Evening star., 1920-03-15
.FRENCH-vA1CAN ISSUE
UNEXPECTEDLY TABLED
Question Of Renewal Of Relations
Had Become Pivotal-Argu-
ments for Resumption.
BY PAUL SCOTT MowhER.
to The Star and the Chi.
cngo Daily News. Copyright, 1920.


cnso Daily News. Copyright, 1920.
PARIS. France, March 12-The re-
newal Of diplomatic relations with
the Vatican was becoming one of the
pivotal points in the French foreign
policy until the proposition was un-
expectedly tabled yesterday. All re-
lations were broken. it will be re-
membered, at the time of the separa-
ton of church and state in France,
but throughout Europe it is recog-
nized that the Vatican is not only the
center of the Roman Catholic reli-
gion. but a diplomatic center of first
Importance. The Vatican, through
its agents. is in constant touch with
all the countries of the world.
French statesmen agree that France
suffered during the war from being
unrepresented at the Vatican In the
course of the past year conciliatory
advances have been made both by the
Vatican and France. There is an ap-
parent tendency on the part of the
Vatican. especially since the collapse
of Austria H hungary, to look upon
France as it's protector in interna-
tional councils, particularly against
possible hostile measures by the Ital-
ian government. Recently the Pope
has taken occasion publicly to refer
to France as 1.-The most beloved daugh-
ter of the church,
Arguments for Resumption.
With the exception of the Catholic
party, the French people are u unit
for the separation of church and state.
and hold that it must be maintained
resolutely. but this would by no means
preclude France from sending an am
bassador to the holy see. The rea.
sons for the proposed resumption OF
relations may be enumerated thus:
L. 1t would soothe the injured feel
ings of the French Catholic party and
thereby strengthen the union of all cit
liens within the republic.
>. 1t would meet the exigencies of
the situation in the newly recovered
provinces of Alsace and Lorraine,
which are strongly Catholic and
where. under the German rule. the
concordat between church and state was
always maintained.
3 1t would win the Natican's sup
port for Frances aim to detach the
Catholic Rhineland from PruSsian in
fluencc
4. 1t would win support for Frances
foreign policy in Morocco, Syria and
the far east. where the French Cath
olic missions have always been recog-
nized by the Vatican as the official
protectors Of Roman Catholicism.
In the last legislative elections the
Catholic .arty obtained nearly zoo
chamber are also interested. For ex-
ample. Deputy Edouard Soulier, who
is a Protestant pastor. recently made
a speech in favor of the resumption
of diplomatic relations with the Vati-
can. 1t is said that before the presi-
Dental election Premier Clemenceau
was asked if he would look with ia
vor on diplomatic relations with the
Vatican and that he replied never.
but that when Paul Deschane1 was
asked the same question he replied
yes" Premier AIillerand publicly
committed himself to the policy in a
campaign speech.
influential Catholics have been as
suming recently that the whole thing
was settled. and they even asserted
that the first French ambassador to
the Vatican would be Jules Cannon.
They were mistaken. for the measure
introduced by the government for re-
suming relations with the Vatican
was tabled at the end of the sitting.