MARCH INTO GERMANY

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 57, 8 March 1921, Page 5

MARCH INTO GERMANY

BY ALLIED ARMIESI TO ENFORCE REPARATION '' COUNTER PROPOSALS REJECTED OFFER OF A FIVE YEAR TRIAL The Germans have carried their game of bluff a little too i far. They protested that the Allied terms of reparation for ] the wrongs done to the occupants of the occupied countries i not in payment of their war bills—were impossible of accept - i ance. An opportunity was accordingly given them of preparl ing counter-proposals, but these when submitted were so ! ridiculously inadequate as to be unworthy of discussion. They ] were then, at their own request, given time to submit a revised ; scheme, but this they failed to do, offering a piece-meal [ solution, scarcely any more satisfactory than their first offer. I The Allies have therefore decided to impose the penalties I decided upon at the Paris Conference, and the army of occupa- { tion, encamped on the western bank of the Rhine, will move I forward into territory eastward of the Rhine beyond the I neutral zone decided upon at the Peace Congress. A line of * Customhouses will here be established, probably the main [ ports will be seized, existing German tariffs will be imposed I and collected, and other penalties will be imposed until the v- amount fixed by the Allies has been collected. I The German Government announces an appeal to the I league of Nations against the invasion on the ground that the I penalties are in contradiction of the League of Nations' pact, I which Germany has signed. It is also officially stated that the \ 'American army of occupation win not participate in the I advance. , MILITARY ENFORCEMENT OF PENALTIES. I GERMANS UNABLE TO FORMULATE NEW PLAN. APPEAL TO THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. , (By Cable.—Press Association,—Copyright.! ~ " (Becetved 9.30 a-m.) lOXDON, March 7. * J It is announced that the Allied Congress has decided that the German proposals are unacceptable, and do not justify any postponement of the penalties fixed by the Allies for the non-fulfilment of their demands. The 'Allies therefore rejected the German proposals, and decided to enforce the decisions of the Paris Conference. f Accordingly instructions were issued to Marshal Foch to order the advance * of his troops into Germany, this instruction being issued from St. James' Palace shortly before seven o'clock this evening. Prior to this decision being reached Dr. yon Simons, the German Foreign ' Minister, made a statement to the Conference, in tbe course of which he eaid , fiiat on account of the far-reaching differences of opinion among both parties ■ fct the present moment, and the grave difficulties in the way of a perfect } solution of the reparation problem the German delegation was compelled to ' j abandon the idea of presenting a new plan, and "had decided to revert to the I idea of a provisional arrangement for a definite settlement for the next five j years. They were prepared to pay the fixed annuities provided for that i period, end to give in addition a full equivalent for a levy of twelve per cent 1 on the xrhole of the exports, although they did not think the latter practicable. ' Such tremendous payments were only possible by way of loan, and he i- could make the proposal only on condition of Upper Silesia remaining German \ by virtue of the plebiscite, and by the abolition of all restrictions upon [ Germany's world commerce. These were essential to enable Germany to meet i her payments honourably. If the Allies agreed to this proposal then he and his colleagues would do their utmost to produce as soon as possible a comprehensive plan of reparations, extending over a period of thirty years. If the Allies, on the other iand, insisted on their present demands then he asked for a week's delay to enable him to personally consult the Cabinet at.Berlin. t JJr. Lloyd George remarked that there was no doubt as to the answer ' which the Allies were forced to give, but he thought it desirable to give a S-easoned reply. An adjournment of the conference was therefore made, it j icing announced that it would met again at 4.30 p.m. f When the conference resumed Mr. Lloyd George, addressing the German I delegates, said that he much regretted that he had to state that not only were I Dr. yon Simons' proposals unacceptable, but that in spite of the interval the ' German representatives had not advanced "any proposals justifying any postponement of the penalties. In the interests of the peace of the world he deeply regretted having to come to this decision. < Dr. yon Simons declared that the menace of the penalties which the ' Allies had decided to impose was in contradiction with the League of Nations' pact, which Germany had signed. He therefore announced that in the name of the German Government an appeal would be made to the League of Nations against the sanctions. & '° Several questions were asked in the House of Commons regarding the German obligations. Mr. Horatio Bottomley asked whether the Government f would reconsider its decision waiving the right to seize German property in England, and whether the Government would destroy. German military , aerodromes and seaplane stations. Dγ B. McDonald suggested that a combined force should march on Berlin. Viscount Curzon proposed a blockade of the German coast in the event ol p, refusal to carry out the Allied terms. Mr. Edward Shortt, Home Secretary, said that a reply could not be given Until the conference had arrived at its decisions. I NO CO-OPERATION BY AMERICAN FORCES. (Received 11.30 a.m.) ■ WASHINGTON, March 7. The Department of State has announced that the American army of occupation will not co-operate in the advance on Germany.—(A. and X.Z. Cable.)

I A FIVE TEARS' TRIAt. SUGGESTED BY BR. SIMONS.. LONDON, March 7. The "Daily Telegraph , ' states that Mr. Lioyd George suggested as a compromise the payment by Germany of 36 annuities, of 3,000,000,000 gold marks (f 150,000,000) each, plus an export tax of 30 per sent, and that this plan wae submitted at midnight to Dr. Simons, who was invited to state if it was acceptable. Dr. Simons is believed to have deferred his reply. If the "Daily Telegraph's" forecast, which emanates from a French correspondent, is confirmed, the new plan does tstft mean an abatement of the Paria jtanands, as it is aleo stipulated that the

Reparation Commission shall eventually' calculate the amount Germany should have paid under the Paris agreement, and her actual payment under the new proposal, Germany paying l.be difference. This reported solution should be read in the light of the conference on Thursday between Dr. Simons and the Supreme Council, at which Dr. Simons claimed that a plight increase of the annuities would in thirty years give everything the Allies demanded. Mr. Lloyd George said that it did not seem essentially a new offer, but, anyway, the Allied experts would examine it. M. Briand interposed that the Allies were Drepared to investigate Dr. Simons' claim," but it was useless for him to try to obtain a. diminution of the Allies' demands. „ . ,

Report* from Paris show that French I opinion is becoming nervous as the critical day approaches, fearing thar some unsuspected development at. the eleventh hour will cause France's Allies to agree to concessions rather thai resort to extreme measures. French circles in London state that M. Millerand and M. Barthou telegraphed to M. Briand on Sunday that French opinion would not to'erato concessions. The French headquarters staff on the Rhine, has completed plans for an advance to the Ruhr region, forthwith if necessary. Certain classes of reservists in Britain have been ordered to be ready to proceed to depots in enso their reinforcements are needed on the Continent.— (A. and X.Z. Cable.) The demands of the Allies, fixed at the Paris Conference, included the following term?: — Total indemnity not fixed. (Germany to make 42 annual payments aggregating £11.300.000.000: first two i payments to be £100,000.000 each, to be ! followed by three payments of £150,000.000, " three of '£200,000,000, three of £2.'>0.000,000, and 31 of £300,000.000 each. Allies to received proceeds of 12i per cent duty on all German exports. To this Uermany replied with counter- | proposals which included the followI ing:— : Total indemnity to b<? fixed at ; £2.500,000,000: to be. written off this on ' account of reparation already made. : £1,000.000.000; leaving still to be-paid, i £1.500.000.000. to be spread over 30 years. Payment for tirM five years to be in ' labour or kind. Immediate issue of international loan to fieTmany of £400.000.000. Retention of I'ppcr Silesia. These proposals were received with amazement, coupled with amusement and indignation, in London and Paris, and it was suggested that the sanctions agreed upon at the Paris Conference i in January should be immediately imposed. An opportunity was, however, given tlie Germans to revise their programme, and this they did. but their j offers did not approximate the demands : of the Conference and were also hedged : about with conditions which rendered ! them altogether unsatisfactory. The refusal of American co-operation | in the advance was not. unexpected. Reports received last week from Wall , Street stated that the sudden termination of the first sitting of the Supreme Council ""bcarishly" affected stocks Early editions of the evening papers published dispatches from Washington declaring "That the apparent approach of a European crisis had caused Republican leaders to hasten their plans for the withdrawal of the last vestige of American participation in the war, soon after the inauguration of the new Government on March 4. With the French troops and guns moving toward the German border. American troops on the, Rhine are to be withdrawn very soon after the new Administration" takes office. Developments attendant upon the London Conference in regard to German reparations have not changed the Republican plans in this regard, and it is indicated that a move might be made earlier than previously contemplated. It is also stated that with the Allies threatening to occupy German territory, plans for bringing a.bout a state of peace between America and Germany, through the passage of Mr. Philander Knox's resolution, were 'being perfected in the Senate." Germany's cry that she is ruined anrt cannot meet tne demands of the Allies is not justified. Tho armistice. now accepted as the work of President Wilson, left Germany's economic resourer, except her shipping, unimpaired. co thait an instant start for recovery could be made. And the well-disciplined Germans set to work as hard as they could, and have stuck to it. The eonl output is rapidly rising to the pre-war standard. an f: *''«■ cry is for more iron. The various industries have been better grouped for effective production, and have .been more closely linked up with finance and commerce, thanks to the organising genius of Herr Hugo Stinnes, who hae also got propaganda in his bands by rbuxing up over sixty newspapers. The German savings banks aTC regarded as a jrood barooie-ter of prosperity, and in l!>"20 the increase of deposits was returned at 5.640.000.000 marks (over £22,000.000) up to 10th October. Germany, as the French insist, and show cause, is merely shamming dead.