THE SAAR IN PAST YEARS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 94, 15 January 1935, Page 9

THE SAAR IN PAST YEARS

French For Brief Period PROPAGANDA BEFORE PLEBISCITE The Saar plebiscite provided an opportunity to show to which nation (France or Germany) the Saarlanders belong. ' This river basin was part of ■Prussia and Bavaria prior to the World War. It had only been in French possession for 16 years during the reign of Louis XIV, and for a short period during the Napoleonic wars. In 1814 the Ftench were forced to surrender all except two towns and a strip along the bank of the Saar. Evon this had to go after Waterloo. France’s claim to the Saar during tlie peace negotiations was based partly on the need for reparations for her destroyed coal, and partly on an appeal to historical associations and the right of having returned to her the frontiers laid down in the Treaty of Paris in 1814. Annexation of the territory by France was opposed by both England and America. After some talk of a French mandate, a compromise was arrived at by the surrender to France of_ the German State mines in the Saar, while the political control of the country remained with the League of Nations. Self-determination was to be granted to the Saarlanders, but only after 15 years, when a plebiscite was to be held for return to Germany, incorporation in France, or a continuation of the status quo. This plebiscite has now been taken. Saar Administration. The regime, as designed by the Treaty of Versailles, came into operation without any serious difficulties. It could not, however, be said that it ran smoothly from the beginning. During the first three years, when the Saar Governing Commission was under the chairmanship of.M- Rault (a Frenchman), there were constant bickerings and protests from Germany, and they were justified, for he was bent on “Frenchifying” the area.- This state of affairs reached such a point that in 1923 Great Britain brought the matter to the notice of the League at Geneva. The upshot was that the League Council expressed its “utmost satisfaction with the work of the Governing Commission during three and a half difficult years.” At the same time, the Commission was told that it was to consider itself collectively responsible to the League Council for the good government of the Saar and the carrying out of the Treaty of Versailles. In addition, the Commission was informed that it was high time a local police force was organised to replace the garrison of Allied troops still in control. During the next four years there was relative peace, though protests and-petitions from one side or the other did not entirely stop. It was not, however, till December, 1930, that tlie last Allied soldier left the Saar and the Governing Commission had to rely, for the first time, on the locally-enlisted force. Enter the Nazis. With Hie advent of Herr Hitler, the Saar took on yet another aspect. It had been considered that with tt population predominately German, there was only one possible decision to the plebiscite. Now, there were complications. Foreign observers suggest that not more than 60 per cent, of the population are in favour of the Nazi regime in Germany. Both (lie French and the Nazi party commenced propaganda campaigns in the hope of swaying the people in the Saar Basin. Said Dr. Goebbels, in May last: “Germany will admit no compromise in the matter of the return of the Saar. No heed must be paid to the anti-Nazi activities of the Centre and Socialist parties, or of flie Governing Commission.” This was countered by a speech of M. Fribourg, who said that France would drop an economic safety curtain the moment a political barrier was formed between France and the Sadr. Not consent with propaganda and intimidation, the Nazi Government endeavoured to introduce National Socialism into the Saar, leading as a natural result to acute friction with the Governing Commission. ’The report from the Governing Commission to the League for the third quarter of 1933 contained the following passage: —“The National Socialist Party has been making every effort to gain control of the whole public life of the Saar. It has endeavoured to attain its object by setting up a de facto government, side by side with the legal Government . . . waging an incessant campaign of threats, denunciations and disguised boycotting against the inhabitants of Ihe territory suspected of not sharing its political ideas ... the result has been an increase in the number of acts of violence and terrorism.” Drilling in the Saar. The League Council was informed by Mr. G. G. Knox, chairman of the Saar Governing Commission, on January 5, .1934, that the Nazi organisations were carrying out military manoeuvres and drilling in Saar territory. This was eventually prohibited by the German Government on March 15. after strong protest from Geneva. Another complaint was that the Deutsche Front (the local Nazi organisation) was having a house-to-house canvass for members. Each new member was asked to sign a declaration which amounted to an undertaking to vote, and even fight, for union with Germany. This declaration was modified, but again only after a strong protest from the Commission. On May 8 Mr. Knox again reported to the League that the Saar civil servants were in a “state of unrest,” owing to the continued Press and wireless campaign emanating from Germany. To all protests to the League the' Nazi Party in Germany has replied: “The Saar is German: Germany is Nazi; therefore the Saar is Nazi.” Herr Hitler formally opened his campaign for the return of the Saar to Germany with a mass meeting at Coblenz on August 25, 1934. Purchase of the Mines. About the only thing that lias brought forth expressions ot gratitude from the Nazis is the generosity of France in the negotiations for] settling the purchase price for the Saar mines in the event of the people voting for return to Germany. It must be understood that the mines were ceded to France absolutely, and must be purchased from France by gold ’payments. The price agreed upon is 900,000,000 French francs, about £12.000 000 at the present rate of exchange. Agreement was reached for the transfer as rapidly as possible of this sum in sucli a way as not to disturb the German financial situation France, however, has the right to mine the coal from the- Warndt pits—-the entrances to which are on French soil, though the coa! lies under the Saar —during the next five years

at her own expense, paying nothing for the coal itself and nothing for the exploitation of the mines. The payment of 900,000,000 francs is to be made partly in cash,'partly in exactly defined instalments over a short period, and the French currency now in the Saar will be handed over as part of the cash payment; provision is also made for supplementary deliveries of coal as payment in kind. Knox of the Saar. Mr. Geoffrey Knox, Chairman of the Saar Governing Commission, is considered to be the most closely guarded man to-day. He is a bachelor who keeps very much to himself, loves rare editions, and enjoys himself driving between Saarbrucken and Geneva in his high-powered “ar. He is 51 years of age. He was a Student Interpreter in the Levant in 1906; Vice-Consul at Cairo in 1912: Counsellor of Embassy in 1931; and made Chairman of the Saar Governing Commission early in 1932. He served in the Great War from 1917. After leaving the consular ranks he served in the diplomatic service in Cqnstantinople, Berlin and Madrid. That he has a great sense of humour is seen from the fact that lie records word for word all Hie abuse the Nazis shower upon him over the wireless. The Nazis have encountered in him a man at once determined and fearless. He has forbidden them to do many things which they had set their minds upon for propagandist purposes. He is seldom seen abroad : he works all day in his bureau; and holds a council once a week. Of him it has been written he is “trying to govern a foreign-hating people iii a territory riddled with secret terror, possesses a police force that dodges his orders, a Civil Service whose denizens betray al! they should hold inviolate, and law courts that refuse to administer the law.” He receives numberless threatening letters and is rung up at all hours of the night to listen to abuse or to now reports of terrorism. All round him are spies and traitors. Even liis own manservant bad to be dismissed. He ha* taken steps to see that whatever the result of the plebiscite ail foreign investors in Hie Saar shall be paid in gold. All that he wanted to do was to keep the voting secret and secure for the voter.