World's War Events Volume III Part 42

In compensation for the destruction of coal mines in Northern France and as payment on account of reparation, Germany cedes to France full owners.h.i.+p of the coal mines of the Sarre Basin with their subsidiaries, accessories and facilities. Their value will be estimated by the Separation Commission and credited against that account. The French rights will be governed by German law in force at the armistice excepting war legislation, France replacing the present owners, whom Germany undertakes to indemnify. France will continue to furnish the present proportion of coal for local needs and contribute in just proportion to local taxes. The basin extends from the frontier of Lorraine as re-annexed to France north as far as St. Wendel including on the west the valley of the Sarre as far as Sarre Holzbach and on the east the town of Homburg.

[Sidenote: To be governed by a commission.]

[Sidenote: A local representative a.s.sembly to be organized.]

In order to secure the rights and welfare of the population and guarantee to France entire freedom in working the mines the territory will be governed by a commission appointed by the League of Nations and consisting of five members, one French, one a native inhabitant of the Sarre, and three representing three different countries other than France and Germany. The League will appoint a member of the Commission as Chairman to act as executive of the Commission. The Commission will have all powers of government formerly belonging to the German Empire, Prussia and Bavaria, will administer the railroads and other public services and have full power to interpret the treaty clauses. The local courts will continue, but subject to the Commission. Existing German legislation will remain the basis of the law, but the Commission may make modification after consulting a local representative a.s.sembly which it will organize. It will have the taxing power but for local purposes only. New taxes must be approved by this a.s.sembly. Labor legislation will consider the wishes of the local labor organizations and the labor program of the League. French and other labor may be freely utilized, the former being free to belong to French unions. All rights acquired as to pensions and social insurance will be maintained by Germany and the Sarre Commission.

[Sidenote: Liberty of religion and language.]

There will be no military service but only a local gendarmerie to preserve order. The people will preserve their local a.s.semblies, religious liberties, schools, and language, but may vote only for local a.s.semblies. They will keep their present nationality except so far as individuals may change it. Those wis.h.i.+ng to leave will have every facility with respect to their property. The territory will form part of the French customs system, with no export tax on coal and metallurgical products going to Germany nor on German products entering the basin and for five years no import duties on products of the basin going to Germany or German products coming into the basin. For local consumption French money may circulate without restriction.

[Sidenote: Plebiscite to be held after fifteen years.]

After fifteen years a plebiscite will be held by communes to ascertain the desires of the population as to continuance of the existing regime under the League of Nations, union with France or union with Germany.

The right to vote will belong to all inhabitants over twenty resident therein at the signature. Taking into account the opinions thus expressed the League will decide the ultimate sovereignty. In any portion restored to Germany the German Government must buy out the French mines at an appraised valuation. If the price is not paid within six months thereafter this portion pa.s.ses finally to France. If Germany buys back the mines the League will determine how much of the coal shall be annually sold to France.

SECTION IV

GERMAN AUSTRIA

[Sidenote: Independence to be recognized.]

"Germany recognizes the total independence of German Austria in the boundaries traced."

CZECHO-SLOVAKIA

[Sidenote: Frontiers of the new State.]

Germany recognizes the entire independence of the Czecho-Slovak State, including the autonomous territory of the Ruthenians south of the Carpathians, and accepts the frontiers of this State as to be determined, which in the case of the German frontier shall follow the frontier of Bohemia in 1914. The usual stipulations as to acquisition and change of nationality follow.

POLAND

[Sidenote: A Boundary Commission to be const.i.tuted.]

[Sidenote: Minorities to be protected.]

Germany cedes to Poland the greater part of Upper Silesia, Posen and the province of West Prussia on the left bank of the Vistula. A Field Boundary Commission of seven, five representing the allied and a.s.sociated powers and one each representing Poland and Germany, shall be const.i.tuted within fifteen days of the peace to delimit this boundary.

Such special provisions as are necessary to protect racial, linguistic or religious minorities and to protect freedom of transit and equitable treatment of commerce of other nations shall be laid down in a subsequent treaty between the princ.i.p.al allied and a.s.sociated powers and Poland.

EAST PRUSSIA

[Sidenote: Frontiers of East Prussia and Poland.]

The southern and the eastern frontier of East Prussia as touching Poland is to be fixed by plebiscites, the first in the regency of Allenstein between the southern frontier of East Prussia and the northern frontier, or Regierungsbezirk Allenstein from where it meets the boundary between East and West Prussia to its junction with the boundary between the circles of Oletsko and Angersburg, thence the northern boundary of Oletsko to its junction with the present frontier, and the second in the area comprising the circles of Stuhm and Rosenberg and the parts of the circles of Marienburg and Marienwerder east of the Vistula.

[Sidenote: German troops and officials to leave.]

In each case German troops and authorities will move out within fifteen days of the peace, and the territories be placed under an international commission of five members appointed by the princ.i.p.al allied and a.s.sociated powers, with the particular duty of arranging for a free, fair and secret vote. The commission will report the results of the plebiscites to the powers with a recommendation for the boundary, and will terminate its work as soon as the boundary has been laid down and the new authorities set up.

[Sidenote: Access to the Vistula.]

The princ.i.p.al allied and a.s.sociated powers will draw up regulations a.s.suring East Prussia full and equitable access to and use of the Vistula. A subsequent convention, of which the terms will be fixed by the princ.i.p.al allied and a.s.sociated powers, will be entered into between Poland, Germany and Danzig, to a.s.sure suitable railroad communication across German territory on the right bank of the Vistula between Poland and Danzig, while Poland shall grant free pa.s.sage from East Prussia to Germany.

The northeastern corner of East Prussia about Memel is to be ceded by Germany to the a.s.sociated powers, the former agreeing to accept the settlement made, especially as regards the nationality of the inhabitants.

DANZIG

[Sidenote: Danzig to be under League of Nations.]

Danzig and the district immediately about it is to be const.i.tuted into the "free city of Danzig" under the guarantee of the League of Nations.

A high commissioner appointed by the League and President of Danzig shall draw up a const.i.tution in agreement with the duly appointed representatives of the city, and shall deal in the first instance with all differences arising between the city and Poland. The actual boundaries of the city shall be delimited by a commission appointed within six months from the peace and to include three representatives chosen by the allied and a.s.sociated powers, and one each by Germany and Poland.

[Sidenote: Convention between Danzig and Poland.]

A convention, the terms of which shall be fixed by the princ.i.p.al allied and a.s.sociated powers, shall be concluded between Poland and Danzig, which shall include Danzig within the Polish customs frontiers, though a free area in the port; insure to Poland the free use of all the city's waterways, docks and other port facilities, the control and administration of the Vistula and the whole through railway system within the city, and postal, telegraphic and telephonic communication between Poland and Danzig; provide against discrimination against Poles within the city, and place its foreign relations and the diplomatic protection of its citizens abroad in charge of Poland.

DENMARK

[Sidenote: Frontier to be fixed by self-determination.]

The frontier between Germany and Denmark will be fixed by the self-determination of the population. Ten days from the peace German troops and authorities shall evacuate the region north of the line running from the mouth of the Schlei, south of Kappel, Schleswig, and Friedrichstadt along the Eider to the North Sea south of Tonning; the Workmen's and Soldiers' Councils shall be dissolved, and the territory administered by an international commission of five, of whom Norway and Sweden shall be invited to name two.

[Sidenote: Voting to be in zones.]

The commission shall insure a free and secret vote in three zones. That between the German-Danish frontier and a line running south of the Island of Alsen, north of Flensburg, and south of Tondern to the North Sea, north of the Island of Sylt, will vote as a unit within three weeks after the evacuation. Within five weeks after this vote the second zone, whose southern boundary runs from the North Sea south of the Island of Fehr to the Baltic south of Sygum, will vote by communes. Two weeks after that vote the third zone running to the limit of evacuation will also vote by communes. The international commission will then draw a new frontier on the basis of these plebiscites and with due regard for geographical and economic conditions. Germany will renounce all sovereignty over territories north of this line in favor of the a.s.sociated Governments, who will hand them over to Denmark.

HELIGOLAND

[Sidenote: Fortifications to be destroyed.]

The fortifications, military establishments, and harbors of the Islands of Heligoland and Dune are to be destroyed under the supervision of the Allies by German labor and at Germany's expense. They may not be reconstructed, nor any similar fortifications built in the future.

RUSSIA

[Sidenote: Brest-Litovsk treaty to be abrogated.]

Germany agrees to respect as permanent and inalienable the independency of all territories which were part of the former Russian Empire, to accept the abrogation of the Brest-Litovsk and other treaties entered into with the Maximalist Government of Russia, to recognize the full force of all treaties entered into by the allied and a.s.sociated powers with States which were a part of the former Russian Empire, and to recognize the frontiers as determined thereon. The allied and a.s.sociated powers formally reserve the right of Russia to obtain rest.i.tution and reparation on the principles of the present treaty.