The Socialists Furious

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 14, 2 April 1903, Page 29

The Socialists Furious

The Socialists in the French Chamber are furious with tho Premier Tho cause of this outburst is M. Combos' attitude with ifgard to those hardy annuals', the suppression of the Fi ench Embassy at the Vatican and the withdrawal of the subventions to the French clerical schools in the near and iay East. The Extreme 1 eit had fondly reckoned upon carrying these 'reforms' thiough this year. Surely after forcibly closing all clei ical schools in Fiance, alter dissolving and expelling th> Congiegations, alter denying the episcopate the richt of petition to Parliament, M. Combes could not logically support the voting of public money to carry on these same schools in foreign countries, and to keep an Anil assador at the Vatican, that 'fons et origo ' of .ill the troubles of France. But, like all his priest-eating predecessors, M Combes, when pressed to carry his policy to the bitter end, blandly declared that ' antielei ic-alism was not an article of export,' and that, as the Embassy at tho Vatican and tho French missionary schools in the East wei c useful in the prosecution of Fiench interests and policy, they should be supported as they had boon hitherto. M Combes carried the day, thanks to the active suppoit of the Right, but his I riends have not forgiven him, and they no longer consider him safe. One concession, however, had to be made to the Left They demanded the publication of Yellow Books containing the diplomatic correspondence between the French Government and the Vatican, as is done with regard to the correspondence with other Powers. It seems to have been the recognised privilege

of the Vatican that correspondence between it an-1 the Governments having diplomatic relations with it. should never be published. M. Pelcasse, in order to .'.void more dangerous consequences, had to give way on the joint, and to promise the publication of despatches. Lut he added that, whilst he could publish all despatches fi om the French Government to their Ambassador at the Vatican, he could not publish the replies oi lhe Papal Secretary of State without his permission, in accordance with diplomatic usages.