The Washington times., 1919-05-07


think il necessary TO address to her
Alsace-Lorraine is restored TO
France with their frontiers as before
1871. to date from the signing of the
armistice and TO be free of all public
debts This action also defines the
citizenship OF AlSace- Lorrainers. All
public property and all private prop
erty of German ex-sovereigns passes
to the French without payment or
credit. The Rhine bridges pass to
France with the obligation for their
Upkeep. For five years manufactured
products of Alsace- Lorraine will be
admitted into Germany free of duty
TO a total amount not exceeding in
any year the average of three years
preceding the war. Other similar
rights are granted to AIsace-Lor-
rainers including notification of war
time political COMBINATIONS.
In compensation for the destruction
of coal mines in northern France and
as payment on account of reparatiOn,
Germany cedes to France full owner
ship of the coal mines OF the Saar
basin. with their subsidiaries. access
series and facilities Their value will
( be estimated by the reparation COM
mission and credited against that &C
count. The French rights will be
governed by German law in force at
the armistice excepting war legisla-
ton, France replacing the present
| owners. whom Germany undertakes
/ to indemnify. France will continue
to furnish the present proportion of
coal for local needs and contribute in
| Just proportion to local taxes. The
/ basin extends from the frontier of
! Lorraine. as reanneXed to France,
north as far as st. Wendell, including,
on the west the valley of the Saar
as far as SaarhoIzbach. and on the
! east, the town of HombUrg.
Governed By Commission.
The territory will be governed by
commission appointed by the league of
nations and consisting of five members.
one French, one a native inhabitant OF
| the Saar and three representing three
different countries other than France and
| Germany. The leagUe will appoint
member Of the commission as chairman
| to act as executive. The commission viii
have all powers of government formerly
belonging to the German empire. I'rus-
STA and Bavaria, will administer the
| railroads and public services and have
| full power to interpret the treaty clauses.
Existing German legislation all remain
| the basis of the law but the commission
| may make modification after consulting
a local representative assembly which
| it will organize.
There will be no military service,
but only a local gendarmerie to pre-
serve order. The people will preserve
| their local assemblies, religious liber-
ties, schools and language. but may
vote only for local assemblies. They
will keep theirs present nationality,
| except so far as individuals may
| change il. The territory will form
part of the French customs system,
with no export tax on coal and metal
! lurgical products going to Germany,
| nor on German products entering the
basin, and for five years no import
duties on products of the basin going
to Germany or German products COM
| ing into the basin for local consump-
ton.
| After fifteen years a plebiscite will
be held by communities to ascertain
the desires of the population as to
| continuance of the existing regime
under the league of nations. union
with France or union with Germany.
The right to vote will belong to all
inhabitants over 20, resident therein
at the signature.
! The league will decide the ultimate SOW
ereignty. In any portion restored to
Germany, the German government must
buy out the French mines ~ an ap-
praised valuation; if the price is not
paid within six months thereafter this
I portion passes finally to France; if Ger,
many buys back the mines the league
( will determine how much Of the coal
/ shall be annually sold TO France
Germany recognizes the total in
| dependence of German Austria in the
! boundaries traced. She also TecOg-
! nizes the entire independence of the
/ Czecho-SlOvak state, including the au-
/ tonOmOUs territory of the Ruthenians
/ south of the Carpathians and accepts
! the frontiers of this state as to be
/ determined. which in the case Of the
! German frontier shall follow the
] frontier of Bohemia in 1914.
Poland Gets SIIeEIa.
! Germany cedes to Poland the great
er part OF upper Silesia. POsen and
. the province Of west Prussia on the
! left bank of the Nistula. 4 field
| boundary commission OF seven, five
. representing the allied and associated
! powers and one each representing
/ Poland and Germany shall be cOnsti-
tuted within fifteen days Of the peace
I to delimit this boundary. Such spe-
! Cial provisions as are necessary to
protect racial. linguistic or religious
1 minoTities and TO protect freedom Of
/ transit and equitable treatment of
! commerce Of other nations shall be
/ laid down in a subsequent treaty be-
/ tween the five allied and associated
I powers and Poland. The southern and
/ the eastern frontier Of east Prussia
/ Is 10 be fixed by plebiscite.
In each case German troops and
authorities viii move out within IF
. teen days OF the peace and the terri
tories in dispute will be placed I'M
J der an international commission OF
/ five members by secret vote. The five
allied and associated powers Will
( draw up regulations assuring East
Prussia full and equitable access to
and use Of the NistUla. a subse-
quent convention viii be entered into
/ between Poland, Germany and Dan
! zig. TO assure suitab railroad COM
municatiOn across German territory
| on the right bank Of the Nistula be
! tween Poland and Danzig, while PO-
land shall grant free passage from
/ East Prussia to Germany.
! The northeastern corner or east
/ Prussia about Memel is to be coded
/ by Germany to the associated powers,
! the former agreeing to accept the set
/ Element made. especially a. regards
! the nationality Of the inhabitants.
DanziE Free City.
Danzig and the district immedI-