Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-03-16
S|[ES|AN VOTE =
c: & TO DECIDE FATE
Feature of Germany ana Po-
land Depends on Pfebis-
cite Result
NECESSARY T0POLAND
Berlin Believed Certain to Default Un-
less Given Territory-Another Con-
ference May be Held. a.

Dusseldorf, Germany, Mafcn 10.
/ That the Republic Of Poland Is
likely to collapse unless next Sun.
days plebiscite gives her Upper 81
lesia is the information obtained
from Allied business men here, who
are in touch with the situation.
The Polish mark is now worth less
than the ruble, and nothing but some
great new influx of strength will
hold the State together, it is said
Such strength would be added if ST.
lesia went to Poland, but that result
of the plebiscite is by no. means GER
tain. Allied circles are somewhat
pess;mistic and the Germans are
confident that the plebiscite will re-
suit in their favor. A large number
of voters have left here within the
last few days on special trains.
So important is next Sundays
plebiscite that it may BE- said of
the two countries engaged in it that
only one may survive. 1t was on
the question of Silesia that the Lon
don Conference broke up. In secret
conversations Premier Lloyd George
and BRAND did everything possible
to meet the German objections 20
the Allied reparation scheme, but
they were continually opposed by
the German demand that all decis,
ions had to be based on the hypothc-
sis that Silesia would go to Germany
The Germans made all their prom
ises on the condition that the ple5
iscite result in their favor and these
promises the Allied leaders could
not accept.
The German case, asl representes
here, is that without Silesia Ger
many can pay war bill to the, ex-
tent of only a part even of the com
paratively small offer that the Ger
mans made in London.
The Germans are confident that
they will obtain Siles;a despite the
disadvantageous effect which the ap-
plication of penalties by the Allies
will have on the voting. The indus
tries of Northeasterr Europe are.
founded on the great Silesian coal
deposits, which also. to a latge ex-
tent, feed the needs of the Balkan
States. All Eastern Germany needs
Saesian coal, but The Ger,nanszaiso
want free passage 20 Russia. The
Germans hold that they are the nat
ural mediators between Western.
Europe and Russia and should be
allowed to develop Russia CONNER
cially. # Poland collapses, as IS
at present anticipated when and #
Silesia decides to adhere to Germany,
the latter again, will have free pas
sage eastward.
Germany naturally thinks that her
future is in the east rather than II
the west, but she also looks to Rus
sian trade as the chief factor in the
future in enabling her to pay her
reparations bill to the Allies. She
holds that Slesiau coal may prove
TO be means through which Rus
sian trade can be exploited and rep
arations money made available.
On the other hand, Germany will
be deprived of one of her most I'M
portant natural. resources # Siles!a
eocs to Poland, and it i suggested
in German sources here that Allian
occupation and administration Of lie
whole era containing. Germany's Goa!
deposits in the Ruhr valley viii be-
come inevitable.
If the Silesian vote favors Ger
MANY, another conference between
leaders of the Berlin, Paris. London
and Rome Governments may p
| tempt to take up the rcparatiors
nroblem again where the Londcn
Conference dropped it ana come to
some definite settlement.