The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-29
\ Constitutiun for \l>arc-l.orrainc


which. the French say, leaves the land
a. much enslavcd a. ever the exulta,ion
- over the fidelity of the conquered
people To France, an attitude which is
h.ld TO b" conceded by Germany in
withholding from them anything like
real political liberty. Comment on the
lew regime in the annexed region itself.
at least rs reported by the French news
papers. is summed up in this picturesque
expression attributed TO Metz lawyer:
They are widening the window of our
dungeon, but only in order to double the
bars
II is true that practically speaking
the new constitution makes very little
change in the status of Alsace- Lorraine.
The country remains German colony
in the heart OF Europe without the
power of regulating its own internal
affairs which appartains TO state of the
empire. The territory remains an i'm
perial appanage. the Reichsland. and il
- still 10 be governed by a Statthalt.r
or Governor General appointed by the
Crown. The great sembiance of liber-
alton is in the abolition of the powers of
tho Reichstag for internal legislation for
the province. Instead what il on its
face an independent local legislature or
diet is established There are TO be a
Chamber Of Deputies TO take the place
Of the old delegation or Landesaus-
schuss. and Senate. The chamber is
10 be- elected bv direct vote Of the peo-
pl" instead of by the local and municipal
councils and a small class OF the elector-
ate. rs the delegation was
This seemingly large grant If polit-
ical freedom IL considerably modified
hv runditionS \ system Of plural
voting Is imposed which will influence
IN an important, degree the makeup Of
the Chamber of Deputies. Still more
hanperIng - the composition Of the
Senate. a great majority Of IN. mem
bers of which are to- be- appointed by
tho German Emperor. They are Ia be
chosen among the notableS Of the re-
gion. hut who are the nota blcs ask the
French critics. Why. the public func-
tlONaries. Judges Of the courts. admin
lstrat0rs Of public departments. army
officers on the active or retired list. col
l"g" professors. in IA word, the creatures
of the Kaiser himself who live only by
his orders who have no sympathy with
the aspirations of the subject people
who III fact are under pay To- oppos.
thc>" aspirations and 10 try by cajoling
ar co"n'ion to drill the people out of
#, la, a.. 6. 4.
purpose than 10 n.,ltraliZe the natural
tendencies of the popular representa-
tiv"~ Its plain function Is to control
all legislation IN accordance with the
lmT erial will Of what Use 10 the sub
jet provinc" J. "A legislature with such
a factor Of notification within itself. Il
II not rather an insult than "A boom
In fact. when viewed in thus light the
imperial g,'t appears Ia be- q good iea
81 a hollow mu"k"ry. II j. quite evident
that ~" German linparial authorities are
afraid 10 "n'rIIsr the people Of AlSacr-
Lnrraiu" with anything like complete
l"CislatIy. power Their. has been an
aF",tatiur # belief in Berlin that the
provinces mad become rec OncIl,.i IN their
fate Tn" generation that Witnessed he
-evvranc. "f 1870 ha- passed away The
bulk 1T m" inhabitants If TODAY hav.
Meier lived under 'he TrIcoInr. and rh"v
hny" neither dissertations with France
nor u i'NIr" 10 return to her standard
Thcs" ar" IN" stock arguments IT Ger
man ufii' lall"m and it, following such
occurrences a. the return ~ y fun dalc-
CATION IT fifteen protesting Deputies tn
~" E"r"hS'aG IN is73 rr again IN.
election Of y protesting delegation hy
I.o1D 10 cn~.n votes IN 1857. have he
com" Inpos~Ib" Tn" country is
German country and the people are n
German people. II - IN CONFORMITY with
thus official view that the Kaiser has
been palaC" building IN the region and
making stat" visi'arlons thor. The
granting of m" constitution Is the CLIMAX
Of recognition of the supposed chang.
But then comes the French version of
RI" situation. and ~ seems to explain
rh- very limited character Of the climax.
Reconcilad 10 Germany, Never, Why,
HrGo IoRS Won BrLACH. the Under
Secretary Of state for Alsac.- Lorraine.
himself admits that from lSa5 To 1905
the number Of residents OF the Rsichs-
land who claimed French as their nat,I-
raj ldiom had Increased ny $500 The
-loGIIence Of such figure is truly
French. comments "A Paris newspaper
Needless TO say, il adds, there has
been no diminishing in the last four
years In fact. they protest, all the
best families IN the province have with
piOus car" kept mp the traditions OF
French history and culture. The Great
Revolution is theirs: theirs the memory
Of the great wars that France has waged
II IL in IN" masterpieces Of French art
that they iak"prid" with French thought
they cultivate themselves. They repel
with unfiinching courage and fout with
biting Wit tn" pr"tcntions Of their duh
and heavy cOnqrI"rOr
Then comes IN" tai" Of German mis-
government Their" IL n whole litera-