The Dominion. TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1918. A VITAL WAR AIM

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 95, 15 January 1918, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1918. A VITAL WAR AIM

The recent declaration of war aims by Britain, France, and America has made it clear beyond all possibility of mistake that Alsace-Lorraine must be restored to France. Both Me. Wilson and Mn. Lloyd George have asserted most omphatically that there can be no just or stable peace until Germany hag been compelled to hand back the territory she stole from France in 1871, and the French Minister of Foreign Affairs has once again declared that France is unwavering in her claim for the restoration of Alsace-Lorraine—restoration "without a plebiscite." Why without a plebiscite? Why should France object to the application of the principle- of self-determination to her lost provinces? She objects for the good and sufficient reason that the conditions which now exist make it impossible to apply this principle in a fair and effective manner. M. Geokges Weill, formerly a member of the Reichstag for Metz, who at the beginning of the war onrolled as a volunteer in the French Army, recently stated that in France, as in Alsace-Lorraine itself, tho question of a plebiscite was not considered of tho least importance, in view of tho presence of German agents and the large number of Gorman colonists there, and of the emigration of tho native population during the war. He rightly contended that the solution of tho problem by a referendum would not be in conformity to the principle of historic equity or the desire of the people. France is not fighting in order to annex the territory of any other nation; but she is resolved to get her own back. M. Barthou voiced the sentiments of every true Frenchman when ho doclared that France cannot make any concessions to Germany regarding Alsace-Lorraine. "So long as a French poilu can hold a rifle we shall," he said, "defend the territorial integrity which we received from our fathers, and which cannot be the subject of pourparlers. Al-sace-Lorraine is tho shield of Franco and tho symbol of her unity." The question of Alsace-Lorraine has recently been given considerable prominence in connection with Germany's "diplomatic offensive." Not long ago Germany endeavoured to cause dissension among tho Allies by telling the British public that, apart from Alsace-Lorraine, "there is absolutely no impediment to peace, no question which could not be solved by negotiations or a settlement in Riich a way as to rendor superfluous the further sacrifice of blood." At the same time, she was whispering in the ear of France that Britain did not place the restoration of Alsace-Lorraine in the forefront of her war aims, and was not at all enthusiastic about it. The reply of Mb. Georoe to these poisonous insinuations of the enemy was both prompt and emphatic. He stated that however long the war lasted England would stand by France until she redeemed her oppressed children from the degradation of a foreign yoke. Germany's diplomatic) offensive is being

carried on with the most unscrupulous cunning. The Allies have to be continually on guard against it. Berlin received a contemptuous rebuff over the Alsace-Lorraine intrigue, it confirmed the Allies in their determination not to listen to any proposal for peace • without forthwith communicating it to each other. In October last tho German Foreign Secretary announced that Germany would not make any concessions in any form with regard to Alsace-Lorraine "so long as one German hand can hold a gun." Tho Kaiser is reported to have stated at ii Cabinet Council that he was determined to abdicate rather than acquiesce in tho restoration to Franco of her lost provinces. Germany is naturally extremely loth to give up the ironfields of the Briey-Long-wy district. A correspondent in Alsace, writing in the London Times, tells us that the BrieyLongwy iron is of tho utmost importance to Germany

because the German i-onfields on the other side of the Rhine are so limited in extent that of the 28 millions of tons of iron ore extracted in 1913 frruji Ger , man soil 21 millions cnine from Lorraine. Without those 21 millions, and the many more millions of which they were the successors, the war ivouid probably never have begun. Without the further millions brought to tho surface during the war—if only the French could have made an advance of three miles on a front of ten, so as to htyto occupied tho German part of the mining area, lnBteod of being compelled by the suddenness of the attack to retire and leavo their o.wn at the mercy of the onomy—it could never have been continued. That -H-as the worth of tho Brioy-Longwy mines to the German marauders.

The German disinclination to disgorge the valua/ble stolen territory is easy to understand, and yet the Gorman Government not very long ago made peace proposals to France which included an offer to restore Belgium and cede Alsace-Lorraine on condition that she was allowed to secure compensations in the form of huge slices of Russia. The French Government informed all the Allied Governments of the proposal. The pourparlers lasted about a month, the offer being firmly rejected. Sincethe failure of this diplomatic offensive there have been great changes in the war situation. Just now it seems to be Germany's policy to adopt an uncompromising attitude with regard to Alsace-Lor-raine: but, talk as loudly and as boastfully as she may about her determination to maintain the integrityof the territory handed down to her as a "glorious inheritance , ' , the day is surely coming when she will be compelled to consent, however unwillingly, to the return of AlsaceLorraine to France. The accomplishment of this act of justice, is one of the vital war ainis of tho Allies