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Show IITCBES mm itz .econquered Lorraine Will Be Known as Territory Until Reinstated. v the Associated Press. WITH THE FRENCH ARMY AT KTZ, Nov. 23. It is going to take me time for "the territory of Metz" - accustom Itself to the changes which e being made in its administration in e opinion of the olrj inhabitants of this gion. By this name this part of re-nq re-nq tie red Lorraine will be known until has been finally and fully reinstalled the, French republic. The greater obiem will be Metz itself, the smaller wns and rural districts, excepting the inlng districts, being as thoroughly enoh as ever. Metz, the metropolis of a province, however, after having rved for forty-eight years as a German irrison, lias been Germanized to an tent that can be appreciated only by rsonal contact. The very considerable miber of German immigrants the 1m-rinl 1m-rinl army brought with it bad estab-bed estab-bed the strong German colony, almost nallng the French civilian population numbers. These Germans held all public offices and filled all the pub-posts pub-posts on railroads and in the postal 'vice. Tbcv finally succeeded in gain- an equal representation with the 'Mich In the municipal council. Fiie native population, unfailing in Its alty to France, was overwhelmed and norized and could only nurse its aff corn co-rn for France in secret. Now that the 'oration the people hoped for, almost thout daring to look for, has come, it s taken them by surprise. Those residents of Met?; who are most voted to France still find occasionally at in spite of 1 hemselves they are faking low when talking of France d their newly regained liberty, from uinetlve fear of a heavy German hand the shoulder and an invitation to fol-'v fol-'v to the police station. The German population, on the other nd, appears to lack thus far full com-ehenslon com-ehenslon of what has happened. The rman residents take the arrival of the ench troops as an unwarranted ln-sion. ln-sion. The presiding officer of the -rman civil administration. Baron von mmingen, showed surprise when Mon-nir Mon-nir Mirmnn, the prefect of Nancy, ap-inted ap-inted commissary by the French gov-nment gov-nment for Lorraine, arrived to take ssession of his post. Monsieur Mirman found a portrait of e German emperor still hanging in the ivate office of the prefecture. Nat-ally Nat-ally it was taken down and relegated a corner. This action Raron Gem-ngen Gem-ngen characterized as "violent pies-re. pies-re. " It took two days to convince the i president of the German adminlstra- ' t that the newly arrived commissary is in fact his successor and that he st give way. rder is being maintained In Metz dur-.; dur-.; the period of transition by natives Alsace-Lorraine, with tricolor badges their arms. The German signs are being given a r:n:h color, the names of hotels, res-i res-i ranis and business houses losing their -j ion flavor. The arrival of French ids, witli the prospects of more and Her food, has had a decided effect jn vring prices. Articles that were IS nks a week ago are selling for 10 1 ncs. ; Is possible today to lunch well in z for five francs. The portions on 1 principal hotel menus that were 6 rks have been cut down to 4 francs. - bread and meat rations as fixed tier the German card system will be reased on the arrival of trains of pro-ions pro-ions already on the way. Most of the French offlcals sent here administer the affairs of the territory Metz are natives of Lorraine, who ow the mentality of the populations oroughly. 'be 'municipality government will he lirely in the hands of native inhabi-uts. inhabi-uts. The municipal council, half of iich was composed of natives and Ihe ier half immigrants, has been dis-ved dis-ved because no immigrants will be ad-t'ed ad-t'ed to participation in the administra-n administra-n of affairs at present. One hundred rsons. including some women chosen mi the French "population, will In turn nose a municipal commission to take urge of (he city's affairs in co-opera- n w i tli Com m i ssa ry Mi rma n . Germans employed in pubiic adminis-'tions adminis-'tions will be retained so long as they rform their duties properly, but the diction di-ction of alt municipal affairs will wlth- forty-eight hours be entirely in the nd;i "of the French population. The neral policy will be to respect the rmans and in no way molest them as ig as they make no trouble Those it disturb the peace will be severely ilt with. |