Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1921-04-01

per Silesia, scene of the plebiscite
Between Poland and Germany. the
most important self-determination
4vote that has followed the World
War. IS the subject Of the following
,Abnlletin issued from the Washington,
ID. C., headquarters OF the National
Geographic Society
;A"The. boundary line Of pre-war
Germany in the east sketcuei out
the open moath Of Il gigantic hippo
potamus, its teeth seemingly planted
in the westward BULGE OF Russian
Poland. The lower jaw was SiIesia.
and the lowest part of il, paradox
cally. Upper Silesia. But the para
dox is more apparent than real. fer
Upper Silesia obtains its name not
because OF its relative latitude but
because OF its mountainous charact.
err
I'm the southeaeternmost tip of
the bld German Empire, tucked in
betfeen Austria-Hungary and Rus
sias was the part Of Upper SiIesia
which gives the country its great
value and makes it a territory wor-
thy Of the strenuous efforts that
|
| coal fields covering over 100 square
miles and constituting the most ex-
tensive deposit OF high grade coal
in Europe. The total available sup.
ply is estimated at 62 billion tons.
which is slightly greater than that
in the more familiar Ruhr valley
field of western Germany. The bare
tonnages do not tell the whole story.
for while the Ruhr coal is partly of
inferior quality that in Upper Sill
esia is practically all OF high grade,
Source OF Germany's War Strength
Germany, not unnaturally there
fore, looked upon the retention of
Upper Silesia as a necessity if she
was to win her way back 70 world
importance industrially. It's value
had been amply demonstrated. for
the possession of this district made
1t possible for Germany to carry on
the world war as long as she did,
Even though most of the world was
hrrayed against her. Similarly Pol
and felt that an independent econo.
mic existence and strength cap.
able of withstanding military ag-
sression from both east and west
could not be achieved by her with.
put Upper Silesia's coal. Important
deposits of zine and lead ores in
rease the value of the region.
1.-THE presence of great quantities
bf coal has brought a large number
bf metallurgical industries to Upper
Eilesia so that it is of great value as
N industrial community as well as
mining region. Some iron ore is
hined in the district, and large
uantities are brought in from the
mines to the west and east to feed
he seemingly interminable number
( blast furnaces, iron and steel
hills. machine shops, and other met
working establish ,s - -, that have
cen developed there. Other indus
ries center about the fabrication OF
inc and lead. SO highly developed
this Industrial region that the
rea about the towns Of Beuthen,
.oningshute. Kattowitz and Glef-
itz is reputed to have the heaviest
opulati0n per square mile in EG-
ppe.
One Of Europe's Footballs.
"Silesia W46 early occupied by Sla
ic tribes but was little heard of UNI
| about the year 1000 when it be-
hme connected with Poland. More
ian a hundred years later it was
eparate principality but allied with
bland. It was then eemi.independ-
bit but under the overlOrdship of
|e1qnan, Bohemian, Hungarian, ana
AUSTRIAN rulers in turn. It was bat
eground during the Thirty Years
Tar in the seventeenth century, and
a result of this seourge of war