The Irish standard., 1909-06-05

exempt from all local control, Will be
in position to teach with impunitv
irreligous and unpatriotic doctrines.
uncertain.
II the various Associations des
Peres dc farnille' abide by their pro-
gramlnes and resort to no illegal or
anti unconstitutional means to gain their
end, they will undoubtedly do an un-
told amount of good. But the Lynx
eyes Of BRAND & Co. are ever upon
them, and as soon as they overstep
the bounds of strict legality they will
be mercilessly crushed.
French Catholics are politically ac-
tive on a much larger scale than has
just been described. This activity may
appear to an outsider at first sigh.
confused, disordered, anarchical even,
but a closer examination will reveal 4
certain degree Of order in all the real
or apparent confusion.
The situation created in France by
Combes and the separation law is so
complicated and came so unexpectedly
that the French Catholics were wholly
unprepared to meet it, much less to
bring it to a satisfactory solution.
Hence the diversity Of views on the
course to be followed and the want of
unity in the mastering of the Catholic
!
organization, offensive and defensive,
three Independent groups have taken
the field, each of which claims to hold
the key to the situation and to be
alone able to turn the tide of battle.
These three organizations arc the
"Action liberato popudaire,'' the
"Action Franchise" and lie Sillon."
Let US begin with the Action Cor
ganization or association) populaire,"
which finds the greatest favor with
the French cpiscopacy. 1t was found
ed in Rheims in 1902, just before the
important general elections of that
year, under the auspices of the Papal
!! Nunc}e, Lorenzclf, by the able puhli-
cist and sociologist, NJ. Piou, who is
still its leader. The new organization
admitted into its ranks not only those
who, acting on the advice of Leo XIII,
and Cardinal Rampolla, recognized the
Republican Constitution, but even the
extremist Royalists and Bonapartists
were not excluded. The "Action popu-
laire" is not Republican from convic-
| tion;" its members are, free to hold
democratic or dynastic views to suit
their person bias but it's religious.
political and social activity is exerted
along the lines marked out by the
existing form Of government. Both
revolutionary and reactionary views
and methods are strongly discounte-
nanced. It's object is not to form a
strong political party, but to muster
all liberty-loving men for the defense
of religious freedom.
i Two extremely active organizations
are vying with the Action popuIaire,
for the favor of their countrymen. the
"Action Franchise" and the "Sillon."
Sociological theorists like Maurras $
and Vaugeois, keen literary critic
like jules Lemaitrc, novelists like PAM
Bourget and Leon Daudet, and not a
few representatives of the high nobil-
ity of France, are the leading spirits in
the "Action Francaise." It's members
need not be of the Catholic faith. nor
even profess any creed whatever. Manv
of it's best known promoters are
outspoken atheists, and the positivism
of Comte is the religion of many more.
In his now famous novel, "Le'Etape."
Paul Bourget, it seems to me- has ont
lined the ideas which underlie TIL.
Action Francaise." The Revolution of
1883 was most deplorable event. he
says, because it cut off modern Franco
from the traditions which made her
the "grande nation" France can
regain life and greatness and stability
only by resuming the old monarchjcal
traditions. These traditions are in
separable from the Catholic Church.
Hence the Catholic Church must he
upheld. Her strong social Influence
and her hierarchy must be made the
support of the State. The union Of
Church and State will give back their
lost prestige to the one and to the
other. On the platform and in tho
press they proclaim their dynastic
views. and openly profess to make use
of every available means to attain their
end. Fierce polemics in the daiIv
papers. tumults in the streets, riots
and strikes organized by university
students, ruthless exposure of Govern
ment frauds and scandals-these are
some of the results Of the motto
adopted by the "Action Franchise.
The collapse of this movement would