To this M. Ribot replied: “‘C’est l’anarchie dans 36,000 communes.’ At every election this question will be raised, Shall we leave the church to the curé or not? You are making of this question, eminently a governmental one, a municipal question, given over to dissensions, competitions, and coteries” (Officiel, p. 3407).

The new Law of Separation (December 29th) abolishes the sequestration ordered on December 11th of all Church revenues, etc., till December, 1907. It turns over immediately to the communes and to lay institutions all the property of the Church. Yet on November 9th (Journal Officiel, p. 2461) M. Briand stoutly resisted the Left, clamouring for this very thing. “We must not raise illusory hopes,” he said.

“No,” cried a deputy, “it will be like the milliard of the Congregations.”

“There are fourteen millions of revenue,” continued M. Briand,” ...but are they ‘liquid,’ free of charges? The communes are stretching out their hands to receive. You will give them what? Nests of lawsuits. Yes, nests of vipers that will poison the communes with their venom.”

To explain this change of policy M. Briand said: “We have acquired the certitude that the situation is without issue. It was impossible to expect that during the next year regular associations (of 1905) will be constituted to claim this property of the fabriques. We cannot remain another whole year in this uncertainty” (Journal Officiel, p. 3396, December 21st). A French proverb says: “Souvent femme varie bien fou qui s’y fie.”

And in the same session M. Briand, to explain why it was not possible to lend the churches to curés under the new law for any definite time, said: “In fixing no term the Government is logical. Having a law to execute (that of 1905), and having the conviction that the Church will end by accepting it, we could not give to uncontrolled associations under the law of 1901, which are a concession to the Church, the same advantages as to Associations cultuelles” (1905) (Journal Officiel, p. 3407, December 21st, 1906).

The new law of December 28th, 1906, says the use of the churches can be obtained by the declaration of the curé individually, or of an association formed according to the law of 1901, or rather according to certain articles of this law only. The Church may not avail herself of the articles which permit the formation of associations called “of public utility”—like the S.P.A., for instance.

This is what these Jacobins understand by combating the Church. A coup de liberté by dint of liberty! They speak of giving droit commun, common right. But they never do so. The Church is excluded from the right of forming Associations d’utilité publique conferred by the law of 1901, though placed under this law since December 28th, 1906. The new law is only a makeshift. M. Briand said (21st December, p. 3398, Journal Officiel): “Evidently this legislation is not definitive. Turn the pages of history up to the Revolution; you will see that the Convention had the same difficulties as we to-day. See the number of laws voted in the year 1795 alone” (there were eleven Laws of Separation). Just so. France stands where she did in 1795.

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