South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-30
SAYS LORRAINE.
IS ANTI-GERMAN
Canon Collin Declares Little
State Has Protested
for % Years.

PARIS. April 90. - Il lived
through a. years Of unfaltering and
uninterrupted protest against Ger
man domination OF Lorraine. and I
can tell you that Lorraine does not
want 70 be German" said Canon Col
lin Of Metz TO the Associated Press.
Canon Collin was one OF the most
notable residents Of the annexed pro
vince Of Lorraine. his name was third
on the German imperial list OF sus
poets 90 be shot when war broke out
The French counter-espoinag in
formed him or the fact and he es-
capped into LuNN Fbourg Lefore the
war began.
They did me too much honor in
placing me so high on the list" the
canon added, for my sentiments
were no more anti-German than
those Of the whole people OF Lor-
raine
Protest for f3 Years
The policy of the population Of
both provinces for AZ years may be
summed up in the word protest in
fhree degrees: First. official protest
against German occupation and in
favor ~ remaining French. second.
protest against the Interference Of
Germans in our local affairs. third
demand for the autonomy of Alsace
and Lorraine. although there were
different degrees and different
stages there was never any cessa-
ton OF diminution OF our resistance.
After l. years OF this official pro-
testation began the regime OF dictat-
orship and passports. with the OBJ
ject OF annihilating that resistance.
but IL was continued through the
press and az the polls at every elec
ton. Protest survived the dictator
ship. after which e. continued i'm the
form Of what might be called par
ticularism' or the idea of Lorraine
for the natives OF Lorraine
THE Germans had so little con
fdence In the population that they
imposed their own officials upon us.
German-born people nocked into
Lorraine and Alsace until they num-
cred nearly 100000 i'm both pro-
vinces. u was then we demanded
that the Germans get out and leave
the place 20 the natives Of Alsace
and Lorraine.
"Our first hope in spite Of all,
was t. return To France. though at
times we had the painful sentiment
that France was forgetting MS. We
organized the Souvenir Francois
throughout Lorraine and it did won
ders 20 revive French sentiment and
reawaken French patriotism in Lor-
raine. The Germans broke up the
souvenir Francais' then we organ
lied the Souvenir lorraine which
was the same thing under a new
name.
German Little known.
a third OF the population of Lor-
raine knows not "a word or German.
About 100. 600 know both French
and German imperfectly. while on
the German frontier German pa
tots Is spoken.
The Alsatians have been we'll
called The Cdscons Of the North.
because of their ready wit The
people Of Lorraine are colder and
more EtNtEh Ell per lAti tI- tiARAf RtA-
tient and persistent.
THE Alsatians as soon rs they re-
covered from the first stupor of the
German invasion poked run at the
immigrants The people of Lorraine
drew themselves up i'm naughty dis
dain. They opposed the force of in
passive resistance to the ag-
Cressions Of the invader and the Ger
man I'm Lorraine has never ceased 20
be regarded as an invader
There were more carpet -baegers
i'm Lorraine than I'm Alsace. While
every facility was given 90 them to
enrich themselves at the expense of
the country. the natives we're Off
ciaTy treated as citizens Of the sec
oud-Class
~vvo were considered good enough
% he street cleaners and railroad
hands. occasionally q native rose To
the distinction Of railroad conduct
or. but that was the limit. There
was opposition To everything that
smeit OF Germany