South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-23
SAYS ALSACE LESS
TEUTON THAN EVER.
Pastor Charles Wagner De-
clareS Germans Misguided
in Lack of Psychology.


spirit today. it is superficial deduc-
tion lacking exactly what the Ger
mans have never had. that is. the
element OF psychology, said Pas
tor Charles Wagner. author OF The
Simple Life, speaking 10 press
representative about Pres't Wilson's
speech 10 the democratic national
committee and the semi-official re-
ply sent out from Berlin in which IL
was declared that Alsace is today.
as IL always has beer. German in
la guage. tradition and sentiment.
Pastor Wagner began his career as
a clergyman in Alsace after the war
OF 1870.
The Germans claim Alsace as d
German-speaking country; yet they
themselves were surprised in 1870
90 find a people there speaking a
language similar TO their own. yet
so different in everything that goes
to make up life. continued the pas
tor.
Some Half and Half"
There were Alsatians that might
have been called half and half,
that had benefited from French
culture and German science. That
element thought that, II France
should lose Alsace, II might become
more and more a connecting link
between the two countries. Indeed.
the historical origin Of Alsace would
Justify the conviction that the coun-
try had a great mission 20 perform
f,rrF hnF wa
denied by the Germans. They would
not admit that the Alsatians could
draw on two sources. They required
that the annexed people should for
get France. that they should have
only one pride and one glory, that
OF being German.
II was a student at Strassburg
after the war Of 1870 and saw the
beginning Of that new painful era
for Alsace My first preaching was
done there. I soon discovered that
if I remained, I could scarcely be-
anything more than a corporal Of the
emperor. left because / didn't want
10 become n spiritual gendarme'.
Germans Blind 40 Affections.
The Germans failed utterly TO un-
derstand what was noble and worthy
i'm the Alsatian character and how
they might have made themselves
accented. They were blind 20 the
painful situation of the tenacious and
obstinate Alsatian people. holding to
old affections, and TO whom, remain
Ing faithful TO France in her misfor-
tunes. &c many appeared all the
more excessive in her Civilizations.
They had not the tact and discre-
ton of successful victor The con-
sequence was that Alsatians attribut-
ed the result OF the war Of 1870
more TO circumstances than 10 Ger
manys superiority.
The great contract they were OBJ
liged to draw between the Germans
who emigra. ed from other provinces
into Alsace after the war and their
ideal German. destroyed their con-
hdence in the much vaunted German
organization.
The Alsatian lives we'll and drinks
GOOD wine. hut he is ashamed to be
seen drunk. The absolute absence or
dignity i'm this respect by the immi
grated Germans made it Impossible
for the Alsatian TO associate With
them.
Conaucs. Not Spiritual.
The younger generations became
more Indifferent than the old by
force of circumstances. hut the par
tiaI conquest of this younger ele-
ment was not a spiritual conquest.
n was simply because the pOpula-
ton was becoming habituated 20
uevv rulers as an old woman be-
comes habituated 20 her false teeth.
10 her failing beauty. without in any
sense becoming enamoured Of her
old age
The Germans needed a Napoleon
10 complete the military conquest
of 1870 by the spiritual conquest OF
the people He would never lay a
hand lDon institutions particular 20
Alsace and Lorraine. lie was chaned
once about the generals on his staff
who spoke German. It II true they
do speak German. he said: Keller
mann swears in German, but he
fights 10 French Napoleon knew
that the spirit Of the Alsatian was
French and that he needed have
no anxiety on the score Of the
language. I'm fact. the French policy
since Louis NV. had been never
10 touch anything in Alsace. The
country was left with language
that was not national German and
French were taught bat the old pa
tots was the substance. French pene-
trated the province like perfume
instead OF like a projectile as did
German institutions
Become More AlSatian.
"A curious result OF the German
effort 10 stamp out French in Alsace
was that I'm proportion as the Alsat-
fans forgot French they became more
Alsatian. while they never approach
ed any nearer 20 being German In
less than 1 . years after the begin
ming OF the German occupation. an
Alsatian literature had sprung up.
The Germans permitted il, not un-
derstanding that provincial patois
was a sort OF n fortress behind which
Alsatian characteristics were shelter
ed"
Passing on 20 general questions
REGARDING the war and its effects
afterward. Pastor Wagner express