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TREATY 478 TREATY 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 Ger- man products entering the basin and for five years no import duties on products of the basin going to Germany or Ger- man products coming into the basin. For local consumption French money may cir- culate without restriction. 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 Gei'many. 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 sover- eignty. In any portion restored to Ger- many 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 passes 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 Germany recognizes the total indepen- dence of German Austria in the boun- daries traced. CZECHO-SLOVAKIA Germany recognizes the entire inde- pendence of the Czecho-Slovak state, in- cluding the autonomous territory of the Ruthenians S. 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 stipula- tions as to acquisitions and change of nationality follow. POLAND 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 Com- mission of seven, five representing the allied and associated powers and one each representing Poland and Germany, shall be constituted vdthin fifteen days of the peace to delimit this boundary. Such special provisions as are necessary to protect racial, linguistic or religious mi- norities and to protect freedom of transit and equitable treatment of commerce of other nations shall be laid down in a subsequent treaty between the principal allied and associated powers and Poland. EAST PRUSSIA The southern and eastern frontier of East Prussia as touching Poland is to be fixed by plebiscites, the first in the re- gency of Allenstein between the southern frontier of East Prussia and the northern frontier, or Regierungsbezirk Allenstein, from where it meets the boundary be- tween East and West Prussia to its junc- tion with the boundary between the cir- cles of Oletsko and Angerburg, 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 E. of the Vistula. In each case German troops and au- thorities will move out within fifteen days of the peace, and the territories be placed under an international commission of five members appointed by the principal allied and associated powers, with the particu- lar 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. The principal allied and associated powers will draw up regulations assuring East Prussia full and equitable access to and use of the Vistula. A subsequent convention, of which the terms will be fixed by the principal allied and asso- ciated powers, will be entered into be- tween Poland, Germany and Danzig, to assure suitable railroad communication across German territory on the right bank of the Vistula between Poland and Danzig, while Poland shall grant free passage from East Prussia to Germany. The northeastern corner of East Prus- sia about Memel is to be ceded by Ger- many to the associated powers, the for- mer agreeing to accept the settlement made, especially as regards the national- ity of the inhabitants. DANZIG Danzig and the district immediately about it is to be constituted into the "free city of Danzig" under the guarantee of the League of Nations. A high commis- sioner appointed by the League and Pres- ident of Danzig shall draw up a consti- tution in agreement with the duly ap- pointed 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 representa- tives chosen by the allied and associated