CONFLICT IN ESSEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 78, 2 April 1923, Page 5

CONFLICT IN ESSEN.

-a FRENCH AND GEBMASS CLASH. MACHINE-GUNS USED. SEVEN KILLED. 54 INJURED. ,-By ,„*,!,..--1-ress Ass,,-i,.t i ,-„,.-.-.,p,- r |^,„., LONDON. April 1. Ihe Berlin correspondent of the "Ceiiiral News'" reports thai seven tieri man- were killed, twenty-two severely and thirty-two slightly wounded in a conflict between Frciich troops and Krupps' workmen at Essen. The French unexpectedly occupied certain motor works. The workers stopped the machinery and».ffered opposition. Ignoring the French officers' pleas to resume work they surrounded and threatened to attack tlie troops iinlagrtjlicy withdrew. Further attempts to iflWy them failed. The men grew more turbulent and declared they Wool,l defend the works. Eventually ton,- French machine-guns the above ,-a.-ual( i.-. The. remainder of" 1b- workmen fled :,,„1 the French occupied tin- works. The crowd later at Jacked four French, men. killing two. I A. and N.Z Cable.) A PRE-ARRANGED RIOT. DISREGARDED WARNING. .Itc-civc-l 10.30 a.m., LONDON. April 1. The Paris correspondent of the ■"Sunday Express" kivs I hat the Kssen rioting was prearranged by the, Ibcrman-, who •-out pre-organiscd agents into the city. C.entian photographers look pictures lit :he workmen holding up their hands in lokcn of surrender. Th.- foreign oflice declares that workmen turned lire hose- on the troops and threatened tlu-in with revolvers. After ith.nl Iroops fired in the air. but the flcnmuis took no heel of the warning.— iA. ami N.Z. (able,