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Show H3 PS R A BERLIN DISCOVERY America's war nlm Is now "disclosed" by tho Vosslsche Zeltung of Berlin. It Is alleged to bo tho acquisition of Alsaco Lorraine's potash deposits. The correspondent to tho New York Times at Tho Hague on November 25 cables the substance of an editorial in tho Berlin papor which "admits that tho Iron ore districts of DIedenhofen, with that of Briey-Longwy-Nancy-Calvadoi, would make France tho richest iron country in Europe, but Insists that tho potash deposits depos-its betweon Muelbausen and ZInhelm are tho question ques-tion of the hour, to cite Germany's unwillingness to give up ono square yard of tho German Lorraine Iron ore districts, as theso aro Imperatlvo for Germany, industrially and agriculturally. Tho Alsace potash deposits, it proceeds to say, represent another economic econ-omic phase of the situation, and many persons are i Ignorant of tho fact that whereas coal and iron are the basis for industrial development, potash is the "third trump" after tho war. Tho paper asserts that, while the American troops are now on ai"qulet part of tho front," It Is to bo expected that thoy will soon ho moved to Sundgau, on the1 Rhino Rhone canal, In order to claim the potosh doposlts at present ta German hands. It Is allegod that Amorlcans aro even capitalizing a scheme for enlarging tho canal from Muelhausen to Marseilles in order to facilitate , tho ti asportation of potash to that port.rand that im-. mediately after tho conclusion of peace- some German Ger-man potash doposlts aro to bo claimed as natural compensation, owing to tho fact that tho French works have boen destroyed by fire. But, it says, "Nothing must bo given away, and only stop by step shall we deliver potash to neutrals and, after tho war, to enemies. But neutrals and enemies will need increasing quantities of potash at tho conclusion of peace, as tho soli becomes poor. Grain crops have almost disappeared, Australia excepted, and cotton crops havo greatly decreased. If thoy rofuso us raw materials wo will revenge ourselves on tho enemy's agriculture." Tho papor concludes with a warning that, to achieve this aim. Germany's potash mon opoly must romaln Intact. Mining and Engineering Journal. |