AGITATION IN ALSACE.

Evening Star, Issue 20057, 24 December 1928, Page 8

AGITATION IN ALSACE.

It would appear from cables bearing, on the,.shooting.,of.,a judge that,th,e}-e aro the elements of serious trouble in Alsace. The district, consisting of most of Alsace- and a considerable portion' of Lorraine,;’was, taken by Germany from France as a result of the war of 1870 and restored to Franco under the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. When Germany took control she employed characteristic -metho'ds to.majee it a German province. By degrees a local. Parliament was established, and a certain number of members were sent to the Reichstag,--..but .though , the words local government were used they had little reality, as every law passed had to receive the approval of Berlin. The iron- hand, was felt, and people of French sympathies had a hard time. An article of the treaty of 1871, allowed those inhabitants who wished to remain under French rule to move away within fifteen months. Nearly 60,000 did'so. Then a migration; began from Germany. The arbitrary action of the Germans caused much unrest and this ended in ' disturbances which which brought about reprisals. Social organisations were' dissolved, a league of patriots suppressed, schools were closed, and prominent persons exiled, deprived of office, or punished in otherways. The use of French names, both for Christian names and trading, was forbidden, the German garrisons were increased, and stops were taken to make Strasbourg University a centre of German influence. The French spirit, however, was sufficiently strong n time went on to gain certain concessions, but the Germans achieved their main end, for in 1910 only 204,262 of the people spoke French, and 1,643,620 German.

Ever since, the debacle caused by the misrule of Napoleon 111. and his inefficient and corrupt Ministers it had been the ardent desire of the French people to win back Alsace-Lorraine. It was a burning in their minds. This aim was achieved with the victory of the Allies in the Great War nd the; return of . the province was included, in . the peace terms with the hearty consent of all, and was one of the clauses to which no objection was raised by the Germans. The French moved slowly, recognising possible effects from the changed character of the population, arid certain usages' 'and establishments on thp German model, which were not employed in France, were retained. In effect the frariiework created by Germany was not altered in any very material way, but the privileges of self-government were ; substantially 'extended; The' French Government has kept the solemn promise made, during the war by French statesmen and generals to the effect that the customs and beliefs of the people -would bo respected. In religious matters the Republican Government lias maintained the status quo—that is to say the Concordat is- maintained, also the denominational schools. Before the war there were in the territory 1,428,343 Protestants and 408.274 Roman Catholics, so that it will be clear that wisdom is needed in dealing with religious problems. • Indeed, the, trduble, ’ that 'is reported to-day is apparently due m part to religion—not to sectarian.divisions, it is said, but to the, general attitude oT‘the French Governmoin; “ on 1 religious : matters. Though events oa the jyholo.have pro*

ceedcd ■ peaceably enough in Alsace in the hiot ten years, there have been evidence at intervals of discontent with the prevailing; political conditions. At the time of the hew arrangement under the-Peace, Treaty all the- political parties in Alsace and Lorraine were enthusiastically for French control, but since'then discontent has arisen among a section of the ; people. Seeing no possibility of a return to the provinces, German influences have devised a line of attacks in a movement : for autonomy. This has been going on for some time. .There has, been no indi-cation-lately of what success has been achieved in this direction. Some months ago agitators were brought to court and punished on the ground of treasonable activities. It can be understood that many Germans do not relish the thought of these two rich provinces being in the hands of France, and there are dangerous possibilities of a clash of racial interests as well as of trouble over matters of religion.