The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-05-29
Spoliation of Two Provinces by
Beast Of BerIin's Barbarians
Continues.
Art TREASURES TAKEN AWAY
obJects OF Priceless Historic and Ar
tistic Worth Carried OF to Supply
the Demand Of the New
Rich.

many's latest spoliation of Alsace-Lor-
raine consists of the carrying away
from the latter OF all the old antiqui-
ties and objects of art In which the
two provinces for centuries have been
unusually rich.
The exodus OF all these objects,
many of priceless historic and artistic
worth. across the borders of the two
provinces and over into the big Ger.
man cities would appear to consti-
tufe Germans final effort to squeeze
ont OF Alsace and Lorraine the last
thing OF value while she still has IL
within her power to do so.
During the seventeenth century Al
SAGE and Lorraine became very much
a center for various lines Of art and
especially for the making of the vari-
GUS styles OF furniture which have
since won for themselves fixed places
In the history and development of
artistic furnishings. Because Alsace
and Lorraine were the centers of the
various trades. art crafts and manu-
facturers that were employed In the
production OF these historic styles of
furniture, thousands OF the best
pieces remained I'm the two provinces
where they became heirlooms In the
native families.
Treasures Forced on Market.
II Is largely this class of art OBJ
jects that the Germans are now
searching out and carrying Off to Ber-
lin, Munich and other German CEN
tiers. Owing to the fact that the Ger
man authorities are now forcing the
liquidation and sale of all homes and
other properties owned by French
citizens and often Of Alsatians guilty
only OF French sympathies, thousands
Of these old pieces Of furniture are
being thrown onto the market In a
manner that enables the German anti
guarians to buy them at nominal fig
ures. In other instances, the anti
Quarians search out families that have
been impoverished by the war and
force them to part for a little ready
money with objects of the greatest
artistic value.
This exploitation of the two prov
inces by German antiquity dealers APP
pears to have reached such a proper
ton that even the German pxess,
notably the Kleine Press Of Frankfort
have printed articles pointing out the
Ubiquitous practice. The Hagenauer
zeitung also details the scandal In the
following manner:
"The lovers of the art objects and
antiquities Of Alsace are becoming
alarmed over the fate Of all the beau
tiful and precious art treasures that
are now actually leaving the country.
From all parts Of the German empire
antiquarians are now arriving and
gaining possession of hidden treas
ures from the very bottom of the two
frontier provinces for the purpose OF
rese1llng them at fabulous prices to
their clients at Berlin. Munich and
elsewhere.
Auction Sales Numerous.
'sThe hour Is propltious for such
purchases. Numerous auction sales
and foreclosures offer favorable occa-
sions for the acquisition of objects Of
real style. Many small middle-class
families Of the villages have need Of
money, and without too much insist
enc Will give up q bureau of the
Louis XVI style which has come down
to them from a grandmother and
with what they receive they can pro-
cure other articles more indispens-
able.
I'm the seventeenth century the art
crafts were very fi%ourishing In Al
SAGE. The house furnishing which one
encountered even In the smallest,
most faraway villages wese elegant
and solid. The styles which bear the
names Of the kings of France, and
which, In the villages. were Of fine
and delicate workmanship. acquired
In the country districts a character
entirely original, rustic. 1t is these
that the a~ntiQuarians are now after.
AS q consequence while attending
auction sales they find time also to
seek out the little Alsatian homes and
ind little difficulty by paying the
country people in actual currency In
acquiring the old family clocks. Of
which the majority no longer run. and
the chairs with their magnificen.
backs worn by age.
1.-The demand for objects Of this
sort has increased immensely during
the year that has just finished. The
real buyers Of them are to be found
In the large cities. Fer the most part
they are the new rich who have
made their fortunes from the war and
who from one day to the other find
themselves transported from the coun,
ter to the top Of German society and
seek By al means to surround them
oolvee with objects OF ancient art"
unmask Lounge Llxxards.