New-York tribune., 1918-01-10
The Wrong To Be Righted

1t is the unanimous testimony of all
Washington correspondents that the Pres
ident's declaration concerning Alsace-Lor-
l'aine was more instantly and generally
applauded than any other portion Of his
historic address. And it is the similarly
unanimous testimony of all who heard the
President that his declaration was ac-
cepted as pledging this country to fight
until France regained her <slost prov
irces."
The wrong of Alsace- Lorraine was two
FOLD: The people of the border lands were
not merely French in spirit-''more French
than the French themselves" to use their
own phrase. They had been penetrated
and permeated by the French Revolution
as perhaps no other portion of France
was. The deepest wrong of all was to
transfer from the democracy of France
TO the sautocracy of Germany men and
women devoted to democratic ideas and
ideals
When the Germans took Metz thew
sinned against the doctrine of nation
ality, for Metz and it's environs were as
French as Paris and it's suburbs. When
they took Strassburg they committed
crime comparable with that they would
commit if they should seize German-speak-
Ing portions of Switzerland. For both the
German-s speaking people of Alsace and of
Switzerland are republican in spirit and
in ideals
When the Germans annexed these
French provinces the unanimous protest
of the representatives Of the inhabitants
was filed in Berlin and Paris alike. And
forty years after the annexation Ger
man Chancellor announced that Germany
was still encamped on hostile soil In the
Reichsland. The outrage of Saverne. a
few years before the coming of the present
war, was a final demonstration of what
Prussianism has meant in the Rhine coun-
try. People who were denied the right to
choose their own nationality were refused
the opportunity to speak within their en-
forced frontiers. At home and In Berlin
they were treated as conquered people.
For nearly half century Strassburg has
: known what Brussels is only just learning.
+ The German took Alsace-Lorraine as
I lie invaded Belgium, on the pretext of
necessity. He annexed the French-speak-
ing city of Metz and the German-speak-
4 ing city of Strassburg for the same rea.
4 son. He has held them ever since by
might alone. No one pretends that Ger
4 man rule has been popular. Despite the
fact that nearly 100000 Germans have
4 immgrated into the provinces and cease
+. lessly labored to create German loyalty
/ the people have remained unreconciled
4 Alsace-L has given France q hun.
j dred generals in this war and Germany
Il rot one. Thirty thousand Alsatians have
at the peril of their lives crossed the
+ frontier to fight in French armies. II
Americans have any doubt as to the wish
Of these people of Alsace- Lorraine, lei
them inquire of natives of these provinces
i now living in exile in the United States
4 And now President Wilson has sale
that tha wrOpo r,uct bo ,.;rG%oJ DIT e.
{ such wrong there can be but one com
+ pensation. The stealing Of child car
4 cf the child. Only the Pacifst and the Ger
4 nlanophile can mistake the Presidents
i who heard him. He meant that Alsace
4 Lorraine must be restored to France ant
! he meant that the United States would
] fight until this was achieved. 1t was a
once declaration Of principle and
pledge of purpose. And as to both the
American people stand with the President
From the beginning of the war France
has been the bulwark of civilization
against Teutonism. Without French hero
ism, sacrifice. victory, Germany woult
have. achieved world supremacy before
England was ready or America enlisted
Had England not permitted the German
annexation Of Asacc-L Lorraine, Germany
could not have invaded Belgium, anC