New-York tribune., 1918-08-03
Teuton Ironmasters De.
mand Mines in French
Part of Lorraine
Join With Militarists
Note to Imperial Government
Sneers at Value of Treaties
Compared to Armies
Especial Dispatch to The Tribunel


WASHINGTON, Aug. ?. = German
manufacturers are allied with German
miltarists in demanding territorial
expansion of the empire, and have
petltioned the imperial government to
take from France the rich mineral de-
posits in that part of Lorraine which
the Irusslan peace failed to seize after
the Franco Prussian War, says an off
clal telegram from Paris to-day.
he association of German iron and
steel manufacturers and the assccia-
ton of German iron masters" the dis
patch says, addressed confidential
note to the imperial government in
December, 1917, which stated in the
most unmistakable way that the an
neXatlonlsm Of the manufacturers of
Germany is the same az that of the
representatives of the military castles.
Inc note points out, first, that for
long time the home supplies of iron
have not been sufficient for the needs
OF German metallurgy, which in 1914
was Importing nearly half of the raw
material for the upkeep of it's great
smelling furnaces. 1t then points out
that the learned doctors, Bysch ag and
krusch, the most competent men in
Germany in regard to all mining mat
ters. have established the fact through
long and patient reports that the beds
of the empire would be exhausted in
less than half a century. 1t concludes
by claiming the annexation Of that
part of Lorraine which to the present
time has remained French.
Treaties Do Not Guarantee
The arguments given in support of
the claims are: French Lorraine must
a
wise be impossible to obtain with any
degree of certainty the resources of its
subsoll. Treaties, in truth, do not en-
sure any kind of security.
In no place and in no time says
the German manufacturers note, is it
possible to make sure of guarantees by
treaties on paper, but only by military
occupation and domination We
want to annex to the German Father
land a territory which for centuries
belonged to the former German En-
pire.'
"Then the note proposes to apply to
France the famous theory of the
pawn which has been defined in
mastery way by Chancellor Hertling
on the subject of Belgium. France, it
asserts, will certainly not hesitate to
exchange the territory of Lorraine for
the coal fields and industrial centres Of
the north, Lille, Valencienncs, Mau-
beuge and st. Quentin, which are of
much more Importance for her econom
lcal Development
"Finally, these being evidently the
decisive reasons, the note enumerates
all the advantages which would result
from the annexation of French Lor-
raine for German industry, German ag-
rlculture, German commerce., German
workmen, the general prosperity of
Germany. and, above all, for the sue
cess of the next war
Preparing for the Next War
"The note lays stress in cynical
manner on the last point:
In fture war the ameioraton
OF our home supplies of iron ore must
take on a particularly powerful form,
because the greater the iron wealth
of an industrial state the more that
state will be feared as an adversary.
1t does not appear impossible for us
to arrive at this point during the pc
rod of ten years following the con-
clusion of peace. After the return to
the former German fatherlan6 of that
part of Alsace Lorraine which is still
French our iron industries should again
reach their former capacity of produc-
ton, and may thus realize the great
est advantage in future war. Our
reinforcement of our iron wealth. cx-
ceedlng still the production in peace
times, would result in doubling or null
tlpiylng the fighting force Of our army
and navy