SAAR PLEBISCITE

Evening Star, Issue 21879, 16 November 1934, Page 11

SAAR PLEBISCITE

ANTI-NAZIS' ALLEGATION Press Association—By Telegraph-Copyright SAARBRUCKEN, November 14. ‘The German Front in the Saar has sent a Jong memorandum to the League of Nations claiming that documents which were discovered in a house-to-house search on November 10 were planted there by anti-Nazis expelled from Germany. The memorandum denies that the German Front constitutes a Saar Nazi Party, It is merely a confederation of all Saar Germans, working for the territory’s return to the Reich within the scope of the law. NEUTRALITY VIOLATED MAYOR SENT TO GAOL. SAARBRUCKEN, Novomber. 10. (Received November 16, sit 10 a.m.) The Saar Supremo Court sentenced Mayor Ruppersberg, of Homberg, to forty-six days’ imprisonment and a fine of 2,000 francs for violations of neutrality. STATEMENT IN HOUSE OF LORDS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, November .15. (Received November 16, at noon.) Matters affecting the conduct of the Saar plebiscite were raised in the House of Lords, but Earl Stanhope, on behalf of the Government, said it would be, improper , for His Majesty’s Government, which had no responsibility apart from membership of the League, to express views on any aspect of the question. A committee of three had been appointed.to consider these questions by the League Council, and would- report to the council meeting next week. His Majesty’s Government had not received that report. Regarding the safety of Mr G. G. Knox (Saar Commissioner), the Government sent special service men from Scotland Yard, who were now on duty, for that purpose.

REPLY TO GERMAN MEMORANDUM. SAARBRUCKEN, November ,15. (Received November 16, at 12.35 p.m.) The Saar Conifnission, replying to the German memorandum, denies that Government officials provided the. antiHitlerite- newspaper with information regarding the documents seized in the German front offices. The commission has requested the, supreme tribunal to prosecute the signatories to the memorandum libelling Herr Heimburger (Mr Knox’s Cabinet chief) and Herr Ritzel (the Government adviser)._ The commission also'denies that German emigres iu the Saar are taught to use arms. i FRANCE WANTS CASH SAAR MINES AND GERMANY Spot cash for the rich Saar mines will be asked by France if the district votes in 1935 to return to Germany (says Andre Fribourg, vice president of the Foreign Affair's Committee of the Chamber of Deputies), reports the San Francisco ‘Chronicle.’ The • mines and French investments in the territory are valued at 10U,U00,000dol, and the Treaty of Versailles stipulates that Germany must repurchase these if the district goes back to the Reich. But the pact does not say how Germany is to pay, except that the price is to be fixed by a committee of three—one German,' one Frenchman, and a neutral—named by the League of Nations. Now France says the payment must be iu cash, for the nation has had enough of long-term instalments that “ never are jraid.” Such schemes as were drawn up by the Dawes and Yonug Committees, Fribourg says, are “valueless.” He added: “Furthermore, if the Saar returns to Germany the political barrier between France and the territory will be fortified immediately by an iron tariff wall.” • Sixty per cent, of the Saar’s exports under the present regime come into France, while France sells the Saar only 5 per cent, of her exports. “ Inhabitants of the Saar,” Fribourg says, “ need not hope to get economic concessions from us if _ they reject the League of Nation’s regime.” Ownership of the mines and the right to exploit them came to France at the end of the World War as recompense for damages inflicted in the coal and iron sections of Northern France. .

All hope that the overwhelmingly Germany population of the 747 square miles of land will vote to join France has been given up by the French, but they insist that Saar citizens would rather remain under the present

League management than return to Nazi-dominated Germany. Regardless of the outcome, the League, by the Treaty of Versailles, will have the last word as to what is to be done. It may hand it all back to Germany, give it to France, decide to continue its own control, or give part to France and part to Germany. The League is required to take the wishes of the people into account, but it is not bound to abide strictly by the vote.