The Auckland Star: WITH WITCH ARE INCORPOCATED The Evening News,Morning News and The Echo. THURSDAY,-MARCH 11, 1915. THE LOST PROVINCES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 60, 11 March 1915, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WITCH ARE INCORPOCATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

THURSDAY,-MARCH 11, 1915. THE LOST PROVINCES.

theL war Ml the state.

For the cause that lack* assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, ■For the future in the distance, And the good that tee eon da.

Very few people doubt that the close of the war will see-Alsace and Lorraine restored to France. Their practical annexation by Germany forty years ago was a gross political error, because it was air infringement of the great principle of nationalism on which' treaties and diplomatic compacts must be based, if they are to -remain unbroken and secure. The Germans still maintain that these regions were once part and parcel of the German Empire, and that in seizing them after the great war of 1870, Germany was merely entering into "her own "again. But it is about - two and a-hatf centuries since Louis XTV\ - overrad these" - provinces, and in the interval the people, of Alsace and Lorraine have become essentially French.-in„ all .their, social and Jtetohal _' iharae&ristic6", 'sympathies,' and ideals. Bismarck recognised this so clearly that, with the wisdom of a true statesman,., he Jried >to dissuade, his colleagues from rending Alsace and Lorraine from France, and thus leaving a permanent source "of friction and antagonism ' between" the £\vo nations. But yon Moltke, with.his plea of."military consideration," had his way. Since then the people of Alsace and Lorraine have been in effect subjects of the.. German Empire. But though they have been compelled to" acquiesce "sullenly in their vassalage, they havo never- ceased

to resent it or to long for the day of their ....emancipation. The.-" typically Prussian" tyranny to which they have been subjected has still further exasperoti&Ftbein- against 'fhri "Germans", and to them as to the ttholo of the French nation, the strongest justification tor the war and its crowning triumph would, be the redemption of thd lost provinces. Thos-e considerations help to explain the outbursts of patriotic enthusiasm which greeted the advance ot the French fbrcesUnto-A&alee- early in the war. At time it must be remembered that'this demonstration on the eastern frontier, was not -• undertaken simply"for ■patriotic or'sentimental reasons. As - a matter of fact the operations in Akacc tijjd oh the Lorraine border, in which a considerable body of men were employed, were directed in accordance with the strictest principles of military strategy. In a recent publication, '•The Battle of the Rivers," dealing-with the retreat of the -German -- armies* frota;.-Paris; the author, Mr. Edmund. Dane, a well known military expert, observes: "Xp. question was more repeatedly-atked during the first -weeks oi the Avar ttaau why, instead of drafting large forces to the frontier of Belgium,-. General 0 off re should have made what eeemed to be a purposeless diversion into Upper Alsace, the Vosges, and Lorraine." As a matter of fact, he proceed* to explain, these operations formed the essential feature of Joffre's plan of defence - against the sweeping German attack: If the Germans, while sending, their mam armies against Paris, had succeeded in capturing Verdun - or breaking right-through the eastern line of dßfertceS"between"Toilf "and Epinal. they could have turned the right flank of tbe Allies completely, while opening .up a second series -of communications to siipply'their armies and secure "their retreat. Realising" this,. Joflfre strengthened his.lorces on. the eastern frontier to such an extent' that, as we now "know,, the Crown Prince's army was driven back from Verdun, and the German attempt to break-through the*eastern -defences and drive" in the' French' rfgh't .wing completely failed.

At the same time the constant pressure that the French forces have continued; to- -exercise along the AlsaceEbTrauie border, bas compelled the German invading armies to hold firmly to their base"3 in the east, so as" to keep the roads open to Metz and Strasburg. For ohce their Tines "were ibrokeii'in this quarter, they would themselves be in .serious danger from outflanking moveffl'ents. But the; effect of J offre's Vigorous", measures in Alsace -and the Vosges has thus been to keep the German invading'forces, in Mr. Dane's picturesque language, "tied by the tail to the eastern frontier," unable to move .freely westward; and thus the strategy of the iFrehch Comnaander-¥as gone far to'rob the . Geriniahs of the * advantages" they secured, by forcing through Belgium into .northern France.. These considerations may help" us to appreciate the""great"Thilitary Mr>ortance .of"the movements .-still- in progress: -in Upper Aigae.e-..-:Not only-STithe--French advance a "powerful" ihceiitive" to the patriotic enthusiasm of the nation; it.is a menace Germans- "TJuUe eouoeivabiy, . when- -the -right -moment conies, ft" Wilt-be byTway of Alsace "and the Upper Rhine that the Allies "will strike the iongexpectedrblow that will compel -the. -invaders retire from France. But in any case a glance at the salient features of the military situation effectually' disposes of thendeaHhat the. French .military, authorities ever allowed Taittcal. or strategical, necessities to be" sacrificed to ; & sentimental, desire -3the patriot ism of the-people of Alsace and .Lorraine. .azi=z^- --- -. --- .. a-^-^SE^

• The British Parliament has taken a most momentous step by paeaing a Bill empowering the Crown to take control of any industries that the Government thinks it necessary to organise under State direction. This Bill simply extends and appUes_mariS .definitely- the- powers already vested in the Crown by the Defence of the Realm Act; but it marks a

most noteworthy epoch in the enlarge--racnt of the functions of the State. -Apparently Government means to begin by taking complete control of the engiTieerin'g""indu6try7 in" vi6w of the'enormous strain thrown upon it by ' the " requirements "of the army and navy, and the necessity for" meeting the" demands "made by ihe.war without delay. Such a measure is, from the industrial standpoint, quite revolutionary- We have no means of knowing how the employers have received Mr. Lloyd George's intimation that they may be called upon, in the public interest, "to throw their all "into the common stock"; but this proposal js certainly the most drastic and comprehensive of its kind ever submitted to the British Parliament; Xot

only ia Government now empowered to nationalk-e one of tlie greatest of the country's industries, but j it is authorised to apply the same prin- J ciple to -other industries, when the need arfaesj at its own discretion. This is a great' deal" to ask, and in~'our opinion j Mrrßomrr law and his followers deserve great credit for giving the Government "a free hand in regard to so novel and far-reaching a policy as this. We must remember that in England the traditions , of "LaiSserFaire" are still strong and I influential, and that the majority of British politicians and public men still refuse to admit that the State is, generally-speaking,' justified in doing anything that might infringe the sanctity | of "private enterprise." In Xew Zealand where the thought of "Government interference" hasrhmg since.ceaaed to terrify, and where- the.- functions -of the State ar.o go. widely .extended, Jthe course now adopted 'by the""'AsquitK' Administration would arouse little 'apprehiension. But- -in - England- such a - step .»/. as -i. we. _-. have . eaid, . generally regarded as revolutionary in the extreme, and it says much for the moral courage and political wisdom of Mr. Lloyd George and his colleagues that they have resolved to take it. Naturally the -Socialists among the workers at Home interpret this a* the beginning of the movement toward Collectivism, which they are always anxiously anticipating.' -But whether measures justified by such an emergency as this will ever •be converted into a precedent in times bT peace' is open to question. However, we may admit that the necessity tor centralising the control of the greatest national industries at this juncture can .be supported by exceptionally strong arguments, and that the adoption of this principle by "Parliament must be regarded as a heavy blow to the advocates of "Laisser Faire" and the enemies of "Government interference" through- 1 out .the Empire - ....... .-"*p»... . ■•- ,