New-York tribune., 1922-12-03
CommissionersAppoiniedi io
Govern Territory Emplo,
Methods W hic h Brinf
Cash Into Labor's Pockets
Franc Basis of Wages
Small Bourgeois Pensioned
by Germans Only One. to
Lament Their iii Fortune
BY Stephane Lauzanne
Editor IN Chief Of "Le Motin"

S@sr - bne ohiy country OF Europe
and the hrst country In the world that
has no distinct sovereignty and which
10 ruled BY the League Of Nations.
There. In that small province, inclosed
between the French Lorraine, the Ger
man Rhinsland and the Bsvarian Pals-
tinate. one Of the most curious expert
msnts Of modern history Is being tried.
! have Just been studying II during enc
week on the spot
The territory Of the saar IN an
American erestior-or, rather, a viii
sonian creation. The French claimed
the territory during the peace con-
ference. owing 70 the fact that It be-
longed TO France until 1915, and a. a
compensation for the destruction Of
their coal mineA President Wilson op-
posed the French claim, owing 70 the
fact that the majority Of tho populA-
tion was distinctly German. The
French insisted. But President VIII
son refused to comply with their de-
mand and threatened to leave the con-
ference. He even ordered his ship TO
be held IN readiness for his sailing.
Then the French yielded. and during
two dsyv and ono night the treaty or
eanizipE the form Of government Of
the Ssar was drawn up By a small
COMMITTEES, comprising three American
experts, three English experts and
three French experts.
Government Of ssar
This treaty stipulatss that the gov
eminent Of the sasr shall be intrust-
ed for period Of fifteen years To a
commission Of fve members nominat-
ed BY the Council Of the League Of
Nations.
The Council Of the League Of Ma
tions nominated a Frenehmsn, Victor
Raulti 4 Belgian, Mr.. Lambert; a Ca
madam, Mr.. Waugh; q Dane. Mr.. de
Moltke. and q Sarrian, DR.. Hector.
Then II said 70 the Ave men;
"Go your way in peace and govern
the SAAr."
The FIVE divided the government Of
this territory Of 100000 inhabitants
smong them. According 10 the treaty,
they were TO maintain the two existing
governments-the Bayhrian and the
prussian--and they we're to administer
them with German ofheiais.
These FIVE have worked like a hun
dred. They have created q high court
Of justice; they have organised a local
police; they have made the railroads
run, and they have reconstructed the
roads. And the Council Of the League
OF Nations has shown itself so we'll
satisfied with the results obtained that,
although the FIVE should have been
changed every year, Il has decided 70
let them remain In once for five years.
The Eve, however. have difficulties,
the greatest Of which is the question
Of currency.
Clause 82 Of the treaty says; "The
French State will have the right TO
use French currency for ell It's pur-
ehases on payments, and in all the
agreements relative to the exploits
tion Of the mines or their dependen-
eies."
The sane clause stipulatesi mo
prohibitions nor restrictions shall be
imposed on the circulation Of French
currency In the territory Of the sssr."
Door Open to Freneh Money
That 10 to say. that (he treaty
opened wide the doors Of the Sssr 70
the French franc. But II did not close
them to the mark. And the mingling
Of these two curreneies was to give
rise to the most e1trsvagant results
which a human brain can imagine.
This began on July /, 1920, In the
mines. The demesniAl Administration
decided on that day 10 pay their work
men heneeforth In francs. They could
NOT do otherwise. The mark effected
wild Jumps every morning, rendering
the determination Of fixed salaries i'm
possible. And. furthermore. the demes-
nial administration, which Is French
could not have two budgets, the one
In francs, the other In MARKS
Therefore. dating from July l. ls2o'
the workmen Of the underground re-
ceived 2s francs a day and the work
men on tho surface 2o.bo francs day
The franc being worth about four
marks At that time, this made 4 mini
mum salary Of 80 marks day.
II was almost a fortune. In the
.hop.. on the market, the most ex-
nsn,lye artieles we're only accessible
20 the wives Of the miners.
But then the metallurgist workmsn
protested: their salary had to be paid
20 them In francs. Then followed the
pro,ests of the railroad men and OF
N. postmen; they also had 70 be paid
IN francs. Then the ofieiais protest
ed: they requested TO be paid In francs
Finally. nearly every one to-day IN
the saar is paid In francs. The small
German bourgeOiEie alone. the pen
stoned. of Germans, arc still being paid
IN marks. and those are literally starv-
ing. -,
In 1898. always according TO the
treaty. a pIebiseite will take place. The
populatlon will have the night 70
choose either 20 be reineorporatea
into Germany or 10 continue being GOV