The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-16
FRANCE PREPARES
 ID PUNISH GUILTY
Chamber of Deputies Takes
 Action on Duez Scandal.
PREMIER IS HANDICAPPED
Briand Contends That Government Is Not Responsible for Wrongdong Following Separation of
 Church and State.

Paris, March 15.-Far from causing a ministerial crisis, the debate in the chamber of deputies on the scandal in connection with the liquidation of the religious orders resulted tonight in the adoption of a resolution, 343 to 79, con- demning in the severest terms the man ner in which the liquidations were ex- ecuted, but expressing confidence in the governments promise to fix the re- sponsibility and punish the guilty, who- ever they may be.
 This was an overwhelming vindication of Premier Briand. who in a masterly speech made no attempt to plead ex- tenuating circumstances for what had happened, but contended that the gov ernment was not responsible for indi- vidual breaches of trust in the great work of the separation of the church and state, which, he said, had freed the country from ties which other countries will be obliged to sever"
 The result in no wise compromises the programme which the premier has map ped out, which includes, first, the insti- tuition of appeals for the reopening of all liquidations in order that the state may save what is possible out of the wreck and, second, the immediate transfer of unadjudicated loans into the hands of official administrators, who will examine all accounts and procure testimony for the correction of irregularities and the punishment of the guilty.
 During the course of his speech M. Briand pointed out that church property valued at SSO,0O0,00O had been transferred to public charity by this method without scandal.
 M. Jaures led the socialistic attack on the ministry and he did not mince his words of denunoiation of the long delay in bringing Duez to book. The members of the Catholic right, who, it was eX pected, would seize the opportunity to make capital for the coming elections. held aloof, contenting themselves with derlsive Interruptions.
 Deputy Gauthier ridiculed the promises of the government, saying that these, as in the days of Panama, would evaporate when the extent of the scandal was ex- posed.
 M Binot declared that M Millerand, minister of public works, had obtained fees amounting to about S20000, while his secretary has received ''monstrous honor ariums.'
 Do you intimate that I divided with my secretaries?" asked the minister
 No" responded M. Binot. Your own fees sufficed."
 This occasioned great laughter, and the premier, in behalf of the government, said that the cabinet stood with M. MIL lerand in what he hau done.
 M. Bcuvray, brother-in-law of the for mer Liquidator Duez, was voluntary witness today before M. Alheinel the examining magistrate. He explained the stock losses which Duez had sustained and which he declared would not ex- ceed s200. .O0O. A woman testified that she had received $7O0.00O from Duez in the last ten years.
 It is understood that the government is prepared to accept the proposition of Deputy Raynaud. radical reformist. for the immediate replacement of the lidui- dator by the director general of public domains.
 The anti-clerical papers charge that the religious orders were in collision with Duez and profited largely by corrup bar gains The Aurore even says that Duez and his wife were received by the Pope in 1905. The Patrie claims that the of ficial records show that the secretaries Of M. Milerand, minister of public works posts and telegraphs, received fees total ing $5S, 800.