Show Als Lorraine Alsace cLorraine When Bismarck dictated the terms of settlement with France in 1871 which included the ceding by France ance of Alsace i and Lorraine to y Marshal McMahon Mcl on the part of France besought Bismarck to not exact that but to increase the money indemnity and explained that the people of those provinces provinces inces were French that their hatred of Germany jermany would be transmitted trans trans- from sire to son increasing as as time we went t on and that the provinces would be a a. weakness rather than han add to the strength of the German empire t tt But t Bis Bismarck insisted and the cession was made and now after two forty years while France Flance proper has become tolerant t ward toward Germany the people thus tr transferred hate Germany with a venom nowhere else seen that of the Poles toward Ru Russia sia Th There e was a clash in the little town of i in Alsace a a. a few da days s ago between n the populace and the German garrison and the soldiers cleared a street at the point of the baYonet It was was a trifling incident so far as any damage was as done but it has has increased the hate of the people in that provInce and from the has stirred the as nothing else has f for r many months f The trouble win vill do doubtless be patched up but the statesmen I must keenly realize the prescience of McMahon ahon when he he told the iron chancellor that the provinces would be a source of f w weakness akness rather than strength for aU all time to come to Ger- Ger many any They know that today were Germany to become involved in- in in war var it would be necessary to detach from her armies force enough to prevent provin provinces s from helping German Germanys Germany's s 's enemies I |