New Britain herald., 1925-04-08
THE SABRE BASIN,
 JUST WHAT IT IS
Europe's Unique Political Entity i. Explained

president of the sarre has been re-
 appointed. t. r..
 The president Of the saar has
 been reappointed.
 Just how you write 1t depends on
 whether you view the matter from
 over the French border to the
 south or over the German border
 on the north, explains bulletin
 from the Washington, D. C.. head quarters of the National Geographic
 society. The point Is, the bulletin
 goes on to say, that th eofficial -- M. Rault - who holds what has
 been called 'the most difficult ad-
 mipistrative position fin Europe"
 and who governs region contain i ing one of the most valuable coal 1 deposits on the continent, has been
 continued in office for another year
 by the Council of the League of
 Nations. "s
 Consolation Prize for France
 'The Sarre (Saar) basin is & sort
 of consolation prize with string to it awarded to France" continues
 the bulletin. When German troops
 retreated from occupied portions Of
 northern France they systematically
 and scientifically destroyed the
 French coal mines. So thoroughly
 was the jdb done that In 1919 the
 French could get from their re-
 stored but damaged mines less than
 10000 tons of coal whereas in 1918 the same mines had yielded 28,0O0.- 900 tons. ..e ., 1 The diplomats who framed the
 peace treaty set themselves the
 task of compensating France as
 best they could for her gutted mines. and decided to replace them with German mines, temporarily at least. The Sarre mines were the in- evitable choice, for the territory in which they are located adjoined the new French frontier (formed by the restoration of -Lorraine), and existing railways and canals pro- vided means. for distribution of their output into France. It was decided that the mines should be handed over to the ownership of the French government for 15 years, from 1920 to 1885, the German govern ment to compensate any private owners of the mines for the loss of their property Such an arrange ment was possible with little hard ship to individuals because practi- cally all the mines were the state property of Prussia and Bavaria. Neither French nor German Control
 ""The decision to give. the mines to France ran into political and economic Obstacles The region could not be left under German control because French property rights could not be assured of pro- tection; and the almost solidiy Ger man population and the German property could not fairly be placed under French control. The League of Nations therefore set up unique entity which is neither annexed 1 territory. an Independent state, nor a mandate.
 "A region was carved out includ- ing not only all mines under opera ton, but also the entire coal fields. The greater part of the territory lies north and east of the Saar river but includes 8 narrow 'strip ! on the opposite bank. To the south lies Lorraine. to the north the Ger man Rhine provinces (now under Allied occupation). On the west the Sarre territory does not quite reach Luxembnrg; narrow strip of the Rhine provinces interyenes. The verys roughly elliptical territory is about 45 miles in greatest length and 30 miles in greatest breadth, and has an area of something over 750 square miles.
 t Hive of Industry.
 lover this territory and it's 72Q,- 900 inhabitants the League set a commission to consist of one Frenchman, one citizen of the local region, and three non-French and non-German members. the presidet to be appointed By the League Council. The French mem- ber has held the presidency since the commission was created. Tho commission is directly responsible to the League Council and it's acts are reviewed, by that body. The re- zion was included in the French customs system. and free trade was granted with Germany until Jan uary, 1925. A further complexity in the politico economic life of the Saarois is that the coal administra- ton (of which the French minister of public works is the headl IS given the right to maintain schools Most of the schooling in the region is furnished by the governing com however
 .'The Valley of the Saare or Saar 1 s fairly wide between Saarbruc6en, near where it enters the territory, md Merzig, near where it flows into he Rhine provinces It is in this alley that the relatively unimpor- ant agricultural activities of the 'egion are carried on, Wine Is the most important of the valley prod icts. On the picturesque hills that ise above the stream are heavy orests which furnish an industry omewhat more important than az 'iculture. II is as an industrial and mining region, however, that the saar has come 10 be known to the world,
 Has Been Both French and German
 Territory
 The mines now being worked ire concentrated near the eastern nd Of the basin. especially in the mall valleys between Saarbrucken nd Neunkirehen. ten miles to the Iortheast, In this section, too. are many of the industries Of the' Saar; lass furnaces, metallurgical estab,