New-York tribune., 1918-10-09
Alsace-Lorraine
BY Frank II. Simonds
Copyright. 1918. New York Tribune Inc.)

German peace offensive provokes
there is one question which before all
others should be in the minds Of Ameri-
cans. This is the question of Alsace-
Lorraine. Any armistice which permits
the Germans to remain even temporarily
in possession of the French territory
taken in 1871 will be fatal to the funda-
mental unity of the alliance against Ger
many and a surrender Of the vital prin-
cip!es at stake in the war.
There is no difference between the
case of Lille and of Strassburg, of Cam
brai and of Metz, save that in the case of
Strassburg and Metz the date of the
even more essential to the future security
of France, and therefore of civilization,
that the Germans should be expelled
from Metz than from Lille. Unless
France is restored to her old integrity,
then she will have given her very life for
the salvation of civilization, and given it,
so far as she is herself concerned, in
vain. The future of France is now in
the hands of the nations who owe their
present deliverance from the German
yoke to the French soldiers who have
died in five terrible campaigns.
1t is the hope and he expectation of
the Germans now to be able by their
present peace offensive to get their
armies safely back upon that shorter line
which extends from the Dutch frontier
through Metz to Switzerland. This line
they can hold with their present numbers
for many months. But they may not BE-
able to hold that line if there is no in
terruption ir the present Allied often
sive and the armies of the Kaiser are
allowed no respite.
II the Germans can get an armistice,
even on the Bulgar terms so far as the
evacuation of occupied territory is con-
cerned, and are still permitted to hold
Alsace- Lorraine, then they will be able to
resume the contest next year, and we may
have long and terrible struggle ahead
OF us, while war WEAKNESS in every coun-
try will play the German game. If the
Germans can temporarily interrupt hos
tllltles, they may be able to prevent a
resumption, while still escaping the pay-
ment of that price which alone will in
sure enduring peace.
There is no question to be debated
about Alsace-Lorraine. The German
stole those provinces in 1871, against the
unanimous protest of their people. He
has driven 100000 of them out Of the
country and replaced them by German
colonsts, and OH the basis of this popula-
ton he demands a plebscite which shall
be administered by German officials But
even this is beside the point. He now
asks tor discussion of what cannot now
or ever be discussed for Alsace-Lorraine
IS the ultimate expression Of the meaning
of Prussianism. While it stands as a
world issue Prussianism endures, and the
right of nation better prepared for war
than Its nelghbor to steal its neighbor's
lands will remain established.
France, after her terrible sacrifices
will be forever indefensible without the
old frontier, the Rhine, the Lauter and
the Saar. And if the nations which
France has saved desert her now. we
snail never again find refuge behind
French arms when storm breaks as we
have found in Tx present instance. It
is possible that the end of the war will
see league of nations and the abolition
OF all war: we may all hope for this,
out snail we refuse to deal justly with a
friend because Of an expectation that we
shall never need that friend again?
On the military side France without
Alsace- Lorraine is open to the same at
tack as that which came in 1914. With
Alsace-Lorraine French, not merely
France but Belgium can defend itself,
not at the Marne and the User.
but at the Ardennes, the Saar and the
Rhine. 1t was the possession Of Strass-
burg and Metz which enabled Germany
to go to Brussels and to arrive at the
Marne When this war is over France
Will remain France, and we may relv
upon her' we cannot rely upon Germany
Whatever the. scrap of paper" signed bv
the German representatives.
Therefore, it is essential to see that
our ancient ally, our present savior.
shall be defensible, and without Alsace-
Lorraine she is not and never can be
defenslble. Moreover, it is essential not
to permit the French people, after their
colossal sacrifices, to feel again, as they
telt in 1871: that the world had aban-
doned and betrayed them. For all the
future, as in all the past, the French
people must remain the first line defence
against German barbarism, and those
nations now allied with France cannot
tail to make France defensible by re-
storing French territory.
The German hopes to disorganize his
enemies by getting them into conflict