The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-10-06
The Alsace-Lorraine of the East

1t pretty generally is agreed that the annexation
of Asace and Lorraine by Germany in 1871 was a
great political blunder Even Bismarck had his doubts
about the wisdom of the act
If France had not been provided with this ground
for revenge there is little probability that the French
militarists and patriots could have developed war
sentiment, allied themselves with Russia, and ulti-
mately Inundated Germany.
German misery and degradation today are in part
the penalty paid for this act of short sighted
and greed the part of her leaders in 1901 1t is
true that Asace and Lorraine once were parts of Ger
many and had been stolen from her by the French
Bourbons
Yet whatever Germany's historical and sentimental
claims to Alsace and Lorraine the lost provinces"
not worth the price Germany has paid.
But the men who made the peace treaties in 1919
lacking in sense as Won Moltke and Emperor
William in 1871. They have created much worse
AlsaceLorrane to the east of Germany in the corri-
dor that separates East Prussia from the rest of Ger
many.
1t produces situation comparable to driving
Canadian wedge into the United States, cutting off
New England from the rest of the Union
avails little to protest that this territory once
belonged to Poland So did Alsace-Lorraine belong to
Germany, but it was supreme folly to reclaim it,
Germany has renowned any intention of getting
back Lorraine but she never will become rec
onciled to the dismemberment of East Prussia and
the infinite inconvenience and abuses which the ex-
istence of the corridor presents.
The well-known American pubicist and editor,
Paul Maerker Brandon, recently visited the corridor
and in article in the New York American gives us
graphic picture of what it means to live in or along
the corridor
The blow to German pride involved in the award
ing of the corridor to Poland would have made the
cesson unwise But this might have been lived down
had it not been for the incredible stupdites which
have crept into the administration of travel across the
boundaries
Communication has been destroyed or insanely re-
striced. The magnificent Munsterwalde bridge across
the Visula river costing $2OoOO00 and great artery
of railroad and other traffic was more than demol-
ished by the Poles The peace treaties guarantee
the inhabitants of East Prussia at this point free
access to the fullest extent" to the Vstula river
Yet this access at Kurzenbrack for population of
some 100000 persons, is right of way thirteen feet
wide Worse yet, only those possessing formal vsaed
pas signed by Polish consul can traverse this thr-
teen-foot path.
Travellers are subjected to countless annoyances
They are disturbed four times by German and Polish
troublesome during the night.
The Polish officials seal the windows of all cars
while crossing the corridor journey which takes two
hours a fast train.
Border regulations particularly exacting
mbecilc and infurating. Children often have
to travel miles to go to school, because
the new boundary has cut them off from the old
school building block away Some of the results are
almost unbelievable:
Less annoying, but fundamentally far more serious,
are the effects of the corridor economic life
Towns lost their rural customers farmers their most
accessible distribution centers Economic entities de-
veoped in the course of centuries, destroyed
the disadvantage of both countries"
1t would have paid Germany to cede back AIsace
and Lorraine before 1914 1t might be just as far
sighted for Poland to surrender or modify the corri-
dor. She live we'll without it, She may not be
able to survive because of it,