New-York tribune., 1918-05-19
German Radical Would
Annex French Ore Lands
Republic Might Be Compensated for Loss of Iron District
of Briey by Reducing War Indemnity,
Heidelberg Professor Suggests

the district of Briey in one way or
otner. Formerly the German iner-
ests tried by fair means to obtain
mining franchises, but such a pro-
cedure Is out Of question after the
war at least in France. Jaures, am
sorry to state, was right and we our
selves are already drawing the neces-
enemy alien concerns, even the harm
iess ones, like those manufacturing
mirror glass. The cession Of the iron
ore district of Bricy would indeed be
only one Of those frontier corrections
which, as even Scheidemann admitted
before the catchword of peace without
annexations was coined, are the un-
avoldable consequences of nearly every
war.
No sensible man expects that the
French will be really satisfied with
any peace by understanding. And the
sacrifice we demand from France, is
smali, ST although very much to our profit.
Inc territory in question contains an
area of only few square miles: its
population has been transferred to
other parts of France since the out
break Of the war.
anyhow, the miners would be chiefly
Italians and Croatians, and only rela-
lively few Frenchmen. A French iron
industry does not exist there any
longer; the blast furnaces have been
torn down. And France has an abun-
dance of iron ore, especially in Nor
mandy. Her iron desposits are suffi-
clent not only for her domestic con-
sumption, but also for large exports.
Mentions "War Indemnity"
IT we want to sweeten the bitter
pill-for it is mere dill. and I for
one approve such policy-we might
interpret the words "peace by under
standing" in very liberal manner, and
lee the annexation take the form Of
purchase or exchange. That is the more
irrelevant, because the French owners
must be reimbursed under any circum-
stances, and we would act wisely by
referring this unpleasant transaction
TO the French government. Whether
and to what extent the amount of COM
pensation payable to the private own
ers s OF the mines is to be deducted from
tne war indemnity is another question,
and not an important one.
Seven or eight hundred million marks
would be sufficient for that nurnose
including the settlement of German
farmers. Of this sum, the German iron
industry would have to pay 500, 200. 900
marks. 1t is vitality interested in keep
ing It's immense war establishments
(meaning establishments that oriri-
mated or were enlarged during the
war; running and obtaining under IA
vorable conditions sufficient raw ma
terlal during the next three or four
years OF great prosperity.
The difficult problem of the relations
OF state and private industry enters a
new new phase: 1t has already been at
lacked by the condemnation of the
german mines of the de Wendell estate
Ssne oe Wendels are German citizens
OF Aisatlan descent, and some of them
reside in France), and by the reorean-
lzation of the mines administrat;on
For the state and the interested large
IRON mines will take over the de Wen
oe! mines by organizing a joint COM
pany, and be supplied with iron ore
aaccording to their invested capital. In
the same manner an agreement must
be reached. regarding the allotment NJ
the iron ore Of the minette district
OF brley. A basis might be found in
.ne quantities Of minette ore BOUGHT
DeIofe the war by the various COM
Petltors. The allotment would have to
oe cnanged from time to time, under
the needs Of each interes sted iron VOL
because the formation of the karte1i
Of the iron ore mines and Of anothar
kartell of the blast furnaces is in no
wise Impossible, that kind of Joint
management would be extended Rmt
~ ~ would not be good policy to overdo
sne Joint regulation and to establish
monopoly, even if restricted to certain
districts. W 'ei'ain
Let's Understand 'Necessitv.
A great part of the iron ore dsnos;+,
of the Briey district. althonch poreS 80
inally French, is already owned bv Ger Gar-
man concerns. They ought not tn he
condemned. At the present time = 10
our duty to understand what is neces.
sary. 40 "e'es-