Matters in France.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 24, 13 June 1901, Page 1

Matters in France.

In their eagerness to get their knife inside the pericardium of the Church in France, the French Government and its tag of Radical and Socialist followers do not seem to have paused to consider that there is a hopeless disproportion between the nsks and the red meat of the Associations Bill. Some weeks ago we figured out the extent of the injury which would be done to the nation by the suppression of the religious Orders. The American Messenger has some further facts and figures in point which make interesting reading.

' The dangerous and unjust character of the bill (says our American contemporary) is quite well understood. It is seen to be a sop to the Socialists, who have one of their number, Millerand, actually in the Ministry, and who are in France decidedly revolutionary. The Government is deliberately encouraging the men and the doctrines, whose fruits were the horrors of the Commune. Hence, protests have been made by men of all professions, positions, and beliefs. There are most striking signs of a popular awakening and reaction. The nefarious measure has unmasked completely the men who control the Government just now, and revealed the presence in the Chamber of a compact and disciplined body hostile to the persecution of the Church. Generally speaking, this body counts 239 deputies, many of whom are not Catholics at all, and all or most of them attached to republican institutions. A committee, formed by prominent merchants, cultivators, and manufacturers, representing 200 Chambers of Commerce, and 42,000 adherents, have published a statement signed by the heads of various societies and organisations and representing all industries and employments, in which statement it is estimated that by the Associations Bill, 20,000 establishments will be closed and 200,000 persons, patrons of trade, etc., will be exiled ; and that thus there will be a commercial loss of 200,000,000 francs (£8,000,000). Moreover, 1,000,000 children, costing 1000 francs (£4O) each, will be thrown out of school ; and at least 100,000 will follow their teachers out of France, and so the loss to trade will amount to 100,000,000 francs

(£4,000,000), making a total loss of 300,000,000 (£12,000,000). Further, the expelled religious will probably leave a debt of 75,000,000 (£3,000,000). Nor are those all the losses to trade, and all the injurious consequences. At least 10,000 merchants will be ruined, and 200,000 male and female employees will be thrown out of work. Think of the Edict of Nantes after all this!

' The ancient radical, Lockroy, acknowledges that it is a mistake to expel the religions Orders, and foretells that this piece of persecution will simply lead to the formation of lay associations and to a reaction such as took place in Belgium. There are distinct and impressive indications of a Catholic awakening. All over France the people joined in a nine days' Erayer for the religious Orders. At its close the ladies of .yons made a public vow to decorate the shrine of Our Lady of Fourviere. The basilica was reserved for men, the crypt for women. A thousand men arriving before the services began could find no standing room on the first night. So great was the throng that the clergy could scarcely pass through. So many were not present on the height of Fourviere since the dread days of war in 1870. At Paris, the Cardinal went to Montmartre, and Masses were said on that morning for the religious in all the churches of the city at the same hour. The attendance at the Redemptorist Missions in Bordeaux was never surpassed within the memory of the people. Twenty thousand persons received crosses as souvenirs of the missions and as a protest against the insults to the crucifix. A national pilgrimage to Lourdes is being organised for the end of April. In 1899, 50,000 men took part in the national pilgrimage to Lourdes : now it is estimated that there will be 1 00,000.'