The New York herald., 1922-05-10
POLES MAKE TREATY
ON UPPER SILESA
Agree at Genoa on Territorial
Division and Status for
Fifteen Years.
COMMERCIAL PLANS NEXT
King Feisal Sends Plea for In
dependent Syria and
Lebanon.

GENOA. May (Associated Press).- =
Along with the work OF the Economic
Conference. other negotiations have been
going on between various delegations
whose heads have taken advantage OF
the fact that all Europe is gathered at
Genoa in order to settle certain prob
lens still pending. Oxe of the most
important questions thus solved is that
OF Upper Silesia. the German and Polish
delegations having agreed on the terri
torial division of that province, although
preserving its economic unity.
After definite understanding had
been reached between Chancellor Wirth
Of Germany and Foreign Minister Skir-
munt of Poland, Polish Minister Ols-
Eewski has been authorized to sign
within a few days at Geneva with Ger
man Minister Schiller convention be-
tween the two countries comprising 600
articles. The convention establishes a
transitory status for Upper silesia over
period OF fifteen years.
The convention is cdrtsidered one Of
the most complex diplomatic agreements
ever reached. 1t must be ratified by
the German and Polish ,Parliaments
within two weeks Of the cate OF sig
nature.
1t Is expected that June will see the
end of the vexing Upper Silesian ques-
tion, when the Inter-Allied authorities
now occupying that region will hand over
to Polish and German authorities the
territories respectively assigned to them.
simultaneously, the Inter-Allied troops,
mostly French. with small English and
italian contingents. will be withdrawn.
Commercial Treaty Soon.
Immediately afterward negotiations
for general relations between Germany
and Poland. including a commercial
treaty, will be taken up. The most i'm
portant question will be that Of Posen.
for the discussion of which each country
has appointed 100 experts.
NJ. Skirmunt and Dr. Walter Rathe-
nau, the German Foreign Minister, also
have discussed commercial relations be-
tween the two countries, and DR.. Rathe-
nau has practically agreed 20 abrogate
measures forbiddipE importation and ex-
portation from and into Poland. For
eign Minister Skirmunt stated to-day
that Poland was ready to proclaim the
principle of liberty Of transit through
her territory for goods between Germany
and Russia. This would be of great i'm
portance for both Russia and Germans,
as Poland controls $50 miles of Russian
frontier. besides network of railways
leading to Russia.
Plea for Syria.
Representatives OF King Feisal. King
OF the Irak region (Mesopo.amia) pre-
sented to the conference to-day a
memorandum claiming the indspend-
ence Of Syria and Lebanon and pro-
testing against the French occupation.
Tho Syrians maintain that France.
under the pretext Of mandate, Is
trying to colonize Syria. as she has
done with Algeria and Tunis. and that
the same thing Ia being done by Eng
land in Mcsopotamia and Palestine.
The memorandum declares the Syrians
are quite capable OF governing them
selves. as they have proved In the past
The spirit OF independence among the
Arab population is pointed to, evidenced
by the constant state Of rebellion. oblig-
ing France to keep in her inundated
territory an army Of occupation 5000
strong