Bisbee daily review., 1917-04-27
LORRAINE FRENCH HAVE LIVED WHOLE
 LIVES IN PROTEST
For Over 50 Years They've Refused German Language and Opposed German Rule. See Freedom At Last.
(By Review Leased Wire)


 PARIS. April 26.-"I lived through forty-three years of unfaltering and uninterrupted protest against German domination in Lorraine, and I can tell you that Lorraine does not want to be German" said Canon Collin, 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 to be shot when war broke out. The French counter-espionage inform ed him of the fact and he escaped into Luxemburg before the war began.
 They did me too much honor in placing me so high on the list the Canon added, flor my sentiments were no more anti-German than those O. the whole people of Lorrain,
 "The policy of the population of both provinces for forty-three years may be summed up in the word pro test in three degrees; first, official protest against German occupation and in favor of remaihng French; sec ond, protest against the interference of Germans in our local affairs; third demand for the autonomy of Alsace and Lorraine: though there were diff ferent degrees and different stages there was never any cessation or di- intuition of our resistance.
 After fifteen years of this official protestation began the regime of die tatorship and passports, with the ob ject of annihilating that resistance but it was continued through the press and at the polls at every election. Pro test survived the dictatorship. after which it continued in the form of what might be called 'particularism,' or the idea of Lorraine for the natives of LOT raine.
 The Germans had so little conf dence in the population that they i'm posed their own officials upon Us Ger man-born people fiocked into Lorraine and Alsace until they numbered near ly 100000 in both provinces. 1t was then We demanded that the Germans get out and leave the place to the ma tives of Alsace and Lorraine.
 Our first hope. in spite of all. was to return to France, though at times we had the painful sentiment that France was forgetting us. We organ ized the Souvenir Francais' through out Lorraine and it did wonders to re- ViNn French ant l-a French patriotism in Lorraine. The Germans broke up the Souvenir Fran. cais, then we organized the Souvenir Lorraine which was the same thing under a new name.
 "A third of the population of LOT raine knows not a word of German. About 100000 know both French and German imperfectly while on the Ger man frontier German patois is now spoken
 The Alsstians have been called the 'Gascons of the North because of their ready wit The people of LOT raine are colder and more reserved perhaps more patient and persistent.
 The Alsatians as soon as they re covered from the first stupor of the German invasion poked fun at the in.- migrants. The people of Lorraine drew themselves up in naughty dis dain. They opposed the force of in ertia-passive resistance to the az gressiOn of the invader and the Ger nah in Lorraine has never ceased to be regarded as an invader.
 There were more carpet-baggers in Lorraine than in Alsace. While every facility was given to them to enrich themselves at the expense of the coun- try, the natives were officially treated as citizens of the second-class.
 We were considered good enough t0 be street cleaners and railroad hands; occasionally a native rose to the distinction of railroad conductor. but that was the limit. There was op- position to everything that smelt of Germany.