PLEBISCITE TOMORROW

Northern Advocate, 12 January 1935, Page 9

PLEBISCITE TOMORROW

FUTURE OP SAAR NAZIS PLAN A COUP COUNTING ON VICTORY. PROBLEMS FOR THE LEAGUE. [United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright .] (Received 9 a.m.) LONDON, January 11. The Saarbrucken correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian” says the Nazis are planning to celebrate a victory in the Saar before the result of Sunday’s plebiscite is known. The celeTTration is timed to begin on Sunday evening. Seizure of power is then to proceed quietly, but emphatically. The Nazis intend to take possession of the post offices, railways, power stations and other buildings. If these plans are carried out the League will be confronted with the accomplished fact of a Nazi Saar,' irre-: spective of the result of the voting or of the final decision of the League, It is difficult to see how the international troops can interfere effectively, and if the coup succeeds the responsibility will lie with the German Government. The Geneva correspondent .of the “News Chronicle” says the procedure regarding the Saar’s future will depend on the results of the voting. If every district votes for return to Germany or for the status quo the task of the League Council should be easy, but if some communes vote one way and some the other the problem will immediately, become more complicated—even dangerous to peace. The Treaty of Versailles empowers the Council to dispose of the territory much as it thinks fit, taking into consideration the riches of the inhabitants, says the correspondent. However,. any proposal for the partition. of the territory would meet with, strong opposition. Everybody, therefore, is hoping that the result of the plebiscite will enable the issue to be decided finally and . without'delay. > ■ Herr Hans Frohlich, a German Jew, arrived at Southampton from Johannesburg today on his way to Saarbrucken. He said he had undertaken the 7000 miles’ journey purposely to vote against Herr Hitler. A message from Saarbrucken states that oh the eve of Sunday’s plebiscite to determine the future control of the -; Saar, the 'German front,; tho Nazi organisation has instructed all its supporters to decorate their,.houses, tomorrow night with garlands and illuminations so that every German house will be recognisable. The opposition has countered the move by askr ing its supporters to do the same. It is officially announced that the plebiscite result will not be declared until 8 p.m. on Tuesday. TURBULENT SCENES. IN STREETS OF CAPITALRESULTS BY RADIO. ANNOUNCEMENT ON MONDAY. (Received 9 a,m.) SAARBRUCKEN, January 11. Unruly scenes in the streets of Saarbrucken continue. They are associated mainly with the arrival of voters from abroad. Officers of the German Front state that their followers have been urged not to overdo the welcome to foreign ' voters, but members of the \United Front allege that the demonstration has been secretly planned. The results of the progress of the plebiscite will be broadcast on Monday in German, French and English from Wartburg Hall, as- they are received from the 83 districts. Finally the total votes for each of the three alternatives will be given. It is hoped that this will, keep Saarlanders at home instead of roaming the streets. The results are to be relayed to foreign stations. The Socialist leader, Herr Braun, declares that if the vote favours Germany 50,000 people will want to-leave the Saar as refugees. “Even if only 20 per cent, of the population vote against the territory returning to Germany, the League of Nations ought to split the Saar and make the area on the left bank-of the river a refuge for Saarlanders who have voted for the status quo,” says Herr Braun. If the League declines to do this, Herr Braun v/ill appeal to it for transportation funds. He says 4000 Jews are making their own arrangements to quit the territory.