THE SAAR VOTE

Hokitika Guardian, 15 January 1935, Page 5

THE SAAR VOTE

TAKEN IN PEACE

THE LAST EPISODES.

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright).

LONDON, . January 13. The “Daily Express’s’’ special Saar fl>rucken correspondent says; The French frontiers, were closed this afternoon to all S a arlandei’s .unless they had special permits. The official reason given in the desire to prevent thirsty Saarlanders from crossing to France'to celebrate the plebiscite. The real 'reason is the fear that a flood of emigrants will rush to France to escape the (Hitlerites’ persecution and ervenge. .

Even blind, deaf .and , aged registered votes to-day. ; <T.bpse unable to -walk were carried. If the voter were Wind or could neither ; r e ad nor write a friend, helped..hiiTl to. vote.

At Beckinge.n,, ,an -old • woman beicame so excited after, voting that she fell in a fit, and died en,,-route to the hospital. A miner, in another Tillage while waiting to vote, heard that' his cottage was on fire. He • insisted;: on voting before returning; 'then.: found the cottage burnt down. • ’-Hitlerites. 'alone* bad cars. ■ The status .quo party announced that it ■relied on Jewish supporters for'cars, (but the Jews were so intimidated by Nazi threats that they did-not dare Use their ca r s. The “Times” Sa.arbruckon correspondent says - that some booths recorded a 100 per cent, poll. •>/Six hundred booths, roughly oiie for every 700 inhabitants, have' beetff prOtidOd in 23 electoral districts.

THE FIRST NEWS

FOR THE LEAGUE CHAIRMAN

GENEVA January 13,

The first person, outside the' Saar 'to know the result of t]ie plebiscite 'will 'be ' Signor Aloisi, Chairman - of tho T-eiigiie’s Saar Committee, who will telophonically receive the figures on Monday night, after which he will immediately c°nsult with the representatives of Britain, France land oth e r Powers. Then , resolutions relating to the future governance of the Saar will be drafted. 'LONDON, January 13

The ‘‘Times” expresses the general hope of a prompt; League .decision as dear-cut ras the voting . permits, s" the way'-may 'he opened . ff>r a visit of 'Fredch /Ministers to .Tjon/Jon, . anticipated between January 20 and 25, for consideration of othfr . la r ge European issues. It goes ion to enquire when Germany may the expected to take hey place one more among the constructive forces of international lilfe, )and in regard to the German suggestion that she would only be (ready to rejoin -a , reformed League remarks,;. “The. League most certainly cannot, be reformed—supposing it he. in need of reform—by dictation ■from without,. Any country which genuinely,, desires betterment of the /League of Nations can best serve the cause of the. League a.ud itself by participation and persuasion from within. .

NO VICTIMISATION

LONDON, January 13.

“Immediately that the plebiscite results in. the 'S a 'ar a r e returned to ■Germany, I will urge the Communists to stay here, and will assure them of protection, even though they have voted against 'Germany.’’ said Herr Buerckel (Hitler’s lieutenant! to Mr Wal'd Price, the “Daily Mail’s” . correspondent. Herr "Buenckel said : “On>v those Jwes who have been .actively anti" Germany need be uneasy.” (He stated that he is . emphatically opposed to any concentration . camp.i, and he pledged himself not- to establish any in the Saar, He added his [views had' 'Herr Hitler’s full support.

BOMB PROVES HARMLESS iSAARBRUCKKN. January 14. (Nobody was injured at Xeunkidchen through the. bomb throwing outrage.

FAVOURS GERMANY. (Received thi s dov at 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, January 14. The “Mails’ ” 'Saarbrucken correspondent savs Buerckel, after midnight, stated reports from all Nazis ‘Front organisers declared : “We have won a great victory for Germany and the Nazi cause.” . At least five thousand former opponents changed their minds at the Tiasti minute’ in favour of Germany. fAne war veteran converted (Merzig Communists in a body. ' 1 1

LEAVING SAAR

SOCIALISTS PROTEST

(Received thi s day at, 11.15 a.m.') PARIS, January 14.

The Minister of the Interior calculates that 50,(XX) Saar citizens will lattempt to cross the frontier into Lorraine. Ari inonirv is beih, r made •- in towns of northern France :is to bow refugees can be distributed'. Thus Poubaix is prepared to receive five thousand Red refugees and others, who will be housed temporarily in other towns.

All Saarbrucken correspondents concur that the Nazi Germa n front virtually swept the Saar. It is now estimated seventy-five per cent are in favour of a: return to Germany.

One English returning officer s’id: “It lias been far more orderly than English elections.”

There is a possibility of anti-Nazis protesting officially against what they describe as illegalities of the Plebiscite. Max Braun, Socialist leader, says not a single condition of a free electio n was observed. Workers won’t stand these provocations. We are drifting towards civil war. Pf’ordt, a Coiimnist leader, is taking the same line.