The Washington times., 1917-04-26
ALSATTANS LOYAL,
DECLARES WAGNER
Pastor Says Alsace ls En-
tirely French in
Spirit.

PARIS, April o (by mailJ-
II there is entertaining any
where . conviction that Alssce
is German in spirit today II is
superficial deduction lacking ex
actly what the Germans have never
had, that is, the element OF psy
chology," said Pastor Charles Wag
ner, author OF "The simple Life,
speaking about President Wilson's
speech to the Democratic national
committee and the semi-official re-
ply sent out from Berlin in which II
was declared that Alsace IL today. a.
It always has been. German in Ian
guage, tradition, ana sentiment. Pas
tor Wagner began his career as q
of 1870.
"The Germans claim Alsaee a. q
German speaking country; yet they
themselves were surprised in 1870 to
find q people there speaking q Ian
suage similar to their own, yet 90
different in everything that goes to
make up life," continued the pastor.
There were Alsatians that might
have been called half and half,' that
had benefited from French culture
and German science. That element
thought that IL France should lose
Alsace II might become more ana
more q connecting link between the
two countries. Indeed, the historical
origin OF Alsace would Justify the
conviction that the country had q
great mission to perform In the
world, but that mission was denied
by the Germans. They would not ad-
nit that the Alsatians could draw on
two sources. They required that the
annexed people should forget France,
that they should have only one pride
and one glory, that Of being German.
Alsatian n ob-tinate.
81 was . student at strassburE aft
er the war Of 1870, and saw the be-
ginning OF that new and painful era
for Alsace. Ny frst preaching was
done there. I soon discovered that IL
I remained could scarcely be any
thing more than q corporal Of the
Emperor. I left because didn't
want to become q spiritual gsnd-
arme.'
THE Germans failed utterly to un-
derstand wnat was noble and worthy
in the Alsatian character and how
they might have made themselves ac-
cepted. They were blind TO the palm
full situation Of the tenacious and OBJ
Stinate Alsatian people. holding to old
affections, and to whom, remaining
faI.---ul to France in her misfortune,
Germany appeared all the more ex-
cessive In her Civilizations. They had
not the tact and discretion Of Q sue
cessful victor. The consequence was
that Alsatians attributed the result
OF the war OF 1910 more to circum-
stances than 10 Germany's superior
ity.
-The great contrast they were
obliged to draw between the Germans
who immigrated from other prov
inees into Alsace after the war and
their ideal German destroyed their
in the much vaunted Ger
man Organization.
The Alsatian lives well and drinks
good wine, but he IL ashamed to be
seen drunk. The absolute absence OF
dignity In this respect by the immi-
grated Germans made it impossible
for the Alsatian to associate with
them.
THE younger generations became
more Indifferent than the old by force
of circumstances. but the partial con-
quest OF this younger element was
not q spiritual conquest. II was sim
ply because the population was be-
coming habituated to new rulers, as
an old woman becomes habituated to
her false teeth, to her failing beauty,
without In any sense becoming enam-
ored OF her old age.