Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-04
MAP
TAKING FORM
Frontiers of Old States Will
Be Defined Within
a Week
By Associated Press

Paris, March A, new map OF
Europe is rapidly taking form and
within a week the frontiers of the
old states will largely be defined as
they are to appear in the peace
treaty and the successive documents
fixing territorial limits.
First in importance is Germany
western frontier bordering on France
which assumes international signi-
ficance as a barrier against renewal
of the present war. Owing to the is
sues involved, the final deteImlna-
ton of this question is left to the
council of the great powers, but IN
the meantime the tentative plans
have been we'll advanced by the
commission which co-ordinates re-
ports on all frontisr questions.
AS it now stands. the western
frontier comes under three main
heads-first, Alsace Lorraine; sec
ond. the great iron and coal regions
of Briey and the SaaI Valley, ano'
third, the extensive strip of German
territory lying on the west bank OF
the Rhine from Palatinate north-
ward
w lln respect TO AlSdCG i%Ol oiiiS
the present tendency is to make re-
cession of this section to france
without any condition of a plebisclte
or otherwise. Tt is now occupied by
military forces under the armistice,
and there is every indication that the
occupation will become permanent.
The Briey and Saar Valley sec
tions are chiefly important as fur-
nishing iron, steel and coal on which
Germany's military power was
based, and it is believed that the
new line will definitely put an end
to any further use of these sources
of German power. Part of the Briey
and Saar sections vii become French
by the return of Lorraine.
The main difficulty has been over
a large section of the Saar coal fields
lying beyond Lorraine and within
German territory. The present idea
seems to be somewhat between an
nexation of that section and leaving
it to Germany. ccoIding to this plan
the northern S=&r region would be
neither Frensh nor German, but
would occup position somewhat
similar {. tie District of Columbia
among tlN American states. Its pro-
ductive capacity would doubtless go
to France, but politically its three
hundred thousand inhabitants would
not be subject to conscription or mill
itary service either TO France or Ger
many, and would not elect delegates
to the legislative body of either
country.
This and other measures are being
considered with the object of "ster-
ilizing' the region, so that Germany
could not by a sudden thrush again
turn its production to war uses.
Concerning the region along the
west bank of the Rhine the present
tendency is towar1 the same cofm
of sterilization" which would rem
der this important for German m!Ii-
tary. uses, without giving it a definite
political status toward either side.
This probably would be accomplish
ed by the same means as in the Saar
region by making the Inhabitants
independent of conscription or mill
tary service to either side and with
out legislative representation except
some local form of self administra-
ton.
This. on broad lines, is the present
plan, which. however, is only ten
tative, pending final action by the
council of the great powers.
The plans relative TO other from
tiers. including those of the new
Czecho Slovakia, Rumania, Serbia
and Greece, and to the expected ac-
QUESTION in Thrace and Asia Minor
are also nearing completion, so that
new Europe will begin 10 take quite
a definite form within week.