The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-07-17
ALSACE LORRAINE
SAYS DECLARATION
OF 1871 is IN FORCE
Document Signed at Bordeaux Is Re
called by PronOuncement Of Al
satan League in Paris.


Of Alsace-Lorraine in the national as
sembly sitting at Bordeaux protested
against the terms of the peace inn
posed by Bismarck which provided
that the two provinces should be
handed over to Germany. II is on this
declaration that is based the resolu-
tion, adopted by the chamber Of depu.
ties, which once more makes plain to
the world the war aims of France.
Both because Of its connection with
this important sitting Of the French
parliament and as an historical docu-
ment, the Bordeaux declaration is OF
particular interest at this time.
How 1t Reads.
It was signed by the 81 Alsatian dep
uties and read MS follows:
q. Alsace and Lorraine declare
that they viii not be alienated.
Associated for more than two CEN
turies with France, both in good and
III fortune, these two provinces,
ceaselessly exposed to the attacks of
the enemy, have repeatedly sacrificed
themselves for the good of the ma
tion; they have sealed the indissoluble
agreement which binds them to
France Foreign pretensions having
placed their fate in the balance, they
affirm their unshakable fidelity, in
spite Of all obstacles and Of all dan
gers, and under the very yoke Of the
invader Unanimously, the citizens in
their homes and the soldiers with the
colors, the former by their votes AMI
the latter by their swords, declare to
Germany and to the world, the inn
mutable intention of Alsace and OF
Lorraine to remain French territory
France Cannot Consent.
"2. France cannot consent to nor
sign the cession Of Lorraine and Of
Alsace.
"She cannot, without endangering
the continuity Of her national exist.
ence, deal a mortal blow to her own
unity by abandoning those who, by
200 years Of patriotic devotion. have
earned for themselves the right to be
defended by the entire country against
the attempts Of a successful violence.
An assembly, even appointed by uni.
sovereignty TO cover or ratify exiG-
encies destructive TO national integ.
rity; by so doing II would be arrogat.
ing TO itself a right which does not
even belong TO the people sitting IN
solemn conclave. Such an excess in
the uses Of power which would re
suit in the mutilation Of a common
~ H.
committed 1t 10 the severe judgment
OF history. France may suffer from
violence, she can never give her sane
ton to its edicts.
%. Europe cannot permit the rati
fication Of the abandonment Of Alsac'
and Lorraine.
Guardians Of the laws Of justice
and Of the rights OF humanity, tn,
civilized nations could no longer re
main insensible to their neighbori
fate. without risking the penalty o
being in their turn victims Of tn,
crimes they had tolerated. ModeiI
Europe cannot allow OF a people beinl
seized as II they were a paltry flocl
OF sheep; Europe cannot remain dea
TO the repeated protests Of threatene,
populations; she owes II TO her owl
safety TO forbid such an abuse o
force. She knows, besides, that tn
unity Of France is today, as In tn
past, a guarantee for the worlds gen
eral welfare, barrier to the spiri
OF conquest and Of invasion. Peac
made at the price Of the cession Of ter
ritory would only be a ruinous true
and not a durable peace. II would b
a cause OF internal agitation 10 al
countries, and a legitimate and pei
manent provocation TO war.
Must Not BE Sanctioned.
Finally. Alsace and Lorraine pre-
test emphatically against all scheme
for the cession of territory; Franc
cannot consent TO II. Europe canno
sanction II.
And by reason OF this declaratio
we take our fellow citizens In Franc,
the governments and the people q
the whole world as witness that W
regard beforehand as null and vol
any vote or plebiscite which Nigh
consent 20 the abandonment, In favu
Of a foreign nation. OF all or "a par
OF the provinces OF Alsace and Lo
raine.
we proclaim by this present de,
laration, the right OF Alsatians and {
Lorrainers TO remain members OF IN
French nation 20 be forever inviolabl
and we swear, as much for ourselyC
as for those whom we represent, fo
our children and for their descen,
ants, eternally and by every means
claim this right, as against all usurl
ers."
The signatures OF the deputies 10
lowed: NM. Leon Gambetta. Grosjeai
Humbert, Kuss, Saglio, II. Varro,
Titot, Andre, Kable, Tachard, REIN
Edouard Teutsch Dornes. Hartmann
Ostermann, La Flize, Deschange. Bin,
Bardon, Viox, Albrecht, Alfred Koecl
lin, Charles Boersch Grandpierr
Chauffeur, Rencker, Melsheim, Kelle
Brice, Berlet. sohneegans. Ed. Ban
berger Noblot, a. Boell, Scheure
Kestner, Ancelon.
Declaration Adopted.
The Alsaee-Lorraine Republica
League, meeting on June 4, this yea
at It's headquarters In the Rue Reaun
ur, Paris adopted unanimously the 10
lowing declarations Aware OF prop,
ganda ambiguous In It's means OF e'
preston, and suspect as 10 It's origin
which, under the humanitarian prete'