VOTING IN THE SAAR

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 39, 14 January 1935, Page 7

VOTING IN THE SAAR

AN ORDERLY POLL NO DISPLAYS OF YIOLENCE u (United Press Association.— By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received January 14, 11.25 a.m. SAARBRUCKEN, Jan. 13. Perfect organisation has characterised the Saar plebiscite. There is quiet orderliness at the polling and excellent discipline by the voters, remarkably contrasting with the fantastic rumours baselessly circulated. A wide tour of the territory completely discounts tales of brawls and shots, the most formidable missiles being snowballs, and the only fighters being children.

The trades unions, confidently expecting- a pro-Hitler result, "declared a holiday for Tuesday, enabling th e greatest celebration for fifteen years to be held.

The cost of the plebiscite

is estimated at £OOO,OOO

ELECTION IN THE SNOW

People waited patiently in slushy show to exercise their sulfrage, while the international troops, except those detailed to guard and transport the voting urns, philosophically remained in the barracks. The queues throughout the Saar lengthened hourly with the arrival of foot passengers and all sorts of vehicular travellers, who were given a tree passage in trains and postal vans. Fifty per cent, bad voted bv noon and 90 per cent, by 7 o’clock in the evening. Squads of Deutseh Fronters, equipped with axes and spades, helped motoring voters by clearing snowdrifts from the roads. Others supplied information outside the booths. Some bore posters inscribed, “Keep your mouths shut,” as the result ot which nobody was disfranchised lor saying “Heil Hitler,” or giving tlie Nazi salute.