The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-04-04
CONSIDER SAFETY
ZONE ALONG RHINE
New Border Plan OF Clemenceau
Up to Big Four.
FRENCH TO CONTROL sAAR
FRENCH TO CONTROL SAAF
zone Point Agreed Upon Is That Ger
many Will Not Be Permitted to
Keep Garrisons or Fortified
tions Along River.

Paris, April 2-An agreement on at
least one point seems to have been
reached i'm the peace conference dis
cussions, according to the Temps. Ger
many is not to be permitted to keep
garrisons, Notifications or war fac
tories. not only on the left bank OF
the Rhine but also along strip of at
least thirty miles on the right bank.
The first plan was to give France
economic control of the Saar coal
fields so as TO offset damage to the
coal mines of northern France. France
was not to have political control over
the large German population in the
Saar valley, which would remain with
Germany. This proved Objectionable
and one of the chief causes of the
council of tours inaction. The main
objection was the divided control, by
which France would be unable to OPP
crate the mines effectively, prevent
strikes, and enforce authority when
the Germans were exercising political
control.
Given Dual Control.
The new plan, therefore, seeks to
combine French economic and political
authority for temporary period until
the productive capacity of the mines
in northern France is restored, indus
trial production revived, and the pros
tratiOn due to the war ended. 1t is es-
timated that five years will be re-
a.
and this probably gives an idea of the
length of the proposed joint control by
France
The fact that the control would be
temporary would overcome the Objec-
ton of annexation similar to the Ger
man annexation of Alsace and LOr-
raine in 1870.
The proposal was first advanced as
concerning the Saar region only, but
it is regarded now as equally applica-
BILE to the left bank of the Rhine as a
possible basis of agreement
A new phase Of the question of repa-
ratiOns is also being presented in the
proposal to avoid stating in the treaty
any specific total and thus escape con-
trOversy over the largeness or small
ness of the amount 1t is said that
this is possible by defining the char
setter of the payments over period of
years. without precisely defining what
the total would reach, and efforts are
being made to find a formula which
would express this idea
Italy Makes Demand.
Settlement of Italy's frontier ques
ton cOntempOraneOusly with that of
France was insisted upon by Premier
Orlando at a conference with Presi-
dent Wilson just before the council OF
four convened to discuss the italian
frontier question.
The Italian premier asked the presi-
dent whether he did not think it adj
viSable to have an informal exchange
of views on the Italian problem, espe-
eially as regards the Adriatic, before
1t is presented TO the council The
president replied that he shared this
view. but owing to pressure of work
had been unable to personally study
the Italian question. However. he
promised to do So
President Wilson has informed
other members of the American dele
cation to the peace conference that no
American soldiers should be used in
any trouble in eastern or southeastern
Europe.