New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-18
Alsace-L Lorraine


more rightfully demand adjudication, than
that Of Alsace- Lorraine. 1t Is no mere
question Of territory. Of property or mani
fest destiny and national necessity. 1t Is
a question of human rights and human
liberty.
Forty-fve years ago, by virtue Of VIC
tory on the battlefield in war treacher-
ously provoked and thereafter successful
~ prosecuted, what was then Prussia and
is now Germany took from France 1900
600 people who had no deeper, moro en-
during hope and aspiration than their dc
sire to remain French citizens.
Some Of these human beings, Of these
men, women and children, spoke French
and belonged 10y race TO the Latins; others
spoke German and belonged TO the leu
tonic race. But between these two divis-
ions Of speech there was no division Of
sentiment That great moral and intel
lcctual experience which we call the
French Revolution had united these men,
women and children in a common love of
one fatherland In a common acceptation Of
certain principles and certain beliefs, first
among which were the doctrine Of the
equality Of all men before the law and
the underlying fraternity Of citizens Of
the same nation-of all nations.
Alsace which was German in speech,
had given France the general whose ser
vice at Nalmy had insured the survival of
the principles Of the French Revolution.
Lorraine, which in the larger portion Of
its area was French in tongue, had given
80 France at once bulwark against the
North and a patriotic devotion which Is
found only on those frontiers Of nations
where the desire to remain a portion Of
the fatherland carries with it permanent
peril and constant appreciation Of the
value Of citizenship.
If hundred years from now Canada.
become a great and Independent nation,
should make war upon the United States,
and as the reward for successful war,
provoked by Canadian ambition, should
seize Maine, Vermont and New Hamp-
shire, claiming them because they were
once a portion Of the British Empire, to
whose title Canada had come by inheri-
tance, there would be a remote resem-
blance to the situation of Germany and
Alsace in 1871.
Forty-fve years ago, by virtue Of con-
quest and against the protest of all the
inhabitants Of these frontier departments
Of France, Germany annexed Alsace-Lor-
raine In the years that followed thou
sands and thousands of the citizens Of
these districts emgrated to France. But
the mass remained Exposed to every
vexation and abuse that tyranny could de
wise and militaristic stupidity invent,
these men and women kept in their hearts
the memory OF the glorious past and the
hope Of future that would bring them
back TO France. Year after year on the
anniversary of Bastie Day thousands
crossed the frontier at the risk of every
sort Of punishment to celebrate on French
soil the anniversary Of the birth of that
French Republic which held their loyalty
and their service.
After forty-fye years the emotion Of
1871 has not persisted in Alsace-Lorraine.
Through all the years representatives of
these people, elected to the German
Reichstag. have continued to protest
against the brutal crime that deprived
them Of country and made them the
slaves Of German system which they
despised and German officials whom they
Ioathed. 1t is only few years ago that
German domination expressed its spirit
in that CHASTITY comedy of Saverne, when
a PrusSian officer wreaked his vengeance
on an Alsatian cripple for a real or fan
ccd insult 10 his uniform. To-day 10000
OF the sons Of Alsace are fighting in the
armies of France having made their way
across the frontier at the peril of their
lives and facing the execution squad if
they are captured.
The annexation of Alsace-Lorraine was
meant in 1871 what the ensldvement of
the Belgians means in 1916. II was the
expression Of the PrusSian faith that
might makes right; il was the negation
Of that fundamental American doctrine
that Just government must derive It's au-
thority from the consent Of the governed.
II was the declaration Of the gospel Of
force which had already found expression
in the partition of Poland that Germany
might make her eastern frontier TO suit
her own convenience.
After nearly half century we are ap-
preaching a new settlement in Europe, a
new liquidation Of old wrongs and new
statement Of justice. Can there be any
settlement, can there be any just peace,
which continues the wrong Of a genera
tion and half ago and condemns to new
and perhaps perpetual slavery the people