THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN FRANCE 1 1 5
ever since the dispersion of the religious orders, there has been a Jesuit father who is closely mixed up in politics and seems to give the keynote in the Conservative concert. Besides, the Jesuits have divested themselves of their former frocks to become secular priests. Such men are, in two of the departments of Brittany, the Jesuits de Sesmaisons and Le Mareschal. Another thing that is certain is that in the general conduct of Catholic politics the secular clergy archbishops, bishops, and rectors have a very small share. The power is entirely in the hands of the regular clergy and laymen.
The Catholic Conservatives possess several papers in Paris. These are L'Univcrs et le Fonde, La Verite franqaise, and La Crolx. The latter is represented in the provinces by numerous other Croix, as the principal town of nearly every department has a Croix of its own, which often bears the name of the depart- ment; for instance, La Croix des co tes du Nord. The circulation of La Croix is considerable, both in Paris and in the provinces, and is said to exceed 1,50x5,000 copies. The price of all these papers Imperialist, Royalist, Nationalist, and Social Catholic is generally one cent (five centimes). Le Gaulois and La Gazette de France are sold at three cents.
Besides their daily in Paris, the political parties have a num- ber of papers in the provinces which are published one, two, or three times a week. These provincial papers are read by only a narrow circle. They often reproduce the leading articles of Drumont, Paul de Cassagnac, Rochefort, and other leading journalists. Thus, some Parisian papers with a small circulation have more influence than those with a large issue. The Parisian paper penetrates relatively little into the country, because the peasant, as a rule, does not read much, partly through economy and partly because he has not acquired an interest in reading.
In addition to their daily press, the political parties control several periodicals. The Nationalists have Les Annales de la Patrie franqaise and L' Action franqaise, in which latter Charles Maurras and Vaugeois, both Royalists, write. The Catholic Con- servatives and Social Catholics have Les Etudes, published by the Jesuits; La Revue thomiste, published by the Dominicans; La
