Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-03-06
MAKING THE NEW
MAP Of EUROPE
Within a Week Frontiers of the
Old States Will Largely Be
Defined as They Are to APP
pear in the Peace Treaty
GREAT POWERS TO DECIDE
Most important Feature VIII he the
Fixing of Germany's Western Boun-
dairy So AS to Create II barrier
Against Renewal of Present War

Paris, March 3. tBy the Associated
Press "A new map of Europe is rapidly
taking form. and within week the from
tiers of the old States will largely be
defined as they are to appear in the
peace treaty and the successive docu-
ments fixing territorial limits.
First in importance is Germany's west
ern frontier bordering on France which
assumes international significance as "A
barrier against renewal of the present
war. Owing to the issues involved, the
final determination of this question is
left to the council of the great powers,
but in the meantime the tentative plans
have been well advanced by the commits
sion which CO. ordinates reports on all
frontier questions.
As it now stands, the western frontier
comes under three main heads: first,
Alsace Lorraine; second, the great iron
and coal regions of Brey and the Saar
valley. and, third, the extensive strip
of German territory lying on the west
bank of the Rhine from Palatinate north
ward
with respect to Alsace- Lorraine the
present tendency is to make recession
of this section to France without any
condition of n plebiscite or otherwise
1t is now occupied by military forces
under the armistice. and there|is every
indication that the occupation will be-
come permanent
The Brey and Saar valley sections are
chiefly important as furnishing iron. steel
and coal on which Germany's military
power was based and 1t is believed that
the new line will definitely put an end
to any further use Of these sources of
German power. Part of the Brey and
Saar sections will become French by the
return of Lorraine.
The main difficulty has been over a
large section of the Saar coal fields
lying beyond the Lorraine and within
Germany territory. The present idea
seems to be somewhat between
annexation of that section and leav-
ing 1t to Germany. According to this
plan the northern Saar region would
be neither French nor German, blu,
would occupy position somewhat
similar to the District of Columbia
among the American States It's pro-
ductive capacity would doubtless &C
| to France, but politically it's 800, 00C
inhabitants would not be subject tc
CONSUMPTION Or military service either
! to France or to Germany, and would
not elect delegates to the Legislative
| body of either country.
This and other measures are being
| considered with the object Of "steri.
| lizing" the region. so that Germany
could not by a sudden thrush agar
turn its production to war uses
Concerning the region along the ives
bank of the Rhine the present tendency
is toward the same form of "sterlizat ton
which would render this impotent FOL
German military uses without giving i
a definite political status toward either
| side. This probably would be accom-
plished by the same means as in TIL,
| Saar region by making the inhabitant.
| independent of conscription or militar,
| service to either side and without legisa
tive representation except some loca
| form Of self administration.
This, on broad lines. is the presen
plan, which. however. is only tentative
pending final action by the council o
| the great powers.
The plans relative to other frontiers
| including those of the new Czecho
| Slovakia, Roumania, Serbia and Greece
and to the expected acquisition in Trac
and Asia Minor are also nearing CON,
pletion, so that new Europe will begil
to take quite definite form within
| week.