ALSACE-LORRAINE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 54, 4 March 1918, Page 5

ALSACE-LORRAINE

French mmmimitßmm FURTHER EXPOSURE OF GERMAN HUMBUG. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association; PARIS, Mareh 2. ' At the national Alsace-Lorraine cele'bration at the Sorboime (th e theological college in the University of Paris) there was an imposing ceremony. M. Pichon {Foreign Minister), on behalf of the Government, said that Count von Efcrt--ling (Imperial German Chancelloi 1 ) was pretending that the annexation of Al-sace-Lorraine was carried out in order to re-occupy German territory whichFranc 0 had usurped. The ex-Em press Eugenie (wife of Napoleon 111., Eijiperor of the France), however, had just given to th e national archives a letter from William 1., dated October 26th, 1870 '(at which tim e she was acting- as regent in the absence of the Emperor), saying that "Germany insists upon territorial concessions for no other reason, except to make sure that the next war will find her better prepared to meet, aggression, which is certain to come directly France has regained, her strength and secured allies."

M. Pichon also read n telegram diited July 31st, 1914, from J>r von Bethmannj Hollweg (ex-German Chancellor) to von Ohoen '(German Ambassador at Paris).; This stated. If the French. Government remain neutral' von C.'hoen must inform, them that as a guarantee of such neutrality Germany would insist upon Franco handing over tli e fortresses of Toul and Verdun, which she would occupy! and restor e after the wel£. Germany must have a reply before 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon.

The significance of Alsace and Lor- v raine is described by a recent 'writer in the Atlantic Monthly as heing far more than a matter of restoring 1 theiiitecrrity 01 France ns •is existed before 1870. The real situation is. that Al-sace-Lorraine and the conquered lands of Northern France contain th e groat r est iron ore deposits in Europe. If •Germany were to be deprived! of Al-•sace-Lorra'ine, her power for ovil in Europe would' at once be cut off, because she would have no iron. In addition, valuable deposits- of potash . salts in Alsace add- materially to : the" ; yaUie of the lost provinces, and in H that; degree complicate their relinquishment. When Moltke in 1870 insisted u'pbn,'and) Bismarck against hi& better ment assented to, the annexation, of Al-sace-Lorraine the main thought in their minds was that of securing a. strategic frontier. They secured, though they did not. know it at the time; something far more valuable than thit. They secured the largest deposit of iron ore in Europe and the second- largest in- the world, 1 surpassed in value and extent only byi the Lake Superior Michigan, Wisconsin, and MinnesotaThe soil'of the lost provinces has .made Germany's fortunes'; She has;. d'ferily©cl from it Her metallurgical ascendancy; the'.motive power for her industries, htir wealth, and as'a consequence her nava], military and political power., ,- The field extends beneath the. portion oi Northern France at present lender German occupation. Suppose Germany were--to win and .were to annex th® greater half of "the ferruginous basih' that lies on French soil. . Territorially it won I'd be a ■ very small acquisition'. Economically its- value would be inestimable. It would- mean tliat after the •war Germany would b e able to raise some. 46,000.000 tons of iron ore a year, while the French output vo-uld. be-re-duced 1 to a bare 4.000,000 tons. Suppose, on the other hand, that- the 'allied victory is as complete as thev all' intend it shall be, and l . that Alsace-Lor-raine is restored to France. The situation in that - case would he, almost precisely- reversed. - France would !bp in. .ft position to extract about 43,000.000 tons of ore a year, and Germany wouM haye to remain satisfied -with , a .maximum yield of, some 8.000,000 tons. • No bloT could more effectually cripple, German industrialism, and- with it, Germany's capacity to organise another war, than' the loss of the Lorraine ore beds ; and nothing could l so certainly and so_ sueedily re-establish the e coriomic equilibrum of , France as to regain possession of them, In the fate of. there is involved: nothing less than the industrial primacy of Europe. . ESPIONAGE IN FRANCE. SEV.ER.ALi ADDITIONAL. ARRESTS. (Australian and N-Z. Gablo Association """PARIS, March 2. , Five persons have been, arreslted on suspicion of espionage. They include -'Seezy%Jephy, ni; actress who WJis .lately appearing with Madame Sarah Bern-1 hardt.' Dephy occupied a sumptuous flat. HORNET'S NEST, OF FINAXCLA!L. SCHEMERS. . (Rec. March 4-, 8.50 a.m.) PAULS, March 3. The espionage 'case has' revealed o, veritable hornet's nest of financial schemers in Switzerland; working in Germany's interests. The chief operator is. an Austrian banker, named Rosenberg, who lived in Paris till the war, and then took refuge ait Zurich. -Ha engaged a large ' staff of spies, for whose payment Erzberger, the German, "iteputy, a large sum. 'Erz"berger and 8010 stayed at th e same hotel at Zurich in ;,191>5. Evidence was obtained of the visits of agents who frequently visited Zurich, returning paid with. Swiss cheques ai Paris "banks. INTER-AltliED SOCIALIST CONFERENCE. GERMAN' 'SOCIALISTS . ttLPOTENT. (Published in The Time*-.) , AMSTERDAM, March 2. ybrwaerte,. (the leading Sdiualist . organ) commenting on the 'lnter-Allied Socialist Conference war aims, .states that Germany does not now contain any party willing to act to the country's disadvantage. It confesses that the Socialists are impotent. ■ ' j WARNING TO GERMAN BUSINESS MEN. ESTABLISHMENT OF RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT. (Rec. March' 4, 8.50 a.m.) WASHINGTON. March 3. The referendum of Chambers of Commerce of the United States ingly favours the resolution . warning Germap. business men that' an economic combination will be formed against them after the war unless .the danger of excessive ..armaments is removed, by lt»king the German Government re (sponsible controlled by "th •• people. RUNNING FIGHT \*TTn A SUBMARINE. AMERICAN' STEAMER SINKS IT-BOAT. (Rec. March 4, B.SO a.m.) ■ WASHINGTON March X The American steamer Nznma had a two . hours' running fight with a submarine. The submai'ine was sunk.

THE GERMAN RAIDER THE IGOTZ MENDI. •INCIDENT IN THE GULF OF . MEXICO. SPANISH OFFICER'S COURAGE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association) COPENHAGEN, March 1. Several British steamers were seen on: January- 24th, when the Igofcz . Mendi (theSpanis-h steamer captured by the German sea .raider Wolf and utilised! to convey, the passengers and crews of the/sunken vessels to Germany, but was stranded north of -Jutland) was in. the Gulf -of Mexico. The German crewprepared- to sink the Igotz Mendi, but Susaeta, the Spanish first officer, threw all-tie bombs, overboard. The British steamers passed unsuspectingly. Susaeta was court-martialled and admitted- throwing the bombs overboard. He;, declared- that he could not allow th e .- ship-' to .be, . sunk while women and children were on board'. Susaeta was locked up till the Igotz Mendi stranded.. CAPTURE OF THE HITACHI MARU (Rec. March 4. 8.50 a.m.) -: - - COPENHAGEN, March 3. .Tiife raider Wolf captured the Hitachi Marti on the 26th September. Fourteen of>tlie crew and two Indian passengers I were'killed in the fight. •The -Wolf sank the Hitachi Maru on 7th November. v V THE ARGENTINE -v THEf RAILWAY STRIKERS. OOOTLICT WITH THE MILITARY. " - (Rec. Maxch 4. 8.50 a.m.). - BUENOS AIRES, March 3. -There-wereiserious: armed conflicts, be-tween'-the' rail-way strikers and- the trbops. ' Two " strikers wer e killed and many-wounded. - BRITISH. FOOD SUPPLY EXPERIENCES OF RATIONING. (Rec.--Maxch 4, 8.50 a.m.) • - LONDON, March 3. : The first week's experience of rationirig is mpre .satisfactory than the queues, {jut' it lias disclosed the need of amending details; specially- as regards meat. The majority of families kept the week's coupons for the- Sv.nday joint, thus creating a week-end rush, with which th"butchers were unable to cope. There were some queues- on Sunday. : MINERS AND RATIONING. J Australian and NVZ. Cable Association • • LONDON, March 1. ■- In the House of Commons Mr Herbert Samuel warned the Food 1 Ministry that • &is constituents were threatening to down tools if they were rationed >ott. the London basis, which took no 3a!cccunfc <of- occupations. Miners could • -liot-hew. holes -oti: vegetables. - Mr Glvnes replied that heavy workers: would be allowed more meat than other people.

INDIA / - THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. ■;WAR -MEASURES. {Renter's Telegrams.) , . DELHI, March 2. Sir William' *Meyer (a member of the ■Council of the - Governor-General) presented' the annual Financial Statement to tie Council of India. The year clossurplus of £5,750 000 due to the favourable monsoon and the record growth of railway receipts, but this -is- counter-balanced' by t'he increase in -military charges, now totalling nearly £29,000,000.. It has only been pos- i Pible to meet tK e heavy demands upon the resources of the Government for financing the war by the success of the ■war loan, which brought in £35,000.0 <■ and the, Indian Treasury bill issues, -svhich ar e expected to total about g>: t) 000,000 bv the end- of the year. " Xhirincr 1917 the Government put £32,000,000 into British Treasury; bills, making th e total since the beginning of the "war so invested £67,000.000. Theso figures are independent of India's special contributions of £100,000,000 to tho Imperial! Government. The estimated revenue shows a surplus for 1918-19 of £2,250,000. The government does not- intend to increase taxation, but it is proposed to raise a further war loan of an unlimited amount. It is claimed that the war has "brought out India's financial strength in a remarkable manner.

IftHANO CATTLE DRIVING AND LAND SEIZURE. OUTRAGES IN GALWAY. 'AniitrSiian and N.Z. Cable Association) LONDON, March 1. Lawlessness" continues in th e West and South of Ireland. There have been numerous raids -■ for arms, and cases of 'cattle driving 1 and seizure land, tut the military now control County Clare, and l civilians are not allowed out after nightfall. . xj. party of moonlighters in Galway fired, nine shots at a farmer's house. Similar outragti> have occurred else•where. , . Sinn Fiener.s ar«- also puhlicly burning the American Han. ' Michael Brctiuan, styling himself ""General commanding thg forces of tho Irish Republic in County Clare," luu•been arrested I He has been accustom to it-ravel the district dressed in a Ichaki uniform. Th P Daily Mail's Enrvs correspondent pavs the m-asric touch of authority ha? restored order. It is clear that all lawlessness has disappeared.