New-York tribune., 1921-03-23
Poland w Wnls
HugeVictory
In Silesia
Lead of Germany in Total
Vote a Hollow Triumph
as Rich Mining Areas
Are to Go to Warsaw
By Ralph Courtney
Special Gable to The Tribune

copyright, 1871, New York Tribune Inc
PARIS, March 22.-The results Of the
plebiscite in Upper Silesia show
sweeping victory for Poland and her
ally, France, Contrary to early reports
from German sources that Germany
had won, it was brought out to-day that
although the total popular vote gave
Germany majority, the voting in the
most important conlmunes favored Po-
land. BY the terms of the plebiscite as
laid down in the Treaty of Versailles
the commune is the voting unit which
decides between Polish and German
sovereignty.
The result of the p1ebiscite means
that all plans for the payment Of Ger
many's war bill discussed hitherto will
probably be scrapped. Germany's offers
have all been dependent on verdict
in Silesia favorable to Germany, where
as if the results of the voting as now
reported are correct, all the ports Of
silesia which are of any practical value
will pass into Polish hands.
Germany Loses Mines
Generally speaking, all the coal and
ore miles and a great part Of the
rich agricultural lands of the province
are within the district that voted for
Polish sovereignty, although Germany
had a majority of the votes in mum
Der of eities in the Polish region.
Poland, however, has an excellent
case for demanding everything of any
value in Silesia, in the opinion Of Off
cials here. The French believe that
the new Polish-German frontier which
the Supreme Council must delimit in
consideration of the wishes of the in
habitants as expressed in the plebi-
scite, will give Poland virtually all the
territory east of the Oder River and
south Of line from Krappitz to
Rosenberg. AS the terms of the plebi-
scite are understood here, the Allies
viii establish this frontier definitely
within a month and thereafter with
draw the plebiscite commission and
Allied police troops.
The Germans are loudly uroclaiminp
that Upper Silesia must not be divided
and insisting that their victory over
the country as whole, Indicated by a
popular majority of about $50. 900,
should mean the handing over of the
entire province to them. Such con-
tention would get scant consideration.
but for one embarrassing fact which
Poland and France will have to use
their ingenuity to overcome This is
that Premier Witos, of Poland, a short
time ago himself advanced a similar
plea on behalf of Poland.
British Objection Possible
Great Britain in formal communi-
cation took note Of this attitude ex-
pressed by the Polish government, and
as the British look with little pleasure
ON the prospect of Poland's acquisition
OF the Sileslan mines, they might use
the present situation to force a di-
vision Of the mining territories.
Even if such division were the
final basis Of settlement, Poland and
France still would have won great
victory. Germany, in any event, will
have been deprived by the plebiscite Of
so much mining territory that she will
have neither sufficient coal nor zinc
from Silesian fields to make war prep
arations against France in the future.
With the Poles dominating Germany's
eastern source of coal supply and with
France at the gates of the Ruhr in the
west, Germany will have to abandon all
thoughts of war for long time to
come.