While engaged in his campaigns of conquest beyond the Egyptian borders Allenby had also been responsible for main- taining order in the Nile delta and for its protection against attack from without, matters that had at times given grounds for anxiety as there was much unrest due to the abnormal situation that existed. In 1919 he was definitely appointed British High Commissioner in Egypt.
ALLENSTEIN-MARIENWERDER, a region composed of dis-
tricts of the former Prussian provinces of East and West Prussia,
in which a plebiscite was taken, under the Treaty of Versailles,
on June n 1920.
Art. 94-98 of the Treaty of Versailles provided that the East Prussian Circles (Kreise) of Allenstein, Osterode, Ortelsburg, Sens- burg, Johannisburg, Lotzen, Lyck and Neidenburg, in so far as they had not already been ceded to Poland, and further the West Prussian Circles of Marienwerder (east of the Vistula), Stuhm, Rosenberg and the section of the Circle Marienburg situated east of the Nogat, should declare by a plebiscite whether they desired to belong to Ger- many or Poland. Until the plebiscite should take place the adminis- tration of these Circles was taken over by interallied commissions for East and West Prussia respectively. The commissions were com- posed of representatives of England, France, Italy and Japan. Troops for occupying the districts were provided by France, England and Italy. Two German commissions conducted the negotiations with the interallied commissions.
The whole territory has an extent of about 15,000 sq. km., and a pop. of about 855,000, of which 695,000 belong to the East Prussian plebiscitary area and 160,000 to the West Prussian. Racially the population in the East Prussian region numbers 428,000 Germans, 95,000 Poles and 172,000 Masurians, who are Slavs but of the Protestant faith. In the West Prussian region the Circle Stuhm has 21,000 inhabitants who speak German and 15,000 who speak Polish; the Circle Marienburg has 26,500 German-speaking and 1,500 Polish-speaking; Rosenberg 47,000 German-speaking and 3,500 Polish-speaking; Marienwerder 17,500 German-speaking and 25,000 Polish-speaking inhabitants.
The date of the plebiscite was fixed originally for June n 1920. Long before that date a vigorous agitation was opened by both sides. There were repeated actual encounters in different places, mostly excited by Polish bands, the so-called Bajowkas, re- cruited from Congress Poland, and the territory of Posnania which has been ceded under the Treaty. The Polish agitation, however, did not produce any marked results either in West Prussia or in East. In both regions leagues which agitated for Poland were from the native Polish and Masurian elements of the population, but in the course of the plebiscitary campaign they went over to the Germans. The plebiscite, ultimately held on July n, resulted in an astonishing German victory.
In the East Prussian region 98 % of the population voted for Germany, in the West Prussian 92 %. The result was celebrated by joyous festivities in all the East and West Prussian polling centres. Both the districts were assigned to Germany on the basis of the vote; but, in accordance with the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, a zone 50 m. broad and some 30 m. long on the east bank of the Vistula near Marienwerder and four villages with the harbour of Kurzebrack on the same river were assigned to Poland in order to secure for the Polish State, at this point, the sovereignty over the course of the Vistula accorded to it by the Treaty. The inhabitants of the adja- cent East Prussian territory are at all times to have access for them- selves and their boats to the Vistula. Three frontier communes in the south-west of East Prussia were also assigned to Poland. On Aug. 1 6 both the interallied commissions left the plebiscitary areas, which were thus once more subjected to German administration. The agitation in favour of Germany had been to a considerable ex- tent conducted by the so-called Heimatsdienst, a patriotic German society which had spread its organization over the whole of the plebiscitary areas. (C. K. *)
ALMA-TADEMA, SIR LAURENCE (Laurens) (1836-1912),
British painter (see 1.712), died at Wiesbaden June 25 1912.
The most important of his later works was " Caracalla and
Geta " (1907). An exhibition of his works was held in London
ALPHONSO XIII. (1886- ), King of Spain (see 1.736).
On returning from a military review April 13 1913, an at-
tempt against the King's life was made by an anarchist, who shot at him but only succeeded in wounding the horse. The
children born to the King are: Alphonso, Prince of the Asturias,
May 10 1907; Jaime, June 23 1908; Beatrix, June 22 1909;
Maria Cristina, Dec. 12 1911; Juan, June 20 1913; Gonzalo,
Oct. 24 1914. During the World War the King, as ruler of a
neutral country, though scrupulously preserving a neutral atti-
tude, rendered great services to the Allies by his intervention
on behalf of prisoners of war and his efforts to ascertain the fate
of men reported "missing." (Sec further SPAIN.)
ALSACE-LORRAINE (see 1.756). As the result of the World War there is no longer any " Alsace-Lorraine." The erstwhile
Reichsland, conceived by Bismarck in 1871, ceased to exist in
Nov. 1918. As before 1870, there are now again the French
departments of the Bas-Rhin (Strasbourg), the Haut-Rhin
(Colmar) and the Moselle (Metz). The return of the former
Alsace-Lorraine to the French mother-country took place
amidst the indescribable pleasure of the restored populations.
In 1921 the three departments were passing through a transi- tion period. The Germans did not occupy the country for nearly half a century without trying to leave their mark on it, without introducing their administrative methods and laws, which sometimes differ completely from those of French ad- ministration and legislation. The Government in Paris came to the conclusion that to transplant the reconquered provinces in a day from German to French ways would be to risk confusions and upsets which it would be preferable to avoid; it was thought that there was a considerable work in legislative assimilation, adaptation and adjustment, to accomplish. It was for this reason that after the Armistice a High Commission of the Republic was established at Strasbourg, comprising many departments and many different services. The General Com- mission of the Republic is directly attached to the prime minister's office, the affairs of the three departments being centralized in the hands of the under-secrctary of the presidency.
The first High Commissioner, M. Georges Maringer, was replaced in April 1919 by M. Alexandre Millerand, who went to Strasbourg with extended powers, and the title of General Commissioner. Called in Jan. 1920 to the premiership of France, M. Millerand had as successor M. Gabriel Alapetite, former resident-general for France at Tunis, and ambassador at Madrid.
Administration. The general lines upon which French legislation was to be introduced were fixed by the law of Oct. 17 1919, concerning the transitional administration of the re- covered provinces. This law settles the transitional methods to be applied to administrative, electoral and financial organiza- tion. On the other hand, constitutional laws are not dealt with, because they are ipso facto applicable by the reintegration of Alsace and Lorraine with France.
The law of Oct. 17 1919 maintains in force the legislative arrangements and local regulations (German law or special Alsace-Lorraine law) until the introduction of French laws shall have been effected. The authority of the military gov- ernors of Strasbourg and Metz is subordinated to the civil power. Article 4 of this law lays down in principle that it is for Parliament to decide what temporary measures shall be intro- duced pending the definitive introduction of French legislation. The same law establishes that the French fiscal system shall gradually be substituted for that of Germany. The electoral system is that of France. The former Alsace-Lorraine has kept certain laws passed during German rule; for instance, the laws affecting social insurance. In religious matters, the Republican Government has respected the status quo that is to say, the Concordat is maintained, also the denominational schools.
It is abundantly apparent that the Government is keeping the solemn promise made during the war by French statesmen and generals to the effect that the customs and beliefs of the people would be respected. The mission of the Commissioner- General is extremely delicate. He has departmental respon- sibility in these three departments unknown in others. He has to determine how, in what length of time, and with what pre- cautions French laws can be successively applied there. In submitting legislation, he has to inform Parliament as to the gravity of the disturbance which changes must make in settled habits and customs, and as to the difficulties accompanying the return to French rule.
