The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-29

While there Is absolutely no excuse
ior tho disgraceful maltrea tment and
lndiSnities to which mop Of hood
lums at Nancy recently subjected n
small party of German men and wo-
hen tourists from Strasbourg, without
any interference on the part of tho
nancy police, it Is only fair to on
pain that the people of that city are
much wrought up over the frequency
Oh these visitors from the other sido
vi inc heishboring frontier, and eXas-
pefated BY the curiosity and by the
h!Ahitest desire for information dis
prayed. The people of Nancy have be-
come aware that there IS literally
hothtng that passes on their side or
the boundary line which is not known
without delay on the German side.
A curious illustration of this was
furnished the other day in CONVEX
Satioii which took place between some
FRENCH civilians on the reserve list
OF officers of the French army. and
three German officers of the garrison
at Strasoourg, the talk occurring at
the thermal resort OF Vichy One of
the frenchmen was relating a comic
incident which had happened In some
recent manoeuvrcs. and in which men
OF the l53rd Regiment of infantry
mad been concerned
49, sifLl 10 THO regiment COM
miheed by Colonel dc Grandmaison..
interrupted one of the German officers.
lew minutes later there was a story
toid OF couple of soldiers of tn.
lhirty-ninth Artillery. Again one OF
the German officers Interrupted, THAT
Is one of your finest artillery recI-
n'ents, thanks to ths training which
II Ia receiving from it's comma nder,
Colonel Blondel!"
Startled
But. for Gods sake, do you know by
heart the name of all tho colonies or
the French army
NOT quite that" replied the senior
OF the German officers present But
we Know not only tho names, but also
tho records and the characteristics
ana capacities of all the colonies. and
or the generals, IN command OF the
troops of your easternmost provinces.
ana more than that even ali about
the lieutenant colonies. tho majors.
me captains. the staff officers, etc. In
each or our casinos (military clubs,
we nave one its employees assigned
10 the duty of keeping the French
army list thoroughly up to date and
we get from headquarters at Stras-
pours all the information we need at
mo casino to supplement the data
contained in the year book"
NOW while this shows extraordinary
care and foresight on the part OF the
"ernan Var Department, in thus ac-
quaintins it's own officers i'm Alsace
ana Lorraine with tho qualities ana
me weaknesses of the French officers
stationed on the other side OF the
.frontier. and with whom they would
come into immediate conflict i'm tn,
event OF war. II is not precisely pleas
ant for the French people 40 Know
that there is little concerning them
mat they can keep secret from the
Germans They cannot forget that in
me war of 1870. the German officers
Knew Tar moro about tho topography.
OF France not only the high roads.
out even the byways and short cuts.
than the French officers themselves
that the letter's lives should be COM
pietely Jared to the German officers
IN Alsace- Lorraine, Is something new
10 them, and has created a most un-
Pheasant and cxasperated impression.
~ is necessary TO explain this In or
uer 10 understand what has led up to
these recent anu-C;erman manifesto
lions In the eastern provinces or
France.