Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1935-06-27
PROBLEM OF RHINE
REVIVED BY HITLER
Always Played Big Part in
European Politics.

of Rhineland Notifications, and again
brings into the news a fertile valley
which has so often been an economic
and political frontier.
According to the terms of the treaty
Germany was allowed to retain the left
bank of the Rhine providing it was
completely demilitarized. Military oc-
equations of this zone (from 1918 to
1930) by American, French, and Brit
ish forces insured Germany's fulfill
ment of her agreement.
"The Rhine has always played en-
important part in European politics"
says the National Geographic society.
"a glance at the map shows many OF
the most famous Rhine towns standing
on the left bank of the river. This
is because the Rhine was once a from
tier of Roman civilization, and it was
on the west side that Roman strong
holds were established. Today, start
ing near its source, the river marks the
boundary first between Switzerland
and Liechteastein, then Switzerland
and Austria, Switzerland and Germany,
and finally Germany and France.
Important Waterway,
FLOWING from south u north, the
Rhine is One of Europe's chief water
ways. With its numerous tributaries
it drains one of the most densely
populated regions of Europe, a cou1f-
try rich in minerals and intensively
cultivated. 1t reaches the North sea
coast opposite London, thus connect
ing with British shipping, and form
ing natural outlet for Germany, Bel
GUM, and the Netherlands.
Canals join the Rhine from the
Rhone, the Marine, and the Danube.
1t is navigable without interruption
from Basic to the sea, distance Of
$50 miles. Ocean-golng steamers can
ascend as far as Cologne, where car
goes are transferred to river boats, but
only small craft can navigate the up
per Rhine above SpireA
"Since the Versailles treaty the
Rhine has become an International wa
terway open to ships Of all nations.
although it rises in the Swiss Alps
and enters the North sea through Meth
erland territory, to the Germans the
Rhine is their national river It Is
firmly woven into their history, their
art, their music, and their literature.
A boat trip down this stream Is jour
ney through Germany's past as we'll as
her present.
1.-THE Rhine enters the Rift valley
at Basic, flowing north between the
ranges Of the vosges and the Black
forest. At Mainz, where the Main en-
tiers the Rhine, the slopes of the Tau
nus hills turn the river westward until
1t reaches Bingen. Between Bingen
and Bonn It winds through the narrow
Rhine gorge beneath high cliffs
adorned with ancient castles or steeply
terraced vineyards.
Medieval Stronghold.
Halfway between Bingen and Bonn
the gorge is broken by the entrance
of the Moselle from the west and the
Lain from the east. Coblenz Is built
on triangle Of land between the Mo-
selle and the Rhine. The Romans
called 1t Confuentes.. During the oc-
cupation Of the Rhineland by the al
lies after the World war 1t was head
quarters for the American division.
On rocky precipice across the Rhine
ID the old fortress of Ehrenbreitstein,
an important stronghold since medieval
days.
Bonn II famous as Beethoven's
birthplace, and as the seat of an an
Client university. Beyond Bonn the
Rhine swings north and then west
through wide plain. Cologne (Koln),
third city Of Germany, is a busy port
trading in grain, wine, ores, coal, and
timber. Above sea of city roofs soar
the twin spires of the Cologne cathe
dral, each nearly as tall as the Wash
ington monument.
Industry and commerce crowd out
natural beauty along the lower Rhine
Dusseldorf Is an important manufac-
turing town, noisy with factories and
great steel and iron works. 1t Is par
ticularly noted for it's dyeing indus
tries, and also as the birthplace OF
Heinrich Heine. Duisburg, at the point
where the Ruhr joins the Rhine, is one
of the most extensive river ports in
the world. 1t is chief center of the
German steel industry, and commercial
gateway for the coal and iron shipped
out of the Ruhr, Incidentally 1t was
once the home of Mercator, the great
map maker.
Goal smoke and machinery have
failed to destroy the legends of the
past. Siegfried was supposedly born
at Xanten, near the Netherlands bor-
der, and at Cloves, Lohengrin, the
knight Of Wagner's opera, rescued the
beautiful Elsa"