Bisbee daily review., 1914-08-29
THE FATAL RHINE PROVINCES"

THE FATAL RHINE PROVINCES"
 At the outbreak of the war France was thrilled by the news that her troops under Gen Jonre had peneat ed Asace and were advancing toward strassburg. All else was forgotten the joy of that moment Enthus asc parsians rushed to the Place de la Concorde where for lS years the of symbolizing strass- burg had been draped with mourning wreaths. They tossed away the emblems of and deeked the statue with flowers.
 And at the same time in strassburg itself the wo- men of the city. who have mourning headdress ever since that atefu year put flowers in their hair
 It was the beginning of another act in the endless drama of Alsace-Lorrane which began more than thousand years ago. France is happy in the hope of regainng Che beloved provinces taken from her by Germany at the close the FrancoPrussan war Since then she has lived for revenge Whatever other aims there may be in tle War of Powers. Frances supreme desire is Che restoration of her Rhine Provinces"
 Sentiment has always been the strength of France And in this case sentiment carefully preserved and ios tered may prove to be the undong of the empire that Bismarck built conquest
 It is strange too what loyalty the expatriated pro yinciais have kept for France They eager for re- union And yet Alsatans and Lorrainers are no more French than German Physically and mentally they are a mixture of the two races. They speak mostly Ger man-partly from mmemoral usage and partly because Germany for generation discouraged the use of the French language Their geographical names chiefly German-consider Altkirch. Muelhausen Neu Breisach strassburg saarburs Metz They bespeak the blood o tbe founders Family names too are largely German.
 Nevertheless these people seem to have a tempera- mental affinity for France gathered strength in 200 years of French rule And the imprint of the French Revolution is now ndeble the character of Assee Lorraine Having tasted of republican freedom they are urly and rabeuious under an empire that rules chiefly by tho divine right Kaiser and the might of Prus- sian army and denies universal manhood suffrage and effective representation in government.
 AIsace-Lorrane has suffered much from it's position as buffer state from the time of Charlemagne. That monarch having conquered nearly all of Europe left his conquests to weaklng son. Louis Debonnare Louis's sons quarreed over the estate There were three of them and they an regarded the empire and its people as their personal property
 In the year s,3 Louis the German" the strongest son. took his choice which was region corresponding to the present Germany Charles the Bold" announced himself King Of the Franks ruling modern France The third brother Lothair had take the odds and ends that were left including northern Italy switzer land. Alsace Lorraine, Luxemburg, Belgium and HOl land
 This loose aggregation of nations, of course. could not hang together They have all had vicssitudes The central states Asace and Lorraine from that time until this day been ground between the kings and armies Of Germany and France have been parttone' and united maneed and romade until it is a wonder the! have retained any aemblance of unity and patriotic a diton.
 The bulk of this dual province became definitely part of France after the Thirty Years War ending il 1ols. when sweden having conquered Germany and Aus tria with the help French loans France her re ward The rest came into Frances possession durin he Revolution and remained intact until Germany seize tho provinces in ls71 to round out her new empire
 Now France is again straining every nerve to wip out the shame of Metz and ssssburg and push her bo dcrs back to the Rhine And if she succeeds the thou saadyear quarrel win not be ended; for Germany vii stiI insist as did the German" grandson of charl' magne. that Germany is bounded the west by tn vosges Mountains
 The controversy may only end when there is no mor Germany. or DO more France
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