New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-19

In public schools one lesson in French OF
an hours duration every week was deemed
amply sufficient by the authorities. Every
thing pertaining TO the French tongue has
been Systematically barred for the last forty
FIVE years. Do you wonder, then, that the
Imperial Chancellor could boastingly declare
70 his Reichstag that 81 PEI cent of the Al
satians spoke German? The iron rule OF
Prussia would not permit it to be otherwise.
Therefore as an argument to prove that Al
SAGE is Germanized the imperial statement
is, to say the least, absurd and childish.
country's opinion-right or wrongs
best reflected by the political color OF the
Representatives such a country sends TO Par
liarr,nt. Since 1870 Alsace-Lorraine has not
elected one member TO the Reichstag who was
agreeable to the government. For years and
years the Alsatian representatives were
either "protestataire" or "autonomists," Rad
icals or Conservatives. Protestataires were
those who protested against the annexation
to Germany; autonomists were those, as the
name implies, who wanted Alsace-Lorraine 70
be independent Of Germany as we'll as Of
France. Once only did Strsssburg send to
the Reichstag a German from Germany, and
that the famous Socialist leader, Bebel, the
bette noire Of the Kaserl
Prussia's Repressive Policy.
II would have been comparatively easy for
Germany to make friends Of the Alsatians
after 1870 II she had treated them with
courtesy and considered them as she con-
sidered other German citizens. But no; the
Alsatians were to the Prussians nothing but
outcasts, riff-raff, scum not good enough TO
live under the laws governing the other
German states such as Baden, Wdrtemberg,
Saxony, etc Special legislation for the Al
satians, special rulers to whip them into line,
and special punishment
The result is that to-day Alssce-Lorraine
perceiyes with satisfaction IN the far horizon
the vague hope of being released from the
Prussian yoke.
Does that mean that the population wishes
to become again unit Of the great French
family? To answer that question IL Is nee
essary to examine, or, rather, to analyze,
Petat dame Of France before this war broke
out.
For a number Of years after 1870 France
WIS smarting under defeat in an unsettled
and agitated republic. Pretendants TO the
throne, such as the Duke of Orleans, on the
royalist side, and Prince Jerome Bonapsrte,
her republican form of government. Under
the pretence of revanche were organized a
number Of so-called patriotic societies; their
adherents were recruited principally among
Monarchists and Bonapartists, with light
sprinklng Of Republicans. Their main OBJ
ject was to overthrow the republic and to
replace the republican form Of government
by king or emperor. One must go back to
the days when General Boulanger came very
near taking possession Of the Palais de
TElysee and being proclaimed dictator to
realize what danger the republic was fac
ing.
The Revanche Agitation Fiasco.
With the help Of Paul Deroulede, the SOL
dier-poet, who was at that time president Of
the League of Patriots, Boulanger almost
succeeded; at the last moment, however, the
general hesitated, and, fearing court-martial,
fed to Brussels. where, abandoned by his for
mer friends, he cor, mitted suicide on the
grave of Nine. de Bonnevan. The other
consprators, such as Henri Rochefort and
Paul Deroulede, were banshed from France.