SEDITION IN ALSACE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20318, 28 January 1928, Page 4

SEDITION IN ALSACE.

repressive measure. The French Government recently decided to take energetic measures to put an end to the autonomist movement in Alsace. This decision was conveyed in a letter from the President of the Council to a deputy of the Bas Rhin, who had protested against the recent suppression of three autonomist newspapers published in German. M. Poincaire approached the autonomist question from the point of view of its international reaction and Franco-German relations. As French legislation does not provide for the repression of autonomist intrigues it is the Government’s intention, M. Poincaire stated, to ask Parliament to pass an urgent Bill for the repression of movements harmful to national union, whatever their form, and wherever they may arise, but in the meantime, it must employ the means at its disposal and will utilise to this end laws such as that in virtue of which—the law in question provides for suppression of newspapers written in a foreign language—the suppression of the three autonomist newspapers has been enforced. Pointing out the facilities recently given for the use of German in Alsace, the President of the Council denied that there was any desire to “outlaw” it as a language as had been suggested. At the same time, he said, “German cannot be regarded in Franco as a second national language,”