The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-23
Alsace-L Buffer
State of Europe

history IL but repeating Itself once
more In tho bis conflict where the
French and Germans are batting in
Aisace and Lorraine. buffer state and
S'ixe Of war for more than 1000 years
ALMOST times without number. since
he year St3 A. D., tho people OF wha,
row Germany and France havo
ought Tor tho possession OF Alsaco and
,.ortsine, that territory changing from
'ne nag 10 another with astonishing
frequency.
The history OF France and Germany.
a. separate nations. begins IN sia.
'.os. years ago. and tho history OF
he woes and fluctuations OF Alsace and
lorraine as tho bono OF contention
asi~een the two. and az conquered
1rsi by the one and then by tho other.
negan soon after that same year Si3.
tALf CONTINUATION
or ANCIENT STRUGGLE
The present campaign ;hat France
= wa6inS against the Germans In AL
SAGE Is, therefore only the continuation
NJ strugg!v over 1000 years old Tho
facts OF ScoGraDh!cal position have
'reated the problem. Ii Is a problem
Nh!ch MI remain unsolved and un-
solvaole as long a, the Rhine flows
'44h Tue tEeS Mountains stand.
france SAYS ;hst the Rhine Is her true
eastern frontier, Germany SAYS that
the frontier lies beside the mountains
1t wss In S43 that the three grand
soma of CharlemaEne. lighting among
themselves. decided to cnd tho CON
troversy by dividing their grandfath-
ers possessions among themselves
They acted on tho ancient principle
that tho lands and the people DWELLING
upon them, tilling the soil In peace
and lighting the battles In war. were
the private property of the sovereign
ruling by tho ''devine right OF kings"
CharlemaSne had ruled the whole ;u-
rope as one united government. with
the exception alone of the private pos
sessions OF tho Pope of Italy. His
capital was at Aachen-the AK la
Chapelle of modern times. which Is
now q possession OF Prussia.
CharlemaEne's son, Louis le Debonair
was too weak to hold together such
Heterogeneous empire of peoples OF diff
ferent race and temperament, and,
speaking different tongues, their only
bond being an Official religion, that of
their sovereign and a common govern
ment. He was too weak even to rule
in his own family. and long before his
death his three sons were quarreling
over their prospective inheritance. Tho
one who was tho strongest. called
Louis, the German. had the first choice
IN the division, and he took Northern
Europe and became King OF Germans.
The second brother. Charles the Bold.
took southwestern Europe and became
King OF the Franks. In the main. the
descendants OF tho people OF these two
Kingdoms are tho Germans and French
Of to-day.
These TWO brothers took land which
formed compact whole and which
,ould easily bo' defended. The people
If Louis all spoke ono language and
he people OF Charles, now the French,
Nj spoke another
The third brother Lothair the weak
rSt, had TO take what was LEFT OF his
tather's empire. That included what Is
low Holland. Belgium. LuXcmburE
ilsace. Lorraine and a strip ~ North.
Ain Italy. 1t was peopled by many
lifiercnt Municipalities. II could not DO
'asily defended because the Alps broke
I into two parts. and the narrow strip
'loug the rhine, from the .AlDs to tho
South Sea, which kept the possession
%: Louis from touching those OF
Charles. was too great Il prize not t.
= coveted By both the stronger broth
end they soon began To asht ono
her about It. each to take II away
'i i.othair Thus the troubles OF the
l.g