New-York tribune., 1921-03-21
special cable to The Tribune


Copyright. 1921. New York Tribune Inc
BERLIN, March 20.-All communica-
tion between the plebiscite zone in
Upper Silesia and the outside world
was cut off at midnight last night by
order of the Allied plcbiscite commits
sion. No telephone or telegraph dis
patches can come out until Monday
noon.
Advices sent over the border late
last night by German correspondents
assert that autom obiles carrying for
eign newspapermen were tired on and
stoned yesterday in villages in the
southern part of the province. Repre-
sentations were made to the piebiscite
commission regarding lawless condi-
tions and the need of troops there to
maintain order, but General Lerond
refused to distribute his troops. These
were being held in reserve in concep-
tration camps, modified for immediate
dispatch by auto truck to zones Of
unrest.
Clash Regarded as Inevitable
Collisions between the Poles and
Germans were regarded as inevitable.
The German correspondents report that
the Polish peasants have been using
force to prevent the nonresident Ger
man voters from finding living accom-
schools in which it had been intended
to lodge the nonresident voters have
been demolished. Inns have been
burned in several places.
The non-residents, organizing for
their own defense, decided to march to
the polling places in groups, escorted
by military guards. The influx of non
resident voters is regarded here as Civ
ing Germany an advantage in the vot-
ing. In the cities the Germans are be-
lieved to control between 20 and 80 per
cent of the votes. In the country dis
tricts, which are peopled almost en-
tirely by Poles, the German prospects
are bad.
TARNOWITZ, Upper Silesia, March
20 (By The Associated Press ALI
preparations had been completed when
the polls opened for the plebiscite to-
day throughout Upper Silesia to deter
mine whether the region. rich in coal,
iron, zinc and lead and comprising ap-
proximately 5000 square miles, hence
forth shall be under the sovereignty of
Germany or Poland. From distant parts
Of the world Germans and Poles, former
residents of Silesia and entitled to cast
their ballots, had journeyed in the hope
OF aiding their respective countries to
win the region.
The plebiscite, it is estimated, in
VOWED the pilgrimage of 100000 Ger
mans. Special trains were furnished
atUthe expense OF the Germans. and
toward the end no tickets were sold
except to men and women returning to
vote, and the trains were so crowded
that many of the passengers were COM
PEELED to stand. Among the last con-
tlngents arriving from foreign conn
tries were forty from South Africa.
which completed the representation Of
nearly every country.
News Of Result To Be Late
The final results of the balloting
were expected to be delayed somewhat.
owing to the order suspending tele-
phonic and telegraphic communication
with the outside world, with the ex-s
ception of press dispatches, which,
however, were subject to the approval
of the Silesian authorities.
The propaganda agencies OF both
countries have worked to the utmost
to secure votes. The Germans. il will
be recalled, considered Upper Silesia
such an asset that DIR. Simons, the Ger
man Foreign Minister, madesits cession
to Germany one of the principal items
of the counter proposals submitted by
him to the Allies in Lonoon for the
payment of reparations.
Each voter to-day was handed twn
ballots, one Polish and the other Ger.
man. After marking one the voter
was instructed to drop porn ballots in
the ballot box. This method, it was
expected, would make for DELAY in
counting the votes, the unused dailots