The Washington herald., 1921-01-13
Humor is consistent with pathss, whilst
wit is not.
-Coleridge.
The Plebiscite in Upper Silesia.

February to determine whether Upper
SIlesla shall become a part OF the Polish or the
German state, promises to provide a great deal
Of. excitement and perhaps fireworks than
have been seen in Europe in many months
This territory, for the possession OF which both
Poland and Germany are ready to flv at each
other, consists chiefly OF a vast plain without
ggeat fertility, partly covered with great forests
and rather sparsely inhabited BY an jmpover-
iShed peasantry,
- To the southeast, however, the face OF the
country changes remarkably, In the place of
sandy plains and heavily -forested areas there are
towns and villages clustered about furnaces and
factories which testify to the subterranean wealth
OF that province, whose resources OF oil metals
and coal were OF Tremendous value to Germany
during the world war
Inc possession OF this will obviously be
OF the greatest importance to the country to
which it is awarded by the plebscite.
" all the resources OF Upper Silesia the one
Whioh Is doubtless OF greatest importance at this
time Is coal From all the industrial sections OF
Eastern and Central Europe come the same re-
ports OF the closing OF factories and the cur
taiIment OF transportation on account OF lack
OF coal
g.. 1t IS important, therefore, not only to Poland
- and Germany but to the other Central EuropeaD
states that the question OF ownership OF the
mines be settled in order that operations NAV
be developed to their fullest capacity
Before the war the plebiscitc area produccd
approximately 365o,ooo tons of coal monthly OF
Mhich about 10 per cent went to what is now the
German Republic and slightly over 90 per cent
was consumed at the mines or in the DIebiscite
area.
The remaining output wa, exported to tbc
territories which constitute Poland. Czecbo-
siovaAa, Austria, the Danzig state, the McmeI
Arca and other states.
Ii Is the contention OF Germany that UpDer
Silcsa Is absolutely indispensable to her eco
uomic HE. The Poles, on the other hand main
tam that this disputed territory is of importance
to Germany only from military point OF view
= source OF supply in case the Westphalan
fields should be occupied by the enemy
: They support this contention by asserting that
pnder the German administration the industries
ot PIPER Siesia have made very little progress
during 'eoent years, and that in comparison with
ihc same industries in other parts Of Germany
they have made progress at all This. thew
declare, indicates that Upper Silesia could not
pr was not allowed to meet the competition Of
Western Germany.
! Under Polish administration however, they
promise a rapid development in this region that
would be OF the greatest importance not only
TO Poland but TO the states to the east and south
which have been cut of from Upper Slcsia by
Russian and German policies
{ Although the arguments based on economic
considerations being used for propaganda bv
both sides the sovereignty OF Upper Silesia un-
der the terms OF the treaty will be decided on
an sthnic rather than an economic basis
I Each nation claims that if the pIebiscite is
conducted fairly, it will win; and each accuses
fhc other OF having already employed illegal
means to influence the result
= he Il, tL,4
the Poles in terrorizing the German population,
and the Poles declare that Germany is employ
ing like methods and has imported military SUD-
pines into the region for the purpose of seizing
it by force
From all accounts it would appear that ma
lonty OF the peasants and large number Of the
industrial population Polish while the land
holders, tradesmen and functionaries are almost
entirely German
Polish adherents maintain that if only the ac
tual residents OF Upper Silesia are allowed 70
vote Poland will win, but on the other hand =
the two or three hundred thousand Germans who
were born in that territory but now live else
where are brought back and allowed to vote
Germany may win.
If the Poles, however, are allowed to bring
back those of their nationality born in S;iesia
but now working in the Rutr the German ad
vantage will be offset
Looked at from any angle the result of the
voting is sure to be close and to be followed bv
charges of fraud and 1legality and perhaps by
attempt to right by force any wrongs, imag-
ined or real, to which the losing side will attrib-
ute its defeat. ..
1t is vain to hope that the plebiscte can be so
conducted that both sides will be satisfied but
it is essential that the commission in charge
sees to it that the voting is fair and that the
result is true expression of the will of the
majority.
To permit this territory to become the battle
ground of conending forces would not only be
the signal for new wars but would do incalcu-