FRANCE AND VATICAN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9632, 12 June 1919, Page 8

FRANCE AND VATICAN.

RECONCILIATION EXPECTED

With reference to the visit of Cardinal Amette, Archbishop of Paris, to the Vatican (writes a recognised authority in an English exchange), I have .. received the following 'interesting message from a well, informed Vatican correspondent: "The -Itallian press ■•inclined to regard .Cardinal Amette as a negotiator with the Vatican upon the questions affecting the politico-religious influence oi France in the Levant. The Cardinal's conversation with Premier Clemenceau before he left Paris is taken as a'sign that the object of his'visit is not solely religious. "Reliable information enables me to state, however, that,,the question at issue concerns especially Alsace-Lor-raine. During the whole period of their annexation to .Germany the two provinces remained under the. Napoleonic concordat. What, is to happen when the Peace Conference-, has recognised Alsace-Lorraine as an integral part ot > French territory? Religious feeling la deeply rooted at Metz and Strasbourg, wliiic throughout the recovered provinces there is a distinct tendency w favour of a certain degree; of administrative autonomy. Sooner or later negotiations with the Vatican on the religious status ot Alsace-Lorraine will be inevitable. "In well-informed Vatican Circles it is believed that President tPoincare and leading French public men like Des- ' chanel. Bartho, and even -Pichon, are personally of the opinion that contact with the Vatican should be established immediately. Until recently the attitude of Premier Clemenceau was an \ enigma. Certainly he does not favour tlie resumption ot diplomatic relations with the Vatican, on the basis ot the »ncient French protectorate over the Catholics in the Levant. It seems to kirn that France ought not to give recognition to any kind of \ aticnn imperialism, even under a religious cloak. in Alsace-Lorraine, on tin- other hand, 'it is a question or an yuuiiently _ religious issue which even a non-religious State like the i-'renc-h Republic cannot ignore. ... r , .besides, it is a fact—to which I believe Glemenceau alluded m Ins conversation with Cardinal Amette—that the frankly patriotic conduct of the Jjrench clergy .during tho war has brought about some change in his feeling, lho recent appointment of Monsieur Jonnart, who favours an agreement with the Vatican, to be Governor ot AlsaceLorraine, is a fresh sign that Clemenceau is not indisposed toward an exchange of ideas with the Vatican-an exchange .undertaken openly. ■••. "Alsace-Lorraine may thus oe a starting point from which it may in S' be possible to reach an agreement in regard to- some amendment of the law of separation of Church and State The Vatican and the French Church did not accept the provisions of that law in regard to associations for public, u-ornhip which were .not thought sufficiently explicit- to satisij the Catholic hierarchy. "I have reason to Know that Pope Benedict XV and the Cardinal, as bw:----i-etarv of State, are extremely well disS" toward France. it is thoujgt Lre that opposition in *rf™<* vog> •eoine irom the Extreme Left ; oi the Extreme Right, and that Vernier Oemenceau can, ,if he wishes, oveicoun. all obstacles."