The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-12-29
ALSATIANS FILLED
WITH ENTHUSIASM
Rejoice to Find Themselves Again
Citizens of the French
Republic

With the French Army in Alsace,
Dec Is Correspondent of the As
sociated Press)-French has replaced
Alsatian dialect and German as the
language in that portion of Alsace
restored to France as the result Of
French military successes. So soon
as the blue-clad soldiers occupied the
villages and towns German signs were
torn down from the fronts of the
stores and replaced by French. Finger
posts along the roads were altered
and directions at grade crossings over
the railroad tracks were changed.
Restaurant bills of fare were written
in French instead of German. The
titles of public offices were painted
over and new designations put in
their places. Prices also were trans
igin and fed with the German troops.
marks and pfennigs.
Most of the municipal officials un-
der German rule were of Prussian or
igin and ed with theft German troops.
The other male inhabitants-most OF
them very old or very young, as all
those of military age had been either
taken into the German army or had
fed to France-had never had exper-
ience of local government and were
incapable of undertaking the public
utilities or caring for the health OF
sanitary condition of the people. II
was found necessary to appoint
French administrators and these were
chosen from among officers who had
been wounded in the war or who had
fallen sick during the campaign. In
one locality a military mayor was
nominated. He was a captain who
had lost his right arm in battle. Fol
two years he has carried out the func-
tions of his Office and so successfully
that the citizens governed by him de.
clare they have never been more wise
ly ruled.
One of the first tasks undertaken
was to set in motion the educationa
system which had been interrupted By
the hostilities. Glasses were formed
for the children of both sexes anC
these were placed in the charge o.
sisters of a religious order which de
votes itself to education. There wai
some difficulty at first owing to th'
pupils knowing no other language
than their local dialect. They showed
such zeal, however, in acquiring
French, that within few weeks tht
teachers were able to carry on tn.
lessons. When Prince Arthur O
Connaught recently visited the classes
he was amazed at the change brough
about in so short time.
French officials and the people o.
Alsace themselves ascribe the readi
ness of the Alsatians to adopt French
ideas and education to the fact tina
they have in part realized their dream
of being rejoined to France. At an.
rate, it is patent fact that, although
they are still within sound of tn
Il German guns, everybody in the re
conquered territory at present speak
j French. The children at their game
on the streets use nothing but Frenc
II expressions. Workmen and work
women going to and from the factor
] les and while engaged there rarely
, and then only in the case of elderl
J people who cannot change their life
} long habits-utter a word in anythin
except French In the cafes and he
: tells and in the stores French is every
where used, while in the churches th
sermons are now preached in Frencl