New-York tribune., 1922-07-16
PROVINCES LOST.
AND FOUND
Continued from page four)

N'N~N N'AS wy
IN TWO languages at the same time.
1--WE are educating our children to become
inefficient in both French and German" he
said.
Although Alsace and Lorraine have popu-
lation Of less than 100000, their politicaI
evolution since the French occupation has
made rapid strides in the last three wears and
the two provinces are ably represented ar
Paris by their Deputies The party constellation
as 1t existed under the German rule was
changed within few months into one corre-
spending TO the conditions. and the cleo
tlons are being held with as much fanfare and
excitement as in our own America The for
mer Centrists or Clericals became Republi-
cans, While the workers affiliated themselves
with the radical parties, which are under the
leadership of the Central Federation of Labor.
The political issues rotate, especially. around
the economic readiustment of the Country and
the determination of the departmental status.
Bitter opposition has been voiced against the
project advanced by some French politicians
to incorporate the provinces within an arhi-
trary arrangement of departments which
would include Lorraine in sections properly
Alsatlan. Pointing out the essential difference
OF temperament, dialect, customs and char
acter of Alsace and Lorraine the defenders
OF the old system have been waging q bitter
war against the plan. Under temporary ar
rangements Lorraine is now the Denartment
of Moselle, while Asace consists of the de-
partments of the Upper Rhine and Lower
Rhine.
Because of the difficulty of governmental
Capitalization and the natural suspicion Of
thn
handed methods of politicians, consultative
general council was named some time ago.
The function Of this body, consisting of Off
cials and private individuals who are natives
OF the country, is to coordinate the legislative
regulations in accordance with the wishes of
the population.
The matter of grievances came to a head
with the publication of a pamphlet. de
Malaise Alastien-Lorrain," by Professor Mar
eel Mast, professor of law at the University Of
Strasbourg. In this brochure admission ia
frankly made that serious misunderstandines
have arisen between the population of the
provinces and the French officials, and various
suggestions are made for bridging over the
difficulties.
I'm their immense JOY at being liberated
from the Prussian yoke and becoming French
again." says Professor Mast, "the natives Of
Alsace-Lorraine, forgetting, perhaps, that per
lection IS never really possible, undoubtedly
had hopes and requests which were difficult
to meet. In their joy at setting their foot
again on free Asace-Lorraine, which was then
still surrounded by the aureole of the MARTYR.
the French probably were too much under the
impression of entering the Promised Land
AS soon as the fatal shock of interests oc-
Cured the mirage vanished on both sides
there came a certain disenchantment
According to Deputies Lafont and Uhry,
the whole trouble was due solely to the mis-.
takes made by the French government by the
French administration, by the inconvenience of
its officials. If one believes Able Muller, the
trouble was caused by the fact that for the
administrative law which Germany had per-
fected, modernized, simplified there was SUBJ
stituted archaic administrative legislation
which was heavy and unwieldy. NJ Schuman,
on the other hand, attributes the breakdown
to the profusion of officials who cucumber the
service.
"It should be we'll understood that do not
desire and nobody desires to attack the Gus
toms or even the dialect of Alsace and Lor-
rane. This would be impossible. Although
the Revolution suppressed the provinces and
realized French unity, it did not hinder the
survival of the customs of Brittany Nor
mandy, the Provencal or the Basques. 1t
would, therefore, be a serious mistake if one
would destroy the originality of the AIsatians
and Lorrainers'
According to Professor Mast most of the
grievances due to the situation created by
the conflict between the local legislation and
the French legislation. The fundamental ques-
ton is this: Shall Alsace and Lorraine have
an administrative and legislative regime diff
ferent from the other departments of France?
The future will decide this.
One of the curious phenomena of the new
regime is the relation of the Catholic churches
to the new government. Shortly after the
arnlistice President Millerand made a speech
at Strasbourg in which he pledged France to
continue the system in vogue under the Ger
man administration by which the clergy was
paid partially by the state. IN view of the
fact that France has, officially, separation of
church and state this condition draws sharp
contrast between the situation of the priests
in the interior of France, who receive no state
aid, and those of Alsaee and Lorraine 1t may
be noted in this connection that most of the