the clubs
and societies Of which they were mem
bers: their religious affiliations and prac-
tees: the schools attended BY their chill
dren; the society relations; the hunting
parties TO which they were invited; their
attitude toward anti-Semitism."
Answers 20 this circular were sent IN
by delegates OF the lodges in the most
remote and Out-Oftne-Way COmmunes Of
France, and these answers. together with
such supplementary information as was
volunteered or specially requested, were
numbered and cat8logued for ready refer
ence by the secretary OF the Grand Orient.
Within a year 12.009 names were added
TO this Grand Orient catalogue. beside
which the notorious card catalogues Of
our American municipal bosses pale into
insignifcance.
In 1905, this elaborate spy system WAS
exposed FIRST by the Matin and later, with
much greater detail, by the Figaro. which
printed entire the Grand Orient lists,
which it called fches. Many Of the nchcs
were also read in parliament By u. Guyot
de Villeneuvc.
The pettiness and meanness Of these
fiches, which were branded by the coun-
try al large as "tale-bearng fches' al
most surDas5 belief They treated very
rarely the military efficiency Of their
subjects They dealt rather with their
political. philosophical. and religious opin-
ions, and with the most intimate details
Of their private liyes-thcir love affairs
their amusements, the society 10 which
they belonged. the people they invited 10
dinner and the nature Of the dinner talk.
the papers they subscribed for. the books
they were fond OF. the cafes they fire.
quented. and the papers they read. and
the persons they met in these cafes
veritable servants hall gossip such rs
blackmail thrives upon.
sample Reports.
The following average sentences cuIIed
from these fches will serve as samples Of
them:
Militant clerical Assists at religious
service not only on Sundays. but during
the week Made his debut at ply
going TO take the sacrament soiemnIy
with his family; his sister teaches the
catechism at the convent" Has q daugh-
ter who helped raise money for the sis
ters.' When he meets a priest bearing
the host, he stops. dismouuts. uncovcrs.
makes the sign of the cross. and waits
I I'LL the priest has disappeared before re-
mounting. rs married 10 the daughter
Of one OF the most inveterate reactiouaries
Of the city" is completely under tie
/ influence Of his wife" HAS been over
+ heard speaking slighGngly Of Masonry
and of Masonic officers"
( Far from denying their completely in or
responsibility for this undignided tat
/ Ting, the chiefs Of Freemasonry bOasted
/ of il. NJ. Laffere. president Of the Grand
/ Council OF the Grand Orient. defended. in
I the Chamber of Deputies, the spy system
~
+ Of its mission, and announced its iuten-
+ ton TO keep right on in the same path.
\ Furthermore. the Grand Council sent a
/ long circular 10 every lodge in France
/ from which it is possible to cite only
paragraph or so. although it is well worth
iquoting entire as an illustration Of Jes-
I UiticaI reasoning. Thus.
I'VE insist on proclaiming aloud, III the
name Of the entire Masonic body. that in
+ furnishing the minister Of war with notes
! upon the faithful servitors Of the republic
and upon those who by their perDetuaTIv
! hostile attitude. give rise TO the most
! legitimate anxiety, the Grand Orient
( claims not only TO have exercised n right.
/ bu; 10 have performed the most sacred OF
/ duties.
THE republic belongs TO US all We
/ have purchased Il dearly and the Mas0ns
beyond al othors-may lay claim 10 the
honor Of having brought about its tri-
umrh. Without Freemasonry the re-
/ public would long ago have ceased to
/ exist and without FreemasOnry free
/ thought would have been definitiyely
suhed by the triumphant congregation:
/ and Plus \ would be reigning as the
master Of an enslaved France"
/ Not All 8Iasons Approve.
| It is only fair to say that not ali the
French Freemasons approve the tale
bearing methods to which the Grand
/ Orient resorted 10 secure its ends. Many
Masons resigned from the lodges which
were most directly implicated. and many
more endeavored TO wash their hands OF
the affair by registering vigorous pro-
tcsts-very much as the dummy directors
/ Of the Equitable have tried TO excuse
/ themselves by pleading their ignorance
/ OF things it was their business 10 know.
/ But these Masons who would make OF
/ Masonry to quote one Of their number,
mot an instrument Of politics or OF es-
pi1nage at the service Of the govern
ment. but a high school of wisdom quail
| fed to mold truly independent thinkers,
/ free from prejudices and from passions,
/ and thus worthy 10 call themselves of
/ the initiated were speedily silenced Or
Ovcrborne.
! No wonder that a French judge has
ruled that to call a man "a Freemason'
Z in certain sections Of France is an insult
/ for which a suit for damages may rea-
sonably be brought
The Price of Silence.
| I-ror, the New York Times