134 EMPLOYMENT OF THE PLEBISCITE [432 



rected against Belgium." To the Allied Powers these " rea- 

 sons seem sufficient to justify the union of the territory to 

 Belgium, provided the petitions to this effect are sufficiently 

 supported by the population of the district."® 



The petitions here referred to must be those of the Wal- 

 loon population asking for incorporation. 



The German criticism of the insufficient provision for a 

 free and unconstrained vote, is answered by the Allies' 

 reply in the affirmation that "the Treaty makes provision 

 for consulting the population under the auspices of the 

 League of Nations." 



The stiplations concerning the cession of Neutral Mores- 

 net remain as provided. Prussian Moresnet goes to Bel- 

 gium, so the reply states, " in partial compensation for the 

 destruction of Belgian forests." 



Article 45 of the Treaty stipulates that: 



As compensation for the destruction of the coal-mines in the north 

 of France and as part paj-ment towards the total reparation due 

 from Germany for the damage resulting from the war, Germany 

 cedes to France in full and absolute possession, with exclusive rights 

 of exploitation, unencumbered and free from all debts and charges 

 of any kind, the coal-mines situated in the Saar Basin as defined 

 in Article 48. 



This transfer of the mines does not ipso facto imply the 

 change of sovereignty over the inhabitants. But Article 47 

 provides that: 



In order to make in due time permanent provision for the govern- 

 ment of the Saar Basin in accordance with the wishes of the popu- 

 lations, France and Germany agree to the provision of Chapter III 

 of the Annex hereto. 



Chapter II of the Annex here referred to provides for 

 the transfer for fifteen years of the government of the Saar 

 Basin " to a Commission representing the League of 

 Nations." Chapter III contains the conditions under which 

 the plebiscite is to be held at the end of this period. Upon 



^" Reply of the Allied and Associated Powers to the Observations 

 of the German Delegation on the Conditions of Peace," published 

 as number 144 by the American Association for International Con- 

 ciliation, New York, November, 1919. 



