Evening star., 1935-01-13
SAAR VOTE TO BRING NEW
CRISES If EITHER WINS
Strike of Capital, Decline Of Freedom
Seen if Nazis Are Victorious
in Plebiscite.

fall under Berlin's sway. The press.
likewise, feels its days are numbered
and the Volkstimme. the Neue Saar-
Post, the Deutsches Freiheit and other
large publications are ready to close
up shop.
It perhaps will take years to adjust
certain financial and economic COM
plications which already are appear
ing. The agreement between the Ger
mans and French in regard to the
transfer Of the mines is known. The
Nazis are to pay France 100000, 900
francs. Ninety-five per cent Of the
French francs "confiscated" by the
Germans If the Saar abandons the
status quo, will go to France. The re-
mainder due will be paid out in coal
deliveries over a period Of five years.
Millions Invested.
Besides the mines, French citizens
have 250,000,000 francs invested in
Saar industries, such as chemical and
glass factories, tobacco and steel in
duStries. There are tens Of thousands
Of French nationals residing in the
Saar and many Saarlanders who will
take advantage of the opportunity to
embrace French citizenship. Their
rights will have to be protected.
The threatened stoppage Of free
trade with France will bring the great
est hardships. Fifty per cent of the
Saar's products have been going into
France duty free. Thirty per cent
have been consumed in the Saar, and
the remaining 20 per cent have gone
to other countries, including Germany.
Berlin's claim that before 1920 nearly
80 per cent Of the Saar products was
sold within the German customs
union" is perfectly true. But Berlin
does not add that Alsace and Lor-
raine, which absorbed $4,000, 900 tons
of Saar coal during the last decade,
are no longer German, as they were
before the World War.
Another Ittle-known fact is that
the Saar does not produce enough
foodstuffs to feed its population six
weeks of the year. The rest Is i'm
imported largely from Alsace and Lor-
raine. Obviously the French will suf-
fer, but the Saar consumer will suffer
even more. Food prices will increase
enormously, and there is no reason
to think that wages will not 60 down
to the general level in Germany.
The Saar mines now employ more
than $4,000 men. If exports to France
are cut so per cent-as it is antici-
pated they will behalf the mining
population will join the ranks of the
unemployed. It Is certain that Ger
many will not consume more Saar
coal, especially with the Ruhr, Rhine
land and Silesian mines to draw
from.
Likewise, the Saar's steel mills and
iron foundries will be hard hit. Lor-
raine iron furnishes their raw ma
terial. The French are embarking on
a conservationist policy so far as Lor-
raine iron ore Is concerned. There is
about 10 years supply left in the field,
engineers estimate. The French see
no reason why they should export 1t to
aid German industry. There are an
other $4,000 Saar workers employed in
the steel and iron mills of the region.
Their outlook Is not bright.
Future Was Certain.
Under League administration the
Saar workers have had an ideal social
insurance system. Old age pensions,
invalidity and unemployment insur-
ance and assistance to widows and or
phans have robbed the future of un-
certainty. The German social insur-
ance system has crashed as a result
of the depression and economic crisis.
When the hourishing Saar insurance
organization Is incorporated in the
defunct Nal scheme little will be left.
Also trade unionism is taboo in Ger
many, and in the Saar it has reached
the highest stage of development.
The above are only few Of the
complications ahead unless the
status quo is maintained. II the pop
ulation votes to remain under inter-
national administration (Which, how
ever, may be modified to suit the new
situation) the political repercussions
may be serious. The Germans have
said repeatedly that they cannot re-
strain the Saarlanders and their
neighboring German brothers. France
has pledged herself to take any ac-
tion-military or otherwise-needed to
prevent "putsch." The international
force of 5000 men in the region may
have to remain indefinitely if there
is a close vote. With $3.50 vote. or
even 60-40 vote, to 60 with Germany
recorded, the League Council may well
decide to maintain the status quo and
arrange for another plebiscite five
years hence.
That would mean that the Saar
would be an international sore spot
for an indefinite period-unless Hit
lerism passes in Germany.
For Europe the Saar still remains
anything but peaceful dream; for
the population anything but bed Of
roses.