Show The S Soar a B Basin sin 4 E 1 E of pf the knotty 0 ONE problems that tile the p peace ce congress most must very ery soon Eoon solve sol concerns the d disposition ol of or the immensely rich coal fields ields in the basin of the River France wants these fields permanently although they are arc located in territory that is au an integral ral part oC Prussia Prusia that is peopled wholly by Germans and that never belonged to Prance except for a few years rears in Napoleons Napoleon's time Tb Why t then does France ask for the Sitar basin 1 For two rc reasons sons primarily First the Germans stole stoIc immense im im- hu- hu mense quantities of French coal during the war and anil then destroyed the entrances to the mines an and minin mining mining- machinery in occupied territory so that tha t it will vill be bc two years ears before these mines can cnn again be placed in full ful operation secondly France Franc desires to weaken Germany by taking ing over her rich richest st coal deposits so that Germany Ger- Ger many will win not be lie able to lo mal make e successful t war on onI I I 1 France Ta ce again That France has bas a very rear and is justi justi- 1 lied in demanding compensation from German Germau miner mine I for the tile French coal that was va stolen no minded fair I person pelSon will ill ill deny But in demanding the basin Frane Franco asks for much more than compensation En English Engli- h I authorities estimate the coal conI in this region in iu seams Reams o of or on one J foot o and upwards wards at tons If the 1 value of tins this coal in iri the mines is 1 a ton ton ton-surel a Franco would acquire by hy annexing this lo v e estimate France basin hasin wealth in cx excess of the entire cost of or the war Avar to lo toI I her Cr That the annexation of or the he basin lasin by hy France would greatly g weaken Germany industrially no one ono can doubt But that annexation would Ic lessen the likelihood like like- of another war wat between Germany an and Franco isa Isa is isa a proposition open to 10 tho tile gravest fue question l ion Y Would ouM it Jt not indeed hull mako another war almost certain 7 As s long longas as this German Gorman soil suil remained under the flag of France the war spirit of Germany German would not nol die ie Panned Fanned by national pride ami anel h by the thc feeling on the part of millions mil mil- lions hons of that a n huge injustice had la 1 been done llone hem it iu WOUld uM flame over ever more fiercely an and some da lay day it burst forth furth again nin in Ill an consuming all con Coil flit Ja- ration gration This is just jut what the peace congress should labor to oi 1 avoid 1 F Fortunately there is possible a n just settlement of ol this a problem a set settlement that lIlt will win sit it once be bo fair fuir to Franco Fiance and aIll that will not give Germany a wound that never nc ran cnn heal henl A majority of the tile mines mineS in the basin m aro owned and operated I by the tho German govern govern- ment hy can CUll there not be he inserted in the ie pearl peace treaty a l provision ro that thai these mines 5 shall be turned 1 o tu to the tue French government go for a period of ten years ears 7 1 Within ten years France Francc could take from these German mines an flU amount of coat coal more than equal to tot t the hl coal conI taken by the tile Germans from French mines mmes luring during the war var The return of these properties to lo Germany Germany Ger Ger- many at nt the end of a decade would destroy one of the strongest strong incentives the Germans would otherwise 11 0 to start slait another war J- J |