Evening star., 1939-04-24
France Outlaws
Three AIsatian
Propaganda Units
Put Under Bon to Halt
Attempt to Undermine
Unity Of Nation
BY the Associated Press.


PARIS, April 24.-The French gov
ernment, in one of two measures, re-
ported today for assuring French
unity, outlawed three organizations
IN Alsace-Lorraine for attempting to
undermine French nationalism.
Hermann Bickler. Prussian- born
autonomy leader, was the head of
one OF the organizations
The other measure reported to
have been decreed by the cabinet
established heavy penalties for ef-
1orts Ito provoke hate and discord
among Frenchmen because of race
or religion"
Broader Measures Forecast.
Sources close to the government
said the effort to smash autonomy
= organizations in an area along the
vital Maginot line was but the fore
runner of widespread measures to
assure French unity during present
international tension.
These quarters disclosed the gov
ernment decreed dissolution of three
propaganda units at last Fridays
cabinet meeting, but kept the move
secret until today.
In addition to Bickler's youth or
ganization, those outlaWed were the
Erwin Won Steinmach Club and the
Alsatian Peoples Intellectual and
, Cultural Union.
Action Follows Chautemps Report.
Sources close to the government
said the decision was made after
an urgent report by Vice Premier
Camille Chautemps, who is charged
with supervising the administration
OF the border provinces which France
won back from Germany at the end
Of the World War.
Bickler. so-called "Fuehrer of Al
sace-Lorraine," has been hailed by
his followers as the man who might
some day lead the provinces back to
Germany. French officials have said
ne aspired to be their "Konrad Hen
leln,' serving as the Sudeten Nazi
leader did before Germany annexed
Czecho-Slovakia's Sudetenland.
Claims Alsace Character German.
Blckler, naturalized French after
the war, has declared it to be self
evident cause" that the people of
Alsace-Lorraine constitute national
minority inside France" He said
the entire world no doubt was
learning that we are of German
character and language"
While most of the nearly 100000
inhabitants of Alsace-Lorraine speak
German, French officials dispute
Bickler's claim that the population
is OF German character"
Early in the spring of 1898 Jo-
seph Paul-Boncour, then foreign
minister, told the Chamber of Depu-
ties Foreign Affairs Committee that
Eazl agents were increasing at
tempts to turn THE German-speak-
ing citizens of Alsace-Lorraine
against France. He said the pro-
vlnces were full of 'Hitlerian in
trigues."
Alsatian leaders formed vigilance
committee to fight Nazi propaganda.
COnscriptiOn Urged on Britain.
Meanwhile, France was said to
have urged Great Britain hurriedly
to adopt military CONSUMPTION as
the quickest way to obtain Soviet
Russian support and to insure peace.
Informed French circles said Sir
Robert G.. Vansittart, chief diplo-
matte adviser to the British cabinet,
took back to London such a sugges-
ton from France for the British
cabinet to consider.
They said both the French and
Eritish general staffs were con-
vinced Great Britain must obtain
Russia's aid if Prime Minister
Chamberlain's promises to help
Poland. Rumania and Greece de-
lend their independence are to sue
ceed in blocking any further Ger
rlan-Italian moves.