The Daily News. MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 1918. THE RESTORATION OF ALSACELORRAINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 1918. THE RESTORATION OF ALSACELORRAINE.

Those who closely follow the various pronouncements concerning peace must inevitably recognise that the two apparently insurmountable obstacles are the restoration by Germany of Alsace-Lor-raine to France, and the restoration to Germany by Britain of the German colonies. The more closely this matter is analysed the greater appears to be the dissimilarity of purpose of both belligerents. Germany's object is of a military nature and Britain's is purely pacific! France had not always held Alsace-Lor-raine, for it was not until between 1048 and 1697 that it was partly transferred to and partly seized by France, which held this territory until the war of 1870-1 when it was reclaimed by Germany, but during the two centuries of French rule the .people had become thoroughly French. They still remain French though under German rule, and the great wrong done in 1871 oy Germany in seizing these provinces has been intensified by the humiliating treatment they have receivfed. Germany has them in her keeping--Alsace with its rich agricultural and pastoral lands, and Lorraine with its mineral wealth and industrial activties —but they are merely an appendage of the German Empire and not a part of it with equal rights pertaining to the, other German States. The ostensible reason ; 'von by Germany for annexing these provinces was for the purpose of forming a strategic frontier. German policy is dominated by military necessity, hence the seizure of Alsace-Lor-raine was a deliberately intended menace against France for all time. To al) intents and purposes the people of this seized territory have been the slaves of their German taskmasters for nearly half a century and they -have felt the heel of the cruel oppressor with increasing force. They have been robbed of their nationality to pander to German ambition, but they have never lost hope of the great wrong 'being righted. The time has arrived when their faith in justice should -be rewarded, but Germany will never yield up her lordship over these people until she is forced. Grmany is well aware that if the principle of deciding on their own destiny was applied to the people of Alsace-Lorraine their national allegiance would promptly be transferred to France, as they have already pronounced their decision on that matter, for when the Germans were preparing their doom the deputies met at Bordeaux and solemnly recorded the firm refusal of a million and a half of people to accept German rule, but they had to bow to the inevitable and -bear the weight of oppression which hJS surely stiffened'the determination of the people to throw off the yoke at the earliest opportunity. Mr. Lloyd George must have inspired these victims ot Hun tyranny with the hope that the day of their redemption was at hand, when he gave a pledge that Britain would stand to the death by the demand of the French democracy for the restoration of these provinces. During their period of bondage to Germany every effort has been made to destroy the nationality of these people, but the French spirit and loyalty still remains as firm as ever. France has neither .forgotten nor forgiven the great wrong and nothing but restoration will satisfy the French. President Wilson is equally as insistent as Mr. Eloyd George on this restoration taking place. Germany may claim that if she is to give up Alsace-Lorraine then she must receive back her colonies. It is here that the dividing line has to be drawn between th& two cases. There was not the slightest excuse for Germany seizing the French provinces, despite the protest of the people, merely to create a strategic frontier and a "jumping off" place from which to attack France at any time —a continual menace. On the other hand the capture of the German colonies was as imper&ti

for tliey were being utilised as a menace to Britain and the Dominions. They were in 110 sense on the same plane as Alsace and Lorraine, for in not a single instance has there been any protest from tlie inhabitants of those colonies against British occupation, whilst there is every reason to believe that the inhabitants are only too pleased to be freed from German dominance and oppression. The retention of Alsace-Lorraine by Germany would be an act of the grossest injustice to the people, while the restoration of the German colonies not only be an act of the most insane folly, but also a world-wide misfortune. There is no analogy between the two principles which- operate in these totally different cases; the only point where they meet is that of the detestation of German rule. Germany's methods are so despotic, and her aims are s*o sinister that it has become a matter of urgency to institute freedom for all peoples outside the confines of Germany itself. No greater national wrong has been done in modem times, until this war started, than the compulsory severance of AlsaceLorraine from France. ''While it is true that German experimeiUs have recently been made to placate the people of Al-sace-Lorraine the efforts have been firmly resisted. The people, moreover, cling to their French nationality, and are yearning to return to their beloved Franee. Complete restitution to France is the only possible course and the Allies are pledged to this course. Xo terms of peace can be accepta/hle tlmt do not provide for the return of these provinces to France, as well as ensuring that the German colonies shall remain in British occupation, and that the Austro-Germans shall withdraw from other occupied territory. The right of human groups to select their national allegiance is now at stake and it is for the Allies to see that German domination is ended and the freedom of the peoples secured.