The Present French Perspective
Klein, Fe1ix
July 14, 1926 THE COMMONWEAL 26S THE PRESENT FRENCH...
...driving once more beyond our frontiers tectorate of Syria-were duly noticed in the press...
...James J. Walsh, but still timely, whose title alone, culties to men of greater intelligence than themselves, The Paradox of France, projects a positive ray of light the first care of these latter is to pull the state vehicle upon the horizon...
...To surmount the showing themselves far more united than of old, and problem, a good deal of good will was used on both that our religious have frankly declared they "will not sides...
...Walsh noted eight months ago...
...The prelates were received Syria even during the period of the French Revolution by the president of the republic in the great Salon des and throughout the days of the Terror...
...Happily, of a very old tree which has resisted many storms...
...All our national and monasteries...
...By his side stood M. Briand and the nection, an incident that is very little known is worth staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs...
...Upon the arrival of the chief participants, who 266 THE COMMONWEAL July 14, 192E included the Archbishop of Paris, the Nuncio, the ab- The first act of M. de Jouvenel, a liberal-minded and legate Monsignor Valeri, the noble-guard Rampolla di enlightened senator who replaced him, was an official Monteleone, nephew of Leo XIII's secretary of state, visit to the Maronite patriarch, and his attitude, from all in full court-dress, honors were rendered by the the day of his arrival in December, has been entirely troops in the courtyard of the Elysee, while the band in conformity with traditions which were maintained in played the Marseillaise...
...July 14, 1926 THE COMMONWEAL 26S THE PRESENT FRENCH PERSPECTIVE By FELIX KLEIN I T IS a dubious compliment to praise a journal in though it may be, of the profound solidarity which its own columns...
...But it was certainly not in It is scarcely necessary to insist upon any conclusion accordance with the instructions of the French gov- to be drawn from these events, not yet superseded by ernment that General Sarrail conducted himself thus...
...tangible evidence of a change of heart or policy on the On the contrary, in spite of his personal predilections, part of the government...
...The governWhence comes this powerlessness of the adver- ment of today is just as tenacious of its rights as any saries of the Church to put their plans into execution...
...Not content with possessing, for some long presentation of the "baretta" and following the official time past, a church for Maronite Catholics of the luncheon, decorations were distributed to the principal Melchite rite resident in Paris, the government a few guests...
...claim for words the value of deeds...
...Largely, no doubt, from the truth that Catholics are M. Doumergue is a Protestant...
...vides that "property which, before or after the Law It is unfortunately only too true that in Syria, where of Separation, had been affected by private parties, there were so many urgent reasons to maintain this associations, societies, syndicates, cooperatives, and tradition, we were forced to deplore a contrary policy other groups, to the purposes of any form of worship, on the part of a High Commissioner either so ill- may, up to the end of the year 1926, be turned over informed or so careless of the Oriental temperament to diocesan associations, free of any tax to the benefit that he contrived to earn the hostility of Christians of the state...
...other...
...There is no doubt whatever that his or less vociferous, and more or less menacing, uttered influence was deplorable...
...The orders, male and female, who returned in the case of Papal Nuncios who have been promoted to France since the war, are still in their convents during their term of duty in France...
...Nevertheless, I trust I may be exists between the moral welfare of France and her permitted, as a Frenchman, to say of The Com- prestige abroad...
...Today, not an innovation...
...At all the known that the Law of Separation voted in 19o5, had exercises, religious and patriotic, which were held in created, so far as the material possessions of the honor of the centenary of Cardinal Lavigerie, and Church were concerned, a dubious and difficult situawhich surpassed in magnificence anything that was tion...
...Welcomed at dioceses, which conformed both to the civil and canon the door of the cathedral by the archbishop, he was law...
...In this conAmbassadeurs...
...It is generally ing her historic role as a Christian nation...
...their roots deep in the past, and that what we were To see such designs-such menaces-taking form watching was, not a display of cut flowers and branches less than five years after the Armistice was a phenome- to deck a fleeting triumph, but the natural burgeoning non deserving indeed of the term paradox...
...At of possessing any property whatsoever under terms Algiers, the civil governor, M. Violette, took occasion conformable with the civil law...
...as regards the religious issue...
...The Papal created cardinals as a papal act, has conceded the Nuncio has not left Paris...
...out of the rut into which it has been let sink, and place In this article the author, accurately and vividly at it upon the hard and straight road of national tradition...
...M. Briand, after M. Herriot's executives, kings, emperors, and presidents in turn, futile attempt to form a ministry, is returned to the have maintained this privilege jealously, and it has helm of affairs with a new mandate, by a coalition only been pretermitted during the brief periods when of the more moderate elements in the Chamber...
...a paradox, and this time one full of consolation, is to The ceremony at the Elysee, for instance, which be observed, upon the other side...
...prefects and magistrates...
...Not a single one of seemed to take the public so greatly by surprise, was these designs has yet been put into execution...
...At Bayonne, Lavigerie's native ration, nor the bequests which the faithful contrived city, and at Nancy, which was his first diocese, the to give her by more or less circuitous means could be government was represented during the fetes by its transmitted to her in perpetuity...
...Inside the ranks of the Church, it has hitherto at its consecration, on November 22, 1925, by Monsigfallen only to the late Cardinals Gibbons and Mercier...
...the religious who had returned from their first exile But very few readers realized their real importance to fight and work beneath the national flag, and ir- and their profound significance...
...The new was director before being consecrated a bishop, the law on finances, voted by the Senate on April 4, progovernment was also represented...
...There had been too ritating the Catholics of Alsace-Lorraine-whose re- great a tendency to regard such things as picturesque turn to our territory is the finest and perhaps the only accidents or chance incidents...
...Obliged to reject the cultural associations proanticipated when I announced their advent in the posed by this law, as out of conformity with Catholic pages of The Commonweal, the French government principles, the Church in France found itself incapable had a share worthy of the country it represents...
...to recall the civilizing and religious mission of the Following the war, negotiations between the Holy great Apostle of Africa...
...Politicians who are the slaves of the monweal that I have rarely found in any review pub- machine, or the Masonic body, may affect to ignore this lished out of France, such accurate views upon the solidarity...
...For centuries the Church, which just as before the rise to power of the Radical Cartel, regards the bestowal of the scarlet hat upon newly we have our ambassador at the Vatican...
...At Paris, in the Church of This transmission, only possible hitherto with endthe Madeleine, where a ceremony took place under less legal complication and great attendant expense, the auspices of the Oeuvre d'Orient, of which Lavigerie has now been facilitated by the government...
...It had not been suffitangible fruit of the war-by an application of its ciently realized that they were phenomena which had laicising law...
...But also, in great part, owing to the fact place at the Elysee, indeed, and in the presence of that the radical and socialist majority of 1924, elected the president, but also with the assistance of Cardinal as it was upon a purely political and financial platform, Dubois, Archbishop of Paris, expressly delegated for in no way represents the real sentiment of the country this function by the sovereign Pontiff...
...But the moment they seek to pass from religious situation in our country...
...diplomatic relations were suspended...
...Most Frenchmen, even The ceremony was invested with the utmost solemwhen they are unbelievers, are conscious, vaguely nity...
...They do not, it is true, prove he was ordered again and again to return to the old that everything is going for the best in France...
...But there is also no doubt by professional politicians, who are accustomed to that the French government did not fail to realize it...
...At Tunis, which is a country See and the French government had so far succeeded with the status of a protectorate, the president-general, that cultural associations, somewhat similar to Ameraccording to traditional usage, received full liturgical ican holding corporations, had been arranged in most honors during the religious ceremony...
...But, in this latest case, a special difficulty arose...
...It was, agreed that the ceremony should take depart...
...Among many threats to effective persecution, the public conscience articles on this subject, I would especially mention one (at any rate since the war) rears itself against their published as long ago as the issue of October 21, by designs...
...But no means existed by which the few possesconducted to a seat before the altar, and offered in- sions remaining to the Church after the Law of Sepacense by the assistants...
...This is an honor rarely be- of the Syrian rite as well, and was officially represented stowed...
...Cardinal Ceretti received the Grand Cross of months ago favored the opening of a chapel for those the Legion of Honor...
...Religious instruction is actual ceremony of its imposition to our monarchs, and still being given in the public schools of" Alsace- this not only in the case of French cardinals, but also Lorraine...
...Obliged as they are, to appeal in their diffiDr...
...the same time, expressed the general disappointment This is the real situation...
...and Mohammedans alike...
...But tradition and to receive in person the liturgical honors they do, I believe, tend to show that the true state of at all "consular" Masses, notably on the day of the things is not to be judged from the declarations, more national fete...
...nor Chaptal, Auxiliary Bishop of Paris...
...It has existed for some at seeing a France so strong and homogenous during time and even if it be not fated to endure, it merits our the war, thanks to the Union Sacree, returning, after close attention...
...Certain acts not yet faded from pubthe elections of May 11, 1924, to the old internecine lic memory-the bestowal of the cardinal's hat upon quarrels, tolerating a government which made a point Monsignor Ceretti in the Elysee Palace, the official of suppressing relations with the Holy See, even participation of our government in the Lavigerie cerethough its good will is indispensable to our foreign and monies, the happy reversal of our policies in the propolitical policy...
...Besides this brilliant ceremony at the Elysee, other One other manifestation of a changed spirit in the evidences have been at hand within the past few attitude of state to Church has occurred, which merits months, which show that France, despite more than mention in any consideration of the "paradox" which one regrettable incident, has no intention of renounc- Dr...
...After the mention...
Vol. 4 • July 1926 • No. 10
