The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-20
The Proposed Treatment OF Alsace.
Lorraine.

| According to telegram from Europe, the
| German Emperor became 30 convinced OF
the loyalty OF tho inhabitants OF Lorraine
and Alsace during his recent sojourn in
those provinces that he announced the
purpose Of abolishing the exceptional regu.
lations by which they have been deprived
OF certain privileges conceded to the rest OF
| the German people. No immediate steps,
however. were taken to make the promise
good. and We have since been told that
| WILLIAM II. has decided to reach the same
end In another way. by Incorporating Alsace
with the Grand Duchy Of Baden and Lor-
rains with Rhenish Prussia. Whether he
can succeed in doing this may be ques-
toned, and the expediency OF doing it ia
still more doubtful.
| Lorraine and Alsace are. as their name,
Reichslande indicates. imperial provinces.
whose legal status differs fundamentally
from that Of the constituent States OF the
empire. which retain oil the powers Of SELF
government not expressly delegated to the
| Emperor. These provinces, which were
conquered by the German people acting
collectively. belong to the German empire
as whole. and their fate can only be deter
mined by the empires legislative organs.
the Bundesrath and the Relchstag Hith-
erto the imperial Parliament. while per-
hitting and encouraging the Asace-Lor-
rainers to send Deputies to the Relchstag,
has limited their powers of self-govern-
ment by snbiecting them to an excep-
tional regime designed to repress French
proclivities and hasten the Germani-
cation OF the population. Tho executive
head Of the empire may. OF course,
propose. II he pleases. to change radically
the position OF the provinces In question
by Incorporating one with Baden and the
other with Prussia: but the proposal will
be an idle one. unless 1t be sanctioned by
both branches Of the imperial legislature.
Now. IN the Reichstag. or popular assem-
bly,, Prussia has the preponderance which
her population deserves; but in the Bundles
rath. or Federal Council, she can be easily
outvoted, having but seventeen representa-
tives out OF fifty-elght 1t Is In the latter
body that resistance may be expected to
the suggestion that all the territory wrest-
ed from France by the Germans In their
collective capacity. should be divided among
only two Of the twenty-six States compos-
ing the present empire.
On the face OF things. such proposal Is
as monstrous as 1t would have been to in
sist that the whole Of the money indemnity
obtained from France. amounting to bill
lion dollars. should be absorbed by Prussia
alone. The only grounds on which the
method OF dealing with the conquered
provinces now said to be favored by WILL
LIAM II. can DO defended, are those OF spe-
cial services. OF contiguity. or OF national
security. No plea could be made upon the
first score without arous!ng the Indignation
OF n large part OF the German people.
Never would the German empire havo been
consolidated II. OF the compensation ex-
torted for the sacrifices imposed by war
Prussia had exacted share exceeding the
amount proportional to her population. 1t
may be said indeed. that the task Of taking
Strasburg was assigned to the troops OF the |
Grand Duchy Of Baden. and was by them
successfully performed. The answer Is that |
every German soldier in the war OF 1901 |
played tht part delegated to him by the |
that the gains OF all |
went into a common stock. and that |
had the German armies been beaten in the |
rest OF France, the captured Strasburg |
would have had to be surrendered. Tho |
argument based on contiguIty Is stronger
but inconclusive. 4 glance at the map will |
show that Rhenish Prussia adjoins Lor-
raine upon the north. and that Baden Is
only separated from Alsace by the Rhine.
1t is equally manifest. however, that
Rhenish Bavaria adjoins both OF the prov
Inces; why then. it will DO asked. should |
Bavaria have mono OF the conquered terri
tory. while Prussia aud Baden have all
No answer to this question can DO given
that will seem satisfactory to German Cath
plies. or probably to any OF the minor con-
stituent States.
AS regards the furtherance of national
security. 1t is plain that this would be moro
promoted by giving both Lorraine and Al
SAGE to kingdom Of the second rank. like
Bavaria. than by giving Alsace to State
If the fourth ra9k. like BADEN. II there
we're any foundation for the assertion that !