The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1918-05-17
SpollatiOn OF Two Provinces by
Beast of BerIin's Barbarlans
Continues.
ART TREASURES TAKEN AWAY
Objects Of Prietisrs Historic and Ar
ttEtie Worth Carried OF to Supply
the Demand 81 the New
Rich.


with the Trearh Armiea.-Gcr-
inary's latest spaiIstIDa Of Alsace-IOr-
ruine eonasla o. tAo cnrrying away
from the latter OF al the old nntlqui.
ties and objects Of az In which the
two provinces for centuries have been
unusually rich
The exodus ~ all these objects.
many Of priceless historic nnc artistic
worth. ucress the borders df the two
provinces ana over into the big Ger
man cities would appear 10 const.
tute Germans tual effort 20 squeeze
out Of Alsace and Lorraine the last
thing or value while she still has Il
within her power 10 10 90
During ihe seventeenth century Al.
HHce md l1rrnIne became very much
n center fnr vnri0us lines III art and
especially for the milking Of the vari-
aus styles ~ furniture which have
since won for themselves fixed places
IN The history and development Of
artistic furnishings. because Alsace
ana Lorraine were the centers OF the
various trades. urt crafts and manu-
faetufers that were employed In the
production ~ these historic styles or
furniture. thousands Of the best
pieces remained In the two provinces
where they became heiriooms In the
native fbmllIes.
Treasures Forced on Market
u Is largely this class OF art oh.
1ectN That the Germans are now
searching ont and cnrrying of 10 Ber-
lin, Munich and other German cen.
tiers. Owing TO the fact That the Ger
man authorities are now forcing the
hquaQation and sale ot all homes and
other' properties owned by French
citizens and often II Alsatlans guilty
only - Frcnch sympathies. thousands
Of these old pieces 81 furniture are
being thrown onto the market In a
manner that enables the German anti.
guardians TO huy them at nominalmlg.
ures In other Instances. the anti
auarians search out families that have
been impoverished ~ the war and
force them 20 part for u little ready
money with objects OF the greatest
artistic value.
THIS exploitation ~ the two nroy.
inecs by German antiquity dealers an
pears TO have reached such proper
ton that even the German press.
notably The kIclbe Press Of Frankfort
have printed articles pointing out the
ubiquitous practice, The Hnrenauer
Xeitang also details the scandal in the
following manner;
''rhe lovers of the art objects and
antiquities OF Alsace are becoming
alarmed over the fate % al the beau.
tifnl aud precious art treasures that
are now actually leaving the country
From all parts ot the German empire
untiquarlans are now arriving and
gaining possession of hidden treas. !
ures from the very bottom Of the two
frontier provinces for the purpose az
rvselling them at fabulous prices "a
their clients at nerlln. Munich aud
elsewhere.
''the hour Is propitious for such
Numerous auction sales /
aud foreclosures ogfnr favorable occa. /
rious fng the acquisition of objects Of I
real style, Many small mlddle.clnss
Families of the villages hwre need ~
money, and without too much insist. 4
euce viii give up bureau OF the /
louis XVI style which has come down /
to them frem a grandmother and /
with what they receive they can pro-
sure ether articles more lndispens-
able.
In the seventeenth century the art /
crafts were very aonrishlug Ia Al /
SAGE The house furnishing which one 4
encountered even ia the smallest, /
most farpway villages were elegant /