Evening star., 1934-11-11
Hitler's Coup May Affect
Plebiscite in the Saar
BY A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON. November 1o-There are
only two months to run before the
fateful decision in the Saar is given,
and it may be useful to take sur
vey of the prospects as they present
themselves to me. The first COM
ment that suggests itself is that, but
for the Hitler coup in Germany, the
decision would have been a foregone
conclusion. OF that think there can
be no doubt in any mind familiar
with the Saar or with the real factors
Of the problem.
The Saar Basin would have gone
back to Germany almost as a matter
of course and with the overwhelming
approval of European public opinion.
France, naturally, would have pre-
ferred that it should not. but France
was helpless in the matter. The
decision rests with the people of the
Saar, and their wishes were never
in question.
But the position is markedly other
wise today. 1t is otherwise because
the Nazi rule in Germany has ere
ated a deep breach in the German
front on the Saar. To be exact, it
has created two breaches-the one
political, the other religious. The
more serious is the political breach.
Until the advent of Hitler, So
cialist opinion, which is powerful in
the industrial population of the Saar,
was solid behind the slogan, Back
to the Fatherland" But the sup
preston of socialism in Germany and
all the happenings of the past 1S
months have split the German vote
into two camps and have made the
issue of internationalism, or social
ism, versus nationalism the real bat
tleground of January 13.
Under the leadership of men like
Max Braun and Fritz Pfordt, the So
cialists are being mobilized for a
desperate resistance to what they re-
gard as the coming doom Of German
domination. They stand for the
status quo, for the continuance of the
Saar under the umbrella of the
League of Nations, and they threaten
barricadeS and violence if the worst
Against this formidable and un-
compromising opposition the Nazis,
under the leadership of Burckel
Hitler's commissar for the Saar, are
carrying on a terrific propaganda to
| the strains of Deutschland euber
Allies"
The battle RACES, not merely over
the political ground, but on economic
| considerations. The Socialists argue
that the industrial interests of the
Saar are bound up with Lorraine and
that it would be fatal to join Ger
many which is glutted with the Ruhr
coal, which is doomed to economic
catastrophe and which has not the
! foreign currency to import raw ma
terials. These gloomy vaccinations of
the separatists are brushed aside by
the advocates of union, who declare
that Lorraine cannot do without the
Saar coal nor without the Saar mar
ket for its iron.
The other breach which has been
made in the German front is due
to the strained relations between Nazi
Germany and the Catholic Church.
That church is powerful influence
| in the politics of the Saar and its
adherents are torn between their
loyalty to Rome and their loyalty to
Germany. If the Catholic vote were
cast for the status quo, there is little
] doubt that the verdict would go
against Germany. But whereas the
breach with the Socialists is ire
vocable, that with the Catholics
could easily be healed by a discreet
gesture by Hitler, and it is highly
probable that that gesture will be
forthcoming before January 13.
In that case it is pretty certain
there will be a substantial majority
of votes cast for the restoration of
union with Germany. That decision
would have to be ratified by the
League. But condition of ratiflca-
ton would have to be an assurance.
guaranteed beyond the possibility OF
being dishonored, that the defeated
minority would not be harried and
prosecuted for having exercised the
liberty conferred upon them under
the treaty Of Versailles.