445] THE PLEBISCITES IN THE PEACE TREATIES 1 47 



French nationality may be claimed within the period of 

 one year by Germans domiciled in Alsace-Lorraine " since 

 a date previous to July 15, 1870, or if one of their ascend- 

 ants was at that time domiciled in Alsace Lorraine," and 

 by " all Germans born or domiciled in Alsace-Lorraine who 

 have served in the Allied or Associated armies during the 

 present war, and their descendants." 



Subject to the above provisions, " Germans born or domi- 

 ciled in Alsace-Lorraine shall not acquire French nationality 

 by reason of the restoration of Alsace-Lorraine to France, 

 even though they may have the status of citizens of Alsace- 

 Lorraine. They may acquire French nationality only by 

 naturalization. . , ." 



Article 53 of the Treaty provides for separate agree- 

 ments between France and Germany "dealing with the in- 

 terests of the inhabitants, ... it being understood that 

 Germany undertakes, ... to recognise and accept the regu- 

 lations laid down in the Annex hereto regarding the nation- 

 ality of the inhabitants or natives of the said territories, not 

 to claim at any time or in any place whatsoever as German 

 nationals those who shall have been declared on any ground 

 to be French, to receive all others in her territory. . . ." 



The above quotation seems to indicate, or at least to per- 

 mit of the assumption of the right claimed by France to 

 force all or any Germans of Alsace-Lorraine who have not 

 been declared French nationals to return to Germany, an 

 inference which is apparently strengthened by the conclud- 

 ing remark of Article 53, which states that " those German 

 nationals who, without acquiring French nationality shall 

 receive permission from the French Government to reside 

 in the said territories, shall not be subjected to the pro- 

 visions of the said Article." 



The comment of the German Peace Delegation admits 

 that " according to the present general conceptions of right, 

 an injustice was committed in 1871 by the failure to hold 

 a plebiscite." ?Iowever, Germany "believed she was justi- 

 fied in doing so by the previous procedure of France and 



