New-York tribune., 1921-03-20

st
her reparation obligations unless she
controls the Upper Silesian coal sup
ply. This plea has been echoed in AL
lied countries, and especially by writ
ers who are inclined to look on Poland
as an intruder into the old economic
order Of Central and Eastern Europe
Mr.. j. M. Keynes adopted the Ger
man argument in "The Economic Con-
sequences Of the Peace" He put the
cession of Upper Silesia at 43,S00,000
tons, and said:
Economically it (the plebiscite dis
trict) is intensely Germap; the indus
tries of Eastern Germany depend upon
it for their coal, and it's loss would be
destructive blow at the economic
structure of the German state. I
"Soft Peace" Advocate
Favorable to Germany
Keynes naturally favored the, plebi-
scite as an alternative to the originally
intended assignment to Poland. But he
also gives a very ingenious construc-
that the Allied commissioners, after
the.vote is taken, shall recommend
boundary line between Poland and Ger
many, and in so doing shall pay regard
Ito the wishes of the inhabitants, as
shown by the vote, and to the geo
graphical and economic conditions of
| the locality" But according to this
English "soft peace propagandist," the
"Allies should declare that in their
/! judgment economic conditions require
[ the inclusion of the coal districts in
| habitants are decidedly to the con-
| trary." Does "decidedly' mean a two
/ thirds or even three-fourths vote?
/ Keynes has ignored several impor-
! tant facts. The eastern Germany of
| 1921 is considerably smaller tlnan the
| eastern Germany of 1914. 1t doesn't
need so much Upper Silesian coal. Of.
| the 43000,0 0,000-odd tons of coal mined
1 in Upper Silesia in 1918 nearly 8,000,-
/ 600 tons went to Poland or to districts
\ formerly German and Austrian, which
now belong to Poland. This total in
| cludes A25 900 tons delivered to Danzig,
1 Upper Silesia's own consumption was
| 14,000,000 tons. In fact, according to
1 statistics recently collected by the
/ American Polish Chamber Of Com
merce Of this city only l6,1 rs, 600 tons
| were shipped in 1913 into what is now
| German territory, and only 12,463,O0O
were consumed there. This was only
| SO per cent of present Germany's pre-
| war consumption, while, as already
| noted, the Upper Silesian' coal shipped
Ito what is now Polish territory was
| 40.4 pei cent Of its pre-war consump-
| ton.
Since, the armistice Germany has
! been drawing 12,O00,000 tons of coal
| year from Upper Silesia-only
| Nor will there be any obstacle to
lher continuing to draw that amount,
leven If Upper Silesia becomes, Polish.
The treaty of peace binds Poland, as
Mr., Keynes acknowledges, to permit
! for fifteen years the expectation Of
| Icoal, coke and other mine products into
Germany from parts Of Upper Silesia,
which she may acquire under the
! plebiscite. Poland is required to
guarantee that these products shall be
Esold to German buyers on as favorable
| terms as are given to Polish OF to
anyAother buyers.
| Keynes and his followers are agi-
| tated, rs they say, because German in
| dpstry is to be put on shorter coal
iratiofis. In 1913 Germany produced
| 190, 0,000 tons of pit coal and i'm
ported III 100000 tons. but she ex-
posted 46sD00,000 tons. Her pre-war
oonsuinp ption was about ll3,000,0o0
tonss gs sEs lEnclaldsEg lsl'l brown coal u was
iASVsuVuSuVus AMe loss 0Ls<Aisace-Lor-s
raine, the Saar Basin and Upper
Silcsi Id reduce her production Of
400 900 tons of pit coal in 1918 to
about 1S2; 900 now.
Germany is to-day producing, at rs
per cent Of the pre-war rate, O2,O00,-
900 tons Of pit coal and 30,000,00O tons
OF brown coal End importing 10000. 900
tons from Upper Silesia. BY the Spa
III een1ent as bound TO deliver
r., ,o0o ooos to,ss to France, Bel