One can understand very well the reasons of an economic nature which have led Clemenceau to wish to give us these Sarre coal deposits, but in order to acquire them must we give ourselves the appearance of wanting to juggle with 600,000 Germans in order to make Frenchmen of them in fifteen years ?" (M.Herve in _La Victorie_, May 31, 1919).
[39] This plebiscite is the most important of the concessions accorded to Germany in the Allies' Final Note, and one for which Mr.
Lloyd George, who never approved the Allies' policy on the Eastern frontiers of Germany, can claim the chief credit.

The vote cannot take place before the spring of 1920, and may be postponed until 1921.

In the meantime the province will be governed by an Allied Commission.

The vote will be taken by communes, and the final frontiers will be determined by the Allies, who shall have regard, partly to the results of the vote in each commune, and partly "to the geographical and economic conditions of the locality." It would require great local knowledge to predict the result.

By voting Polish, a locality can escape liability for the indemnity, and for the crushing taxation consequent on voting German, a factor not to be neglected.