New-York tribune., 1921-03-18
Gernany's W ar
Debt Staxed on
Vote i'm Silesia
New Program on Repara.
tions May Be Necessary
if Iron and Coal Mines
Should Go to the Poles
Customs Tax Is Opposed
Trade Interests Urge Lloyd
George to Find Another
Solution Of the Problem
From The Tr;bu,ss's European Bureau
COPYRIGHT. 1921. New York Tribune Inc.

Copyright, 1921. New York Tribune Inc
LONDON, March 17.-From the Ger
man point of view, the loss of the plebi-
scito in Upper Silesia next Sunday
would be as hard blow as was the
theft of AlsaceL Lorraine to the French
in 1870. For nearly 200 years the Ger
mans have possessed the rich iron, coal
and zine mines that skirt the western
Carpathians in Silesia, and from these
they drew much of their pre-war power
and influence. On them the Berlin gov
ernment delegates at the London con-
ference counted in making offers of
reparation payments to the Allies. II
now those mines are lost, Germany's
future, from the point OF view of the
Berlin government. will be dark indeed.
Poland, on the other hand, is vir-
tually without any important natural
resources such as Upper Silesia af-
fords. That land which Frederick the
Great wrested from Austria the Poles
now hope to win back, so that from it's
soil may be drawn new power for Po-
lish industries.
Payment of War Bills Involved
If Germany loses the plebiscite her
ability to pay her war bills to the
Allies unquestionably will be far less
than if she could count on those re-
sources. If Germany wins, not only
will Poland be hard hit economically,
but French policy will be set back
severely, for the sympathies of the
Paris government have been strongly
with the Poles, in the expectation that
Upper Silesia would be annexed to
Poland.
Whatever the result of the plebiscite,
it will call forth new netting Of the
Allied Supreme Council, probably in
May, at which a new German settle
ment will be considered. The whole
situation will come up for review i'm
mediately after Easter, and negota-
tions will be initiated to fix definitely
the amount that Germany will pay
If Silesia goes to Poland the British
see small hope of obtaining even the
smallest figure yet set as Great Brit
aims share of what Germany owes the
Allies. In this circumstance, the Brit
ish believe that the French would sit
tight in the Rhineland, collecting what
they could from the German industrial
region there. The Allies would have to
even intimated that the British might
Rave to end the deadlock with Germany
by the adoption of some trade agree
ment in order to get some share of
trade on which reparation taxes could
be levied.
Customs Tax Unpopular
Already many persons are pressing
Premier Lloyd George for a readiust-
ment Of the Allied decision to levy Gus
toms taxes along the Rhine. Although
there are no indications that such q
change is contemplated, the Premier is
being urged vigorously by traders and
manufacturers to seek some other solu-
tion of the problems facing the Allies
PARIS, March II (By The Associated
Press).-The French Ambassador ir
Berlin, Charles Laurent, has been in.
structed to inform the German govern.
ment that France is aware of the con.
centration of large number of Ger.
man troops on the frontier of Upper
Silesia.
France will hold Germany to strict
account if any Of the troops cross into
the plebiscite area, M. Laurent has
been ordered to tell Germany, the
French government pointing out that
the Allied troops are solely responsible
for the maintenance of order in the
region.
Ambassador Laurent was further in
structed to protest formally to the
German government against the pres
ence of the troops on the frontier, and
to advise Germany that responsibility
for any disorders resulting from the
ar anAAe. G~~A .