The Irish standard., 1910-02-12

"Un Honnete .Homme" was proposed,
and the following 'hii:.s for the essay
were offered: 'John is good, just, up
right, and SO forth He is neither
Catholic nor Protcstunt nor Jewish.
He is virtuous, which is enough. 1 will
follow his example" Could they mean
to impose upon: . Catholic child, asked
M. Groussau, q book suggesting that
he should follow ahe example of a man
who was neither CATHOLIC nor Pro-
testant? The Prime Minister had said
that until recently Tic Catholics had
not protested. eSfo,got that grea:
many priests had Lasn deprived CT
their stipends becaus> they had pro-
tested against the violation of nell
trality Of the schools.
The president Of The Ligue de-
rEnseignement, M. Dsssovc: "Qulte
| right, too. The Government did its
duty in furnishing these members O..
the clergy who ,intcrvened In matters
of education that did not concern
them" -
| NJ. Groussau:}'ss4"Wa are reproachea
with not having protested. and We are
now told that five had protested it
would have been, necessary to adopt
measures of repression
! M. BRAND: "Thera is no ncompati-
bility between THOSE two statements.''
M. Groussau proceeded to analy2e
the state of mind*of TIC Catholics, who,
in spite of the guarantees offered by
Jules Ferry and Paul Bert, could feel
no confidence in the good faith of the
Republican leaders. How could they
have confidence, asked NJ. Groussau,
since even a man ike Ferry, whom
pressed one day by NJ Jaures to state
his political IDEAL replied: "My object
is to organize humanity sans Dieu ct
sans roi.'" That VAS one Of the
motives OF the man who obts ined the
adoption of the school law Of 1882. The
Catholics were Warranted therefore in
feeling mistrust.a .&E .'
In reply to M. Braad's teunt that
the Catholics had bssn very slow il;
bringing forward tle,- protest against
:; the State: schools. NJ. Gfoussau went
on, to point out that stlls present sta.e
Of things nad o1f,y sen
j Since 1882 the "ecale latqua". had be-
come the "ecole sans Dfeu.'
+, NJ. Groussau proceeded toa:te mum.
j. ber of&absurd examples of anti-clerica
"expurgation" of certain school books
which were, intended TO carry out the
fixed idea of certain authors or pub.
lishers,e who wanted5.to eradicate al
, mention OF God, nr's'vp,l any allusio1
to the idea of God. The president Of
the League of Public Instruction, ~
. Dessoye, as well rs other Radicals
i, interrupted the speaker and admitted
, that everybody agreed that such prac,
!, tices were absurd, but they added tha
, the books expurgated by tho Catholic:
had undergone equally absurd alterca
tions. NJ. Groussau's retort was: "Tha
, may be the case, but the difference !!
, that we do not impose our books upon
your children, whereas YOU impose YOU
, books upon ours The Catholic pro
fessor proceeded TO analyzc in deta;
various manuals Of instruction whicl
F have a wide circulation in France iI
, order to show that the philosophi'
ideas inspiring these books were no
merely un-Christian, tut in gross VIC
f lation of the principle Of neutrality
, His conclusion was that these manual
, revealed the existence Of deflnit
= plan for the de-christianization O.
r. France.
M. BRAND: "That is grave error
!, What is the basis for your state
ment?"
M. Groussau: "Your own words
v Three years ago at Anglers, Of the con
gress Of the Ligue de rEnseignemen
n Publique, you said as Minister of Pub
lC InSIruCI1ON tIdL Tic 1OVcIHIllcH
: meant to deliver the country from dc
) mensonges confessione!s.' and whe
n you were afterwards asked in thi
n Chamber whether you meant thereb
q to repudiate the Catholic Church, 20
n replied: Il would not venture to sa
No."
e M. BRAND: "At Angers l was speak
n ing in region where clerica! intoler
4 ance had been pushed to tho cxtrem
e limit, and where the school teachers I
. both sexes were prosecuted in the wa
;. that the Minister OF Public 1nstructio
q will recount to you. Pray examine OF
: acts, and not merely vdr words. o."
r How can you say that we are aimin
It at the e-Christianizst;on Of France
: How can you be so unjust? Take care
q In this debate, as we'll as L.. that q
It separation, you have certain preocc,
10 pations. certain arriere- -pensees," whit