the following brief and sketchy outline may
prove a help to busy readers of Danskvrcn as
a guide in following the events of the plebis
cite, shortly to take place.
In order to facilitate the vote the terri
tory in question has been divided into two
zones, North Slesvig and Central Slesvig.
North Slesvig, which is predominantly Danish
and is thought sure to vote for a return to
Denmark, will vote as a whole, and the ques
tion will be decided according to the vote of
the majority. In Central Slesvig, on the other
hand, where the majority used to be German,
the vote will be taken by communes.
In the first draft of the Peace Treaty,
handed to the German representatives at Ver
sailles, May IK, provision had been
made also for a plebiscite in South Slesvig
(the third zone as shown on the map) covering
not quite all of the remainder of the old duchy,
but the territory bounded roughly by a line
drawn from the Schlei to the Eider and pass
ing just south of Dannevirkc.
I lit* inclusion of this practically wholly
German population within the plebiscite area
aroused a great deal of apprehension both in
Denmark and North Slesvig. It was feared that
the possible incorporation of such a large
number of Germans into the Danish state
might load to future trouble with Germany
and be used by the latter as a pretext for re
opening the whole question. It was demand
ed that the settlement should recognize not
only the principle of self-determination but
the principle of nationality as well.
In accordance with these wishes the third
zone was eliminated from the Treaty as final
ly presented to the German plenipotentiaries
