Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-09-08
RICH IRON
CONTROLLED BY GERMANS
In First Great Drive Teuton Forces Seized Most Valuable
Mineral Fields of France and Belgium.

Washington, d. c., (Special)-H Ger
many should retain possession OF that
part Of France which her armies now
occupy and keep her grip on Belgium
when peace Is declared, she would add
enormously to her y resources.
Likewise, by holding possession per-
manently Of the territory named n
would deal a blow at France as a man
ufacturing n military power which
could not fail to be serious.
1t may be presumed that the govern
ments Of the European nations most
concerned are alive to what Germany's
present occupancy Of territory In
France and Belgium NEAR In respect
Of such raw materials for manufactur-
ing as iron ore and coal. Hence, 1t
need not be expected that Germany Will
be allowed to effect any extension of
her frontier westward without pro-
longed fighting. Indeed. when n con-
siders the var in its relations to iron
and coal, those two indispensables OF
to see where there is hope for early
peace in Europe unless 1t Is made with
| European territorial lines as they were
before the war.
More than ever too, vast supplies OF
iron are OF Importance In war and
thinkable that England, France and
Russia are going to stop the war. SO
long as they have powerful armies In
the field, until the most desperate Ell
forts have been made, lasting years
If need be, to beat Germany back into
the confines of her own borders.
In recent months vague statements
have been made concerning the i'm
portance Of the mineral regions over
| run by German troops IN France. as
we'll as in Belgium. 1t is sometimes
said that the French could not have
realized the Importance OF these re-
gions in regard to minerals or they
them in the opening days of the war
instead Of r%etreating closer to Paris
before making q decisive stand.
Such statements are probably made
in ignorance Of the fact that In the
struggle Of 1870 between France and
over at the end of the var iron ore
districts of value so great that 1T was
supposed France was permanently Grip
pied as a manufacturing nation. But
later, through new processes. 1t was
found the ores of what is called the
"minette" regions OF northeastern
France. were highly valuable. It Is i'm
possible to believe that French gov
eminent officials. when the war broke
up, were not keenly cognizant of the
value Of the ore districts of the north
eastern part of their country, whether
from an INDUSTRIAL or a military stand
point.
Broadly speaking. German troops are
now in possession of a large share OF
the most valuable iron ore district OF
France. They control the Belgian iror
ore field. which. however, has beer
largely worked out. They have Goa
fields of some value in France and Of
large value in Belgium.
In this connection. it is Of interes
that when the German-Austrian armie,
drove the Russians out of Galicia the,
recovered for the Austrian nation tn,
highly valuable Galician petroleum
field. This field. 22o miles by about g.
on the northern slopes of the Carpa.
thians. produced 1.187, 900 metric ton,
Of petroleum in 1913 and, needless t.
say. is of extreme importance to tn,
German and Austrian governments IL
their military operations today.
The meaning Of seizures Of iron orr
territory in France by Germany, and IL
Belgium. can best be understood by
consideration of world ore reserves an
European ore reserves. From data II