The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-06-02

the Geemans-that 10 In the Univer.
sity Of Strasbourg. It is their am
bition to keep this university 1
focal point for foreign students, in
stead Of the famous universities
left to Germany. With this in viev
the authorities have done ever.
thing possible to continue the Ger.
man methods OF work. their special.
lied courses OF study and the n.
search facilities-all this of courss
with . French faculty to replace tina
Germans who have been expelled
Many Of the professors who hays
gone to Strasbourg from other uni.
versities are OF the most famous in
their departments.
Popular Indifference.
The natives OF Alsace-Lorraine
are . distinctive people, and are
not apt to be Gallicized any mora
than they were Germanized. The
isolated farmer who tills his lana
on the medieval striposystem, hia
primitive pillow always drawn BY
oxen, has little interest in politics
30 long a. he can pursue his vay
undiSturbed.
Immediately after the armistica
began the deportations Of which
much has been heard. The French
government gave the military au.
thorities' at that time the power to
deport any person Of German birth
who was considered to be danger
Gus to the success Of French rule.
Thousands of Germans were given
only 48 hours or even less in which
to dispose OF their business, collect
their families and goods and leave.
Government figures show the total
number of deported to be about
50, 900 and the claim is made that
fair notice and compensation were
given in all cases.
Both the figures and the latter
assertions are denied by popular
opinion, which places the number
Of deportations as high as 100000.
Nor have the deportations ceased
altogether-more thorough investi-
cation can be made now under the
administration of the commissariat
general, and about twenty-five or
thirty cases a month are deported
This will of course cease in a few
more months.
The deportation figures, though
large, do not account for the de-
crease in population which is most
noticeable in the larger cities. As
compared with 1910 the losses in
the four biggest cities are as fol-
lows: Strasbourg. Z per cent;
Mulhouse, 81 per cent; Metz, q
per cent and Colmar, 3h per cent
To explain this decrease. which is
felt in all towns and villages, are
war losses estimated at $4,000 kill
ed; deported $4,000; the present
size of French garrison, $4,000 as
compared with former German gar
rison of $4,000; and the inevitable
emigration due to industrial depres-
sion and general lack Of prosper
ity.
An insight into the condition Of
some of the important industries OF
this. region shows that up to now
the French management has fallen
far short of producing anything like
the results achieved under the Ger
man regime. Alsace-Lorraine IS
very rich in mineral resources. In
a Europe crying for coal the output
of these provinces has dropped
from 3,795,262 metric tons in 1918
to 2,4OO, 900 in 1920, and that OF iron
from 100000 to 100000. OF
course all German management and
technical skill was dispensed with
at the end of the war. French Of
ficials say that it has been impossi-
BILE for them to do better in thess
industries on account of the amount
of repair and reconstruction needed
in the mines, the shorter work day
and labor troubles.
If the French have fallen down in
this branch they have more sue
cessful record to point to in the
potash industry. The production
from the potash deposits of Alsace in
1920 was four times the output IN
1912. It must be remembered IN
this connection that these deposits
are of recent discovery and were
first exploited in 1910.
Reconstruction of Alsace-I or
raine is now practically at stand
still. Compared with other dis
tricts in Northern France the de-
VISITATION here is not extensive, but
the need Of rebuilding for both do
nestle and industrial use is keenly
felt in such towns as lay in the pain
of war. The French government
was energetic and prompt in COM
mencing reconstruction operations
in its regained territory, countirg'
of course. on the indemnity from
Germany to pay for the completion
Of their program. But as the rep
arations recede into uncertain fu-
ture the government has had 10
stop all reconstruction work IN
Alsace-Lorraine.