American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-07-06
THE LOST PROVINCES.
(By I. P. o'connor, NJ p

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the dream Of forty-seven years. the
dream that some day or other II might
be given 10 me 10 do something for
the liberation OF Alsace-Lorralne from
the yoke Of Germany / remember
with a poignancy that has never re-
Taxed the feeling OF horror and almost
despair the moment when this crime
wa committed against tho fundamen-
TAT right OF every population TO choose
ne wi government aud lts own coun-
fry. n al the time England had not
been under the domination OF German
influences ! cannot but believe even
nov that We should have made a pro
test against such violation OF a funda
mental law OF liberty and national
eight. but We made NO protest and
France resented and justly resented
for a generation afterward our aban
donment Of her Ia this hour Of her
Impotence and despair. We commit
ted the crime OF deserving Alsace
Lorraine once. va must not repeat the
crime a second time.
A Twofold silence.
/ have been 80 haunted by this rec
objection Of the tragedy OF these two
lost provinces that ! have twice visit
20 them and everything / saw and
heard only confirmed tenfold my old
anguish and my old convictions. When
any OF the people realized that AZ an
iriahman and an ardent friend they
could trust me they told me cautiously
the maintenance OF their love for
France, OF their hatred OF their rulers
aud oppresaors. But It was not am
/ read a book by Miss Betham Ed
wards, Hearts Of Alsace," and gtill
more Ia was not tlli / made the ac-
puaintance Of NJ. Paul Helmer. that
/ realized an the nobility. all the mag
ninconce, all the splendid tonacity Of
the struggle Ia both provinces tor the
maintenance OF their French nation
atty I make bold 10 say that there
Is DO more heroic struggle for liberty
ln the whole history Of the world. And
yet it is only Of the tragedies OF Alsacc
that there is a story 80 little known.
There are two cause for this. The
lrst cause was the compulsory silence
of France the second the still more
compulsory silence OF Alsace. Gam
BETA. in one of the last speeches of his
llfo. gave the word 90 France as to
The true attitude she should take up
ON the questionY persons toujours
men perlerona iamala (be II ever in
our thoughts never on our lips n
was a wise saying. for France re-
CURED nearly a half century OF pre-
paratlOn before she could be Ia "a pO-
sitlon ever 10 face the successful and
powerful bully that had thus torn her
provinces from her bleeding side. II
was tho policy. dictated as IL was
thought, by prudence, which was fol
lowed by all the SUCCESSORS OF Gambet-
"a Ia the government Of France. A
few ardent patriots the late NJ. Paul
Deroulede az their head insisted on
keeping the memory of the lost pro-
yinces alive. aud yearly made their
solemn pilgrlmages and their eloquent
protest at the base OF that statue OF
Strashourg from which ] spoke the
other day. but they we're regarded as
lmpudent and premature.
On the other hand. silence was com-
p%ulsory on the Alsatians Surround
ga on AN sides by German immigrants.
who had been brought into the cOun
try 20 replace those children OF France
who had left the country. they were
surrounded boy the ubiquitous German
spy. and every imprudent word was
calculated 90 land them In gaol
A Noble Resistance.
Now q Is the silence on both sides
OF the frontier that has hidden the
truth from the world Something like
a thick veil has beer spread between
the lost provinces and the world One
might even a that the Alsatian-Lor-
raincrs were forgotten by the world
and. above all. some OF them might
imagine that they were forgotten by
France. IL Is this fact hat adds such
splendor TO the tcnacity. the courage
and the nobility OF their resistance.
The people OF these provinces. espec-
tally the Alsatlans. have something
Of the dour characteristics OF the BOer
Tho Boer never talked OF the resis.
lance he was prepared TO give to de-
fend the liberties of his country an
the iatoful hour came. In the mean.
time he drilled his mon. he bought his
big cannOn. he stored his ammunition
aud IL took the most powerful empire
In the world three years TO beat two
little republics with less population
than two OF our great towns. SINH.
larry. the Alsatian-Lorrainer held al.
peace. and thought his own thoughts
n the secrecy of his heart within Ia,
closed doors OF his home II ever
there were a glowing example of wha.
heights and depths passive resistance
can reach. q vas given by these tw,
provinces.
Neither In public nor In priyat,
would either the Alsatian or the Lor
raiuer recognize even the existence
of the hated ruler. II the German.
gave a concert no Alsatian or Lor
ralner Was there. II the Germans FIRE
luentcd a park no Alsatian or Lor
rainier was there No German was ad
mitted Z o an Alsatian or Lorrain.
home II any one OF the population
accepted any office or other position
FROM the German. quietly. without an.
publication Of the fact and yet In
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