The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-26
The BOundarie, Of Language.

10 the herman press, OF course, TINS
order was the proof positive Of the sue
cess Of the German colonizing Of the
region annexed in 1871. Indeed il was
even more: II was hailed a. a resumption
Of the ancient irresistible advance Of the
Germans beyond the historic frontiers Of
the Roman Empire. some Of the most
arrogant Of the Pan-GermRn organs
even began 10 talk Of continuing in
Champagne the work thus completed
in Alsace and northern Lorraine.
To the French, on the other hand, the
decree was a new humiliation. a. the
Pan-Ge1nan prophecies were a fresh
source Of apprehension. In the last
century the boundaries Of France were
contracted from the Rhine and the Ger
man Ocean tO the YoSges and the
Ardennes. II il not hard therefore 10
understand the pessimism Of the French
observer. Coincideni with this emotion
was the general belief. confirmed by the
protests IN German Lorraine itself, that
the decree was merely the exercise Of
arbitrary power, and that despite the
influx II German cOlOnists, function
anes and garrisOns and the emigration
of thousands % Nancy and Saint Die
the Lorraine villages remained French
IN language and loyalty alike.
Eliminating from the question the
political considerations, which might
naturally obscure the discussion, it
seems that the German confidence and
tho French pcssimism are alike IN
founded II Is true. Of course, that the
Roman frontier once followed the Rhine
and the Danube. II Is equally true that
In modern times the French have held
and lost the left hank II the Rhine.
Yet the Roman garrisoned rather than
civilized and colonized the Rhineland.
and the go years Of French occupation
in AlSace failed TO change the German
character Of the people or substitute
French for the German tongue
In the thousand years that passed be-
tween CHARLEaAGNE and the first En-
peror Of the modern Germany the from
tier between the Latin and the German
nations from the English Channel 10 the
Alps has known many changes. The
early French kings who ruled IN Flanders
and the Austrian emperor- who in their
turn held the French speaking Neither
lands retired in turn, and to-day. NJ
then the mass 81 the people of Iiege.
Namur and Mons sneak a French dia-
lect. while those ~ BRIGGS, Antwerp
and Client speak Flemish. a Low German
dialect. Then. a. now, moreover, Br1Is-
sells was the great battle-ground Of both
languages. In the same way. hemmed
IN by France and by Walloon speaking
Belcians. ~omc thousand, ~ people in
the southeast corner II the Netherlands
still speak German and century oi
Pr,is~ian nile has not modified tho Wal
loon speech Of Nalm6dy. south II AK
Ia hapellc
Nor is the situation in this German
Lorraine 80 different Metz. snatched
+. 1m the ancient Germanic Holy Roman
Empire in 1865. was French then in
tongue n II il to-day despite the pres
enor Of thousands ~ German culonists
and a considerable German garrison.
Strlsburg On the contrary. when two
C"uturir, and quarter of French Occlt-
patton terminated IN 1871. remained the
capital of German sD"aking province
In -"'zing Strusbur- the French took a
ppst on German territory for offensive
operations IN Germany. In taking Metz
. BIsuARCK only reversed ,h" course "
. LOUIs XIV.
Som"whercm.d between Net and
Strashurg uc- thr TN" language frontier
oi German and French The little Med
. River. which rise. .n the centre ~ Ger
man Lorraine ant flows fr.t west and
then north is formed bv the confluence
~ two streams. the German and tho
] French Niri. and FOG many mIlc- the vii
Lagos in its valley have two names. one
French. the Other German Saarburg
hcvoni m" lin" has q French quarter
A. well as q German, and DioisuhoTrn
lwh.oh is also inside ui German speaking
TERRITORY, b. better known %. Th.pn-
VILE. Towns aud villages through
which the dividing line passes have pre-.
served the linguistic divisions for cen
tuu"s. divisions which -lD-st 10 tho
present hour and are noted in the guide
books
Even IN Alsaoo. for the mpS' part
German. this ancient parting Of -arr-
suli-isis Thus Saa'ns and Saint Mare
AJAX Mines beyond the N0sycs and M
tho head n little valleys which open To-
ward the Rhine valley. are still French IN
-peerh and M" point 90 whioh the Ian
rIage Chlnccz has not varied ~ written
history ln Lorraine. as in Alslcr. the
ar.g0nrr.v after the FrrncIiocgipati1n
sDok" the language ~ the invaders bar
the f"op'" chung ~ their German dia-
. beet. or oven % a pa'Il. which repre-
sented a curious mingiing Of both. Il Il