VICTORY CLAIMED

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 94, 15 January 1935, Page 9

VICTORY CLAIMED

German Commissioner’s Statement POLICY IN THE FUTURE By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. (Received January 15, 12.10 a.m.) London, January 14. The “Daily Mail’s” Saarbrucken correspondent says that Herr Buerckel, Nazi Commissioner in the Saar, after midnight stated that reports from all Nazi Front organisers declared: We have won a great victory for Germany and the Nazi cause. At least 5000 former opponents changed their minds at the last minute in favour of Germany. One war veteran converted the Merzig Communists in a body. “Immediately the plebiscite results in the Saar’s return to Germany I will urge Communists to stay here and assure them of protection, even though they voted against Germany,” said Herr Buerckel, to Mr. Ward Price, the “Daily Mail’s” correspondent. Herr Buerckel said only those Jews who had been actively anti-German need be uneasy. He emphatically opposed concentration camps and pledged himself not to establish any in the Saar. He added that his views had Herr Hitler’s full support. OUTLOOK IN GERMANY Populace Apathetic Berlin, January 13. Unofficial estimates favour a 70 per cent. pro-German vote in the Saar, whose return the majority would welcome. Mild satisfaction rather than frenzied emotion is officially expected. The Press is enthusiastic, but despite years of intensive propaganda average citizens are apathetic, only one-tenth wearing the special commemorative but-ton-hole and only 3 per cent, of the houses being beflagged, though the streets are full of Storm Troop and Black Guard soldiers. The wireless-all day sprayed Germany with a musical programme, interspersed with election news purportedly from Saarbrucken, but mainly from Frankfort. League for a further period. It rests with the League to make a decision as to the territory’s future in whole or in part, and the League Council is now in session at Geneva for that purpose. Members of the League Council generally evidently share the desire, which the British delegates undoubtedly feel, that their part in the Saar settlement shall be completed with the least possible delay. It is strongly hoped that the matter will b'e got out of the way by the end of next week. Incidentally, it was partly to accelerate matters that the British Government took the initiative in the inquiry as to whether the German Government proposed for this special occasion to be represented on the League Council. The German Government felt unable to take such a course, but at least their experts will be in Geneva, and the close contact between the League and the German authorities, maintained on every occasion during the past year, when the Saar question was being considered, will, of course, continue. On Sir John Simon’s suggestion the Council held a special session to-day when the Committee of Three, presided over by Baron Aloisi, which succeeded a few weeks ago in producing an agreed report with’ the French and German experts on technical issues cpnnected with the plebiscite and subsequent procedure, was asked to make its special knowledge available to the Council when the decision has to be reached, “The Times” expresses a general hope of a prompt League decision as clear-cut as the voting permits, so that the way will be opened for the visit of the French Ministers to London, which is anticipated between January 20 and 25, for the consideration of other large European issues. It goes on to inquire when Germany may be expected to take her place once more among the constructive forces of international life, and in regard to a German suggestion that she would only be ready to rejoin a reformed League, remarks: “The League most certainly cannot be reformed—supposing it to be in need of reform —by dictation from without. Any country which genuinely desires the betterment of the League of Nations can best serve the cause of the League and of itself by participation and persuasion from within.” The first person outside the Saar officials to know the result of the plebiscite, a Geneva cable states, will be Baron Aloisi, chairman of the League’s Saar Committee, who will receive the figures by telephone on Monday night, after which he will immediately consult the representatives of Britain. France, and the other Powers. Subsequently resolutions relating to the future governance of the Saar will be drafted. MAN THROWS BOMB Nazis Escape Injury Saarbrucken, January 13. After throwing a bomb into the Nazi headquarters at Neunkirchen at 9.30 pan., injuring nobody, the assailant escaped after firing at his pursuers without hitting anyone. ’ INTEREST IN FRANCE Nazi Pressure Criticised Paris, January 13. Intense interest is displayed in the plebiscite in France, the newspapers publishing full accounts. The “Echo de Paris” states that the dominating atmosphere of the Saar is the German Front’s terrorism, which is hidden enough to evade the Commission’s prohibitions. The Nazis have brought scandalous pressure to intimidate those who have (he courage of their own convictions. Every house is watched and every oflicial card-index-ed. The “Petit Journal” says that Germany is extending giant tentacles to the Saar. It is another defeat for liberty, but better for peace, which is all that matters.