The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING, "Luceo Non Uro" FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 1935. THE SAAR MINORITY

Southland Times, Issue 22489, 25 January 1935, Page 6

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING, "Luceo Non Uro" FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 1935. THE SAAR MINORITY

History contains a pathetic list of minorities deserted by their strong friends and left to the tender mercies of oppressors. The Armenians can be mentioned as a strong illustration of this aptitude of the great Powers for the desertion of those who have assisted them or have relied on them during times of stress. It looks as if the latest illustration will be supplied by the Saar. If the Allies—or perhaps it would be more tactful to say the League of Nations —had been satisfied that the population of the Saar was largely in favour of a return of this area to Germany, and if it had been known that economically France was by no means averse to the district going back, much trouble, much suffering, and much persecution could have been avoided had the League acted without any plebiscite. The plebiscite seems to have served its purpose in showing a decided Nazi majority, but as this majority was obtained under persistent terrorism, which no neutral control seemed to be able to check, the actual figures in the voting count for nothing. What the plebiscite has done, however, is to reveal unmistakably to the Nazi organizations those who do not favour them. The minority in the Saar voted under international protection—troops were sent in to see that no disorders occurred while the actual voting was in progress, but the force departs at the end of next month, and the Nazis will then be in complete control in the Saar. Herr Hitler has given assurances that there will be no reprisals, but the value put on these assurances is shown by the numbers of refugees seeking to cross the frontiers, and to remove themselves beyond the reach of the German National Socialists. Already there have been local threats, and one man who has been active in the Saar, has been shot because he resisted arrest by the German police on a charge of embezzlement laid outside of the Saar area. It is peculiar that Paul Meyer, one of the German anti-Nazi leaders in the Saar, is removed a few days after the poll, almost within a few hours of Hitler’s assurances that there would be no reprisals, and there does not seem to be any doubt that he was sought by the police because of his “separatist” ideas. The record of the Nazis in dealing with those who do not see eye to eye with them, is such that those in the Saar who voted against the return to Germany will be justified in feeling nervous of their safety after the withdrawal of the International force. The recrudescence of Nazi activity in Austria is also interesting. It must be remembered that the Nazi leaders make no secret of the fact that in their opinion, frontiers are not barriers to German nationalism. This is the basis of that policy which reaches out beyond the German frontiers, and through activity, violent or otherwise, seeks to establish a connection between these distant German groups and the German Republic. Hitler states that the return of the Saar will put an end to ill-feeling between Germany and France, but before anybody can be satisfied that the return of the Saar, assures the peace of Europe, so far as Nazi ambitions are concerned, it will be necessary to see what will happen in connection with the Polish corridor and with Austria- Efforts to bring Austria into a Customs Union with Germany failed and had to be abandoned; but, quite a long time ago, the Hitlerites made it abundantly clear that if they could not secure a Customs Union, they would establish such a strong bond of friendship between Austria and Germany that the Customs Union would be de facto, if not de jure. The Nazis have hesitated to go further with anything calculated to infringe the independence of Austria, because Mussolini has shown that he is prepared to use force to maintain Austria’s independence, and it looks very much as if the only means by which the violence of the Nazis can be kept within

German frontiers is the blunt warning that her neighbours will use force if necessary. Something of the sort might afford the best means of ensuring proper treatment in the Saar to those who had the temerity to vote against re-union • with Germany. Nothing of the sort will be done, of course, because behind it will be the threat of war, but that appears to be the only method by which the Nazis can be induced to make good the assurances given by their leader.