The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-14
FRENCH PLANS To
secure COAL LAND
DATE BACK YEARS
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page.)
was the important fortress in this dis
trtct. At the moment OF the French
revolution France thus held a consid-
eraDl area across The Saar.
When Napoleon %abdicated in 1914,
Prussia, eager to acquire the coal dis
tflots OF the Saar, succeeded in per-
suading the victorious nations to take
from France and give 10 her all the
regions across the Saar. In 1915, after
waterloo, when a new treaty was writ
ten, France had to oede further terri
tory. this time on the west bank Of
the Saar and including S~aarlouis.
Get Further Land.
BY these two %anhexations Prussia de-
prtved France OF nearly all the Saar
coal region. The next step was 70 ac-
quire the great iron districts in Lof-
raine and not far from Metz. This was
accomplished after the war Of 1871 by
the seizure Of still another and far
more considerable portion OF Lorraine,
including the French speaking districts
about Metz.
when they drew the new frontier
Of 1871 the Germans drew it to include
all the known iron regions of Lorraine.
But after 1871 great iron deposits were
discovered just across the French from
tier above the town or Briey, AS a
consequence all through that period in
the war in which the Germans believed
themselves victorious they openly de-
clared their purpose to annex all the
Briey iron districts at the close Of the
war. They occupied them almost at
the outbreak Of the struggle. We see,
then, a relatively ancient dispute re-
vived. In 1914 as a result OF a victori-
Gus wal Prussia took half the Saar
coal region. In 1915, after Waterloo,
she took the other half. In 1871, after
another successful war, she took half
the iron fields and in 1914 she planned
to take the balance.
Now what is proposed, II II be pro-
posed, and we have no official French
statement as yet, Is TO complete the
refrigeration OF French territory by the
reunion to France Of territory seized
more than a century ago when Prussia
the west. She had been stealing Polish
territory for half o century in the east.
So much for the legaf aspects Of the
French claim, But in addition is the
fact that during tho present war the
Germans have deliberately = wanton;
mines Of tho north about Lens. They
have blown VI some anu turned rivers
into others. American engineers have
estimated that 1t will take from three
TO five years. TO get the mines working
again and some are irretrievably ruined.
Purposes Plain.
The purpose Of this destruction was
obvious, The Germans sought to de-
stroy French industry by deriving
France Of coal and also 70 make French
factories dependent upon Germany for
coal rationlng. As At STANDS nov they
have been so far successful that years
will pass before the French can again
rely upon the northern coal mines even
for a portion of their supply.
Therefore nothing seems more In ac-
eordance with justice than that the
French should be permitted to take
because OF German devastations, In
addition French claim 70 permanent
| possession of tho coal regions rests
upon former ownership interrupted only
by fefcible annexation Following sue
ceasfui German attacks,
We have IN the other hand to face
the fact that the inhabitan ts OF the
doubtless choose German rather than
| French citizenship. There Is, then a
| plain conflict OF principles involved
which win require judicious settlement,
Fortunately, the area affected Ia ex-
| eessively small and the population in
considerable.
German propaganda which WITH be
| loosed 10 catch the uniformed and un-
wary with the assertion France is en-
| he rki upon imperialistic and mex
ationiAJ operations. Nothing could he
| less lust or accurate, French claims
are impressive; they are Fortified by
German conduct In France In the pres
ent war and they ceserve American
| Cfopyright, 1918, by the New York Tri-
pune, lnc.1