Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-23
BY ANDRE sIEGFRIED.

SHALL, not attempt to solve the
AIsatian problem in the short space
of this article, but shall simply pre-
i sent it.
NV forbears being Alsatians, /
believe understand the Alsatlan point
of view. even though I was born III
France after 1870, when Alsace was
no longer French, and therefore my
thoughts and feelings are those OF
Frenchman who has never hveo uhoek
German domination.
This divergent fate. even though tne
separation did not last more tnan nan
o century, is at the bottom OF all Inc
dificulties about which there has been
so much uproar. But after all, THESE
dificulties are more amazing than tney
are tragic.
1t is not a problem in the realm OF
economics. Alsace is prosperous. very
prosperous. She acknowledges that ner-
self, and those who know the Alsatlans
can well believe 1t. France has IN
vested heavily there and has spent
without counting the cost. Sne mas
made q tremendous effort so that the
return of the lost provinces, should not
be accompanied by any financial loss
or sacrifices for them. 1t Is ADMITTED
that France has been successful IN
this. It is q success which has not
received enough attention. What would
have been said IL the contrary mad
happened?
The difhculty is elsewhere To use
q good Anglo-Saxon expression, the
trouble Is cultural, that is TO say IN
the realm of morals and politics.
Nevertheless this does not diminish the
seriousness OF the difficulty.
A part of the Alsatian people mot
all Aisatians). do not feel, do not think
and do not react as do the rest Of the
French people to certain simpler every
day questions which affect their every
day life, II Is thus In matters which
concern religion, administration ana
even the ideas at the basis Of govern
ment.
Church and State Separated.
For so years, that is to say since
1870, France has made a great political
effort TO separate church and state;
she has separated the schools as well
as the state from religious rule. She
has made religion as well as its public
manifestations a private matter. There
Is complete liberty on that score. No
one VIII gainsay that-for France has
liberated the state from the domino
ton OF religion and vice versa.
This great political program was de-
sired by the majority of the French
people and 1t is certain that In this
matter they will not change their
policy. Now, wonder If 1t Is COM
pietely appreciated how very French
this whole conception is, and that it
has not been followed IN most Of the
other countries.
When Alsace and Lorraine were taken
from US IN 1871, the non-religious
school did not exist, and the concordat
was still In its full vigor. These two
provinces, therefore. continued TO live
under q regime which we have aban-
doned. In this respect they have pre-
served ideas and regulations that we
consider outgTown, but which seem to
respond to a certain feeling prevalent
in Central Europe, to which the Alsa-
tians, who are, after all, geographically
Rhinelanders. could not help but
react
1t Is, therefore, TO be understood that
both geographical and historical rea-
sons force a number Of Alsat3ans--
Protestant as well as Catholic--to look
upon their pastor and their priest as
semi -officfal personages, who assume an
important position in the community.
This is even more comprehensive
when 1t is recalled that the annexation