In addition, German hostility to the Alsatians is shown by a number of
childish measures against Alsatian uniforms and costumes, in
proportion as they resemble the French.
In all seriousness the question arose of forbidding the Catholic
Clergy to wear the soutane, as it was the custom in the Latin
countries. It was given up; but steps were taken in the case of the
firemen.
The _Nouvelle Gazette_ of Strassburg published an official notice,
dated the ninth of December, 1915, which emphasized an order
suppressing the uniforms worn by the Alsatian firemen because the cut
was French, as was the cap, and complained that this order was not
everywhere observed:
Recently, in the course of a fire which broke out near
Molsheim, it is an established fact that the firemen wore
their old Alsatian uniforms, and that the fire alarm was
sounded by means of the old clarions of the type in use in
France. The _Kreisdirection_ finds itself obliged to insist
that the suppressed uniforms disappear, and that the
clarions do likewise; and to ask that it be informed of
contraventions that happen in the future.
Other societies and associations, such as the singing
societies which frequently still wear uniforms recalling
those of the French collegians, ought to lay aside the
forbidden garments, which are to be entrusted to the guard
of the police.
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