COUP PLANNED

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 92, 12 January 1935, Page 7

COUP PLANNED

Reported Intention of Nazis in Saar SEIZURE OF POWER / I Action Before Result of Voting Is Known PROBLEM FOR LEAGUE By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received January 11, 11.35 p.m.) London, January 11. Tiio “Manchester Guardian’s” Saarbrucken correspondent says that Nazis are planning to celebrate victory in the Saar before the result of tlie plebiscite is known. The operation is timed to begin on Sunday evening. The seizure of power is then to proceed quietly but emphatically, including post offices, railways, power stations, and other buildings. If the plans are carried out the League will be confronted with the accomplished fact of a Nazi Saar, irrespective of the result of the voting or the final decision at Geneva. It is difficult to see how international troops can interfere If the coup succeeds the responsibility will lie with the German Government. Procedure After Vote. The “News-Chronicle’s” Geneva correspondent says that the procedure re-, garding the Saar’s future will depend on the result of the voting. If every district votes for a return to Germany or for maintaining the status quo, the Council’s task should be easy, but if some communes vote one way and some the other the problem immediately becomes more complicated and even dangerous.. The peace treaty empowers the council to dispose of the territory much as it thinks fit, taking into consideration the wishes of the inhabitants, but any proposal for a partition’ of the territory would meet with strong opposition. Everybody is therefore hoping that the issue will be able to be decided finally without delay. . ' 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 ner cent, of the population vote against the territory returning to Germany, the League ought to split the Saar, making the area on the left bank of the river a refuge for Saarlanders who have voted for the status quo,” lie said. If the League declines. Herr BraUn will appeal to it for transportation funds. He added that 4000 Jews are making their owu arrangements to quit the territory. Unruly Street Scenes. Unruly scenes in the streets of Saarbrucken continue to be associated mainly with the arrival of voters from abroad. German Front officers say their followers have been urged not to overdo the welcome to foreign voters, but members of the United Front allege that the demonstrations are secretly planned. The result of the plebiscite will be broadcast on Monday in German, French and English, from Wartburg Hall, as they are received from the 83 districts, and finally the total vote on each of the three alternatives will be given. It is hoped that this will keep manv Saarlanders at home instead of roaming the streets. The results are being relayed to foreign stations. TO VOTE AGAINST HITLER Man Travels 7000 Miles , (Received January 11, 7.50 p.m.) London, January 11. Herr Hans Frohlich, a German Jew, arrived at Southampton from Johannesburg en route to Saarbfucken. He says he has undertaken the 7000-mile trip purposely to vote against Herr Hitler.