South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-02-16
Metz Tells the Story of Akace-Lonai1e By Frank
The Thing That Germany and Has Done The World Symbod

PARIS Feb H. 1919-At the moment when the
peace conference 5 dealing with theories world
reconstruction with the usherng of a world. il
fortune, through the courtesy OF the
government the old world being restored
theory but in fact in Asace- Lorraine, and
tcuarly in Metz have older civilization, Latin
culture. reoccupying territory lost half century
returning its monuments still undestroyed There
and not in Paris in London must look to see
effect the recent world decision.
And in Metz than in any devastated
contested battlefield-and have seen most
thcm-one feels the magnitude the thing that
yesterday. the German empire the march, and may
republic the march tomorrow In
Lille in Doua in cities recently reInqushed after four
years of occupation signs of the German occupation
everywhere There is the consciousness of great
and maign spirit recently exercised. but after all its
stay brief. and French life. French spirit is
idly reasserting itself
But in Metz it is different 1t is rather like an arm
long bound restrained in a plaster cast; the familiar
difficulty movements, the excruciating pain, the
uncertainty of control-all be in this
rTlne Metz is a living part of France again to-
day but it is yet suffering from long restraint Its
life reOpens with difficulties.
Yet II is the material side OF the German occu-
patton first observe. Here so years
a little city French Tours orleans, gar
rison town with history going back to Roman times
with dating Vauban. In its population there
a AMI there had not been for
turtles. In 1870 Metz sleepy little French town.
politically and economically nothing mtarily impor
tant because like Verdun covered the road the
heart France Out of this calm Metz walked in 1870
for those terrible days when Bozaine bundered and
o armies possessed
thrown away or rather permitted to die of inanition
north and south west and east and bringing with him
familiar Green Map and learned professors with
their mUsty documents prove that Metz Ger
man, while the soldier came to enforce argument with
the guns upon Paris
WHAT HUN MEANT
ALL OF Us.
And now, after half century, the story Of German
occupation open the traveller. More than this.
disclosed clear and unmisakable evidence of
what the German meant to do TO all of in time per-
haps still to do for in Metz nowhere else in
all his conquered lands the German expressed his soul
his lack of SOUL his materialisln his doctrine of
chanical efficiency. Poor haf-strangled, totally sup
pressed, just beginning peer the
darkness of so years Of domination, supply
enduring evidence of what the German means. If
would understand him altogether so Metz The
whole story is there.
And this is the story you will find it, Remember
1870. little French town huddIed about its
charming cathedral leaning the banks of its Mosele
canals picturesque quaint insanitary impregnabe
progress the doctrine of efficiency beautiful
alike SITE surroundings. beautiful itself all
French provincial are but beautiful with the
spirit atmosphere which up in remote times
from the Mediterranean.
Now by contrast. the traveller who comes TO Metz
finds ALL arrives the railroad station
which to the American. will suggest st. Louis Kan
City, union station of any of great