New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-01

know replied our Fustel DE IouIahges III
1870 to Mommsen, "do you know what made
Alsace French II was not Louis XIV; y
was our Revolution of 1879. Since that
time Alsace has followed all our destinies;
she has lived our life. All that we thought.
she thought; all that we felt, she felt. she
has shared our glory and our reverses, all
our joys and our sorrows. She has had
nothing in common with you. The mother
country for her is France. The foreigner
for her is Germany And he added;
what distinguishes nations is neither
race nor language. Men feel in their hearts
that they are one same people when they
have community of ideas, of interests. OF
affections, Of recollections and of hopes.
That is what makes the country. That is
why men wish to march together, to fight
together, to live and die for each other.
The country is what we love"
Language Is Not the Country
They tell US, while classifying the figures
at the same time, that Alsace- Lorraine is
almost entirely German in language. But
il German patois were spoken in Alsace and
in part of Alsace Lorraine, patois which
the Germans themselves could hardly under
stand, it is too easily forgotten that the of
was French. In the most remote villages
the men who returned from military service
and Alsace was always a land of soldiers
all knew French. And once again the Ian
guage is not the country.
II is strange that, for the Germans, the
history of Asace- Lorraine should stop at
1870. Has nothing, then, taken place since
that epoch? Now, this is what took place:
In -.
ed. had to negotiate, there was no longer
any legal government. The empire had col
lapsed after Sedan. The government Of Ma
tional Defence, which had saved the honor
Of the country, had not issued from a regu-
lar election. IL was necessary TO convoke
freely elected assembly at Bordeaux. They
knew quite well in Alsace and in Lorraine
that the fate Of the country was going TO
be decided. Never was an election more
poignant. Like one man, in spite Of the
German occupation, which hardly facilitated
complete understanding, the two provinces
voted for those who wanted to continue the
war and struggle to the end for the integ-
rity OF the country. At the head of the list
as sign of gratitude and of hope they in
scrbed the name of Gambetta. And when,
at Bordeaux the majority had accepted
Germany's hard conditions, one Of the elect
ed representatives,, the Alsatan Keller, came
forward 20 read at the tribune the moving
protestation of those who were not willing
TO cease TO be French.
In proof Of which we take our fellow citizen, Of
France. the governments and the peoples of the
whole world TO witness that consider IN advance
as null and void all acts and treaties or pie
bisce which should consent TO abandon for the beu-
EFT Of the foreigner the whole or a part OF our
provinces OF Alsace- Lorraine
We lair Nv ,ka..
the Alsatans and OF the Lorrsnians to remain
members OF the French nation is forever invioable
and We swear both for ourselves and for constt-
uents. our children and their descendants that we
will eternay claim this right by every means toward
and against all usurpers.
Drawn up at Bordeaux on the 18th Of February,
1871.
The signatures Of Gambetta and O.. the
other thirty-fve representatives Of Alsace-
Lorraine follow.
A Prussian Avowal
The sentiments Of Alsace-Lorraine have
remained the same. Il is not necessary TO
ask for Alsace- Lorraine's decision by means
Of plebiscite which would, besides, raise
practical difficulties which Germany could
take advantage Of No country has ever
manifested its will in more clear man
ner. Those who, on the morning of August
2, 1914, saw the young Alsace- Lorrainisns
Of the frontier villages escaping by all sorts
of tricks, in spite of the revolvers Of the
German gendarmes, and coming to enroll
themselves gladly in the service Of France
have no doubt as TO the feeling of Alsace- |
Lorraine. After the war We shall know |
how many Of these Frenchmen Of Alsace- !
Lorraine came to fight for US and how
many have fallen for the revenge Of Right. |
And we shall also know how Germany has /
treated the soldiers OF Alsace Lorraine. Mr.. |
Won Jagow said, in 1918, at the time of the |
scandalous affair of Saverre: The Ger /
man officers in garrison in Alsace- Lorraine !
have the impression that they are camping
in a hostile country" We may rest salts |
fed with this avowal Of Prussian func-
tiopary.