BRITAIN AND FRANCE.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17692, 19 February 1923, Page 10

BRITAIN AND FRANCE.

POLICY IN THE RHINELAND. IRRECONCILABLE VIEWS. (BT CABLE —PE2S3 ASSOCIATIOH —COFTRIGHT.) IAOTTB.UTIg ASD 5.Z. CABLS ASSOCIATION.) (Received February 18th, 5.5 pjn.) LONDON, February 16. The Anglo-French Conference has adjourned. It & understood that the French strongly urged the need for Anglo-French unity. It is understood that the French and British viewpoints at the Downing street Conference were found to be irreconcilable. It is believed M. Le Trocquer was informed that if further complications arose, consideration of the question of the withdrawal of the British Army of Occupation could not be avoided. Mr Bonar Law, Lord Curzon, Foreign Minister, and Lord Derby, Secretary for War, lengthily outlined the British view, and submitted alternative proposals for consideration by M. Poincare. The "Evening Standard" says the Conference ended virtually in a deadlock, the French envoys returning to Paris without a decision being reached regarding railway facilities through the British zone. The British Government have not, for the moment, declined to grant the request. Certain questions were introduced which M. Le Trocquer was not authorised to decide. The negotiations were conducted ■ in the most amicable spirit, but the viewpoints differed. The British attitude is understood to be that tho concessions asked for, if granted, would result in complications. This view is supported by military experts on tho ! spot. The British proposals will be submitted to the French Cabinet. The Central News Agency says the j German Government has intimated that it will raise no objection to the British | permitting the French to make use of the railway lines in the British zono of occupation, as it recognises the delicate position in which the British Government is placed. (Received February 18th, 5.5.p.m.) PARIS, February 17. The reports of the London Conference are considered satisfactory so Jar as they give the impression that the British Cabinet has done its best to meet French requirements. Nevertheless, it is realised that, so long as the Germans are responsible for the regular working of the railways in the British zone, difficulties are bound to occur. The "Matin'' sees Lord d'Abernon's work in the difficulties which M. Le. Trocquer is meeting, and declares that JElerr Cuno on Lord d'Abernon's advice is seeking to insinuate that the good relations between the German and British authorities would be disturbed, if the British yielded unduly to the French. Nevertheless, Herr Cuno has adopted a conciliatory attitude and expressed a desire 'not to embarrass England and oblige her to evacuate the Cologne bridgehead.' Herr Cuno wants to bring Britain into the dispute as a, mediator, but France and Belgium will refuse mediation and only accept negotiations on definite German proposals. The "Petit Parisien," basing its remarks on the report of Sir Alexander Godley, Commander-in-Chief of the British Army on the Rhine, opposing. FranQo-Belgian control of t3x© railways in the British, zone, prophesies that Britain rather than consent will withdraw her troops from the Rhine. The paper says there is a growing tendency to consider the British zonj as a kind of neutral territory. These is little doubt that a British withdrawal would affect the Germans more than the French. M. Gustave HServe writing «n the "Victoire," says: "It is almost heartbreaking to witness Britain breaking the alliance and creating anew the atmosphere of hostility which prevailed for so many centuries." The "CEuvre" is of the opinion that the French demands are simply throwing Britain into a radical solution of, the question, namely, withdri.vai of her troops. (Received February 18th, 11.5 p.m.) PARIS, February 17. M. Le Trocquer submitted to Cabinet a record of his mission to London, He emphasised the extreme cordiality of the meeting. Subsequently Cabinet decided to send Generals Payot and Degoutte to Cologne to confer with Sir Alexander Godley. A message received some days ago saidf: France has asked Great Britain for authority to pass coal trains from the Ruhr through the British zone to Cologne if a general German strike occurs. Franoe has also requested the transfer of a small portion of the British occupied territory to France for the purpose of facilitating the pressure on Germany. Great Britain referred the requests to experts on the_ spot. General Sir Alexander Godley is discussing the situation with General Degoutte, the French commander. As the railway runs through the outskirts of the British area, an extremely small portion of the British zone would be affected. > Later messages said: General Payot is going to London to confer with Mr Bonar Law with reference to the utilisation by Franoe of the railways in the British zone of occupation in Germany. The "Matin" states that negotiations with Britain regarding the arrangement for the passage of coal trains from the Ruhr through the British occupied area are being pushed cordially. The question does not conoern the use of Cologne station, but the granting of a right of _ way through Duaseldorf, Luckren, and Treves. DEBATE IN HOUSE OF COMMONS. __ \ GOVERNSENT'S POLICY STATED. (Received February IBth, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, February 16. Speaking in the House of Commons, Lord Henry Cavendish Bentinck (Conservative) said the country deplored France's action, which destroyed all

hope of reparation for herself and oureelves and all hope of France s security 'Mr J. Ramsay Macdonald, leader of tte Labour Party, in his speech wound up the case for the amendment declaring that benevolent neutrality helped neither Britain nor France nor the world. It would merely mislead France and involve the nest generation in another war. - ilr Stanley Baldwin, replying for the Government, said the clear issue on which the division would be taken was whether members adopted the Government's view that this was not an opportune time to accept the Labour Party's view that Britain should have an immediate breach with France. The Government was of the opinion that it should continue its present attitude, hoping that a time would come when its services as mediator and heiper might be possible and effective. The Government was striving with might and main for peace and .believed its efforts would yet be crowned with success. The amendment was" rejected by 27? votes to ISO[In the House of Commons, Mr J. if. Clynes (Labour, on behalf of the Labour Party, moved an amendment to the Aduress-in-Reply that, recognising that the grave anii dangerous condition of Europe and the Near East to be a certain source or future wars and a serious aggravation of unemployment, the House regrets the absence of a policy wnich will check tho progressive economic ruin of Europe; contemplates an all-round cancellation of war debts as an essential part of a workable general settlement and the employment of the League of Nations in settling critical matters such as the situation in the Ruhr; and urges an early reconsideration of the peace treaties, especially their economic clauses.] LABOUR M.P.'S VISIT RUHR. • (Received February 17th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, February 16. Four Scottish Labour Members of the House of Commons —Messrs J. Wheatley, D. Kirkwood, and J. Maxfcon and the Rev. C. Stephen —have gone to the Ruhr for the week-end. REVISION OF THE TREATY. LONDON, February 16. In the House of Commons, replying to a question as to whether the Government, under Article 10 of tke Covenant of the League of Nations, would in,-*' struct the British representatives 'to raise the question of the revision of the Treaty of Versailles, Mr Bona* Lartv said he did not think that any advantage would result from such an action. [Article 19 of tho Covenant of the League of Nations reads: The Assembly may from time to time advise the reconsideration by members of the League of treaties which have become' iaapplicable, and tlia consideration of international conditions whose continuance might endanger the peace bf the world.] CANADA AND REPARATION. I OTTAWA, February 16. Turmoil was created in the House of Commons when Mr J. S. Woodworth, Labour member for Central Winnipeg, moved that Canada f-hould withdraw all reparation claims against Germany. Mr Woodworth declared that the other European nations, including Britain, made plans for military aggression before the war, and the Germany of to-day was not the Germany of the War Lord. The motion caused a stormy scene, in which Mr Woodworth was accused of libelling Allied statesmen. The debate was adjourned. TIME FOR PLAIN SPEAKING. MR J. L GARVIN'S VIEWS. (Received February 17th, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, February 17. Mr J. L. Garvin, in an outspoken article in the "Observer," declares: "The decisive time has come to withdraw from the Rhine and formally end the Entente unless France can be brought to such a compromise with British views and interests as was rofused at the Paris Conference. Britain and the British Empire cannot be cyphers in these matters. Cabinet can no longer stand in a public position of anxious impotence such as British Ministers never before have consented to occupy. Either we must have equality under the Entente with substantial considerations for our own essential interests and our own deliberate views, or we must have freedom like America. France can it either way, but not both ways. Mr Bonar Law's Government must assert this position or its own political position will become untenable. The vaat majority of the British people are fundamentally opposed to a military conquest of the Ruhr or the partition of Germany. The Government must effectively interpret that view or give place to a Government representing the view of mediation through an impartial international tribunal. It ought earnestly to be urged on France. If France cannot revise her separate policy, which is a breach of the Treaty of Versailles and of the Entente, she must be notified with grave, regretful courtesy and British troops will be withdrawn from the Rhine and the Entente come to an end, which will mean we shall wash our hands of the responsibility of the Versailles system. THE TRANSPORT PROBLEM. (Received February- 18th, 11.5 p.m.) PARIS, February 18. It is confidently believed in official circles that the differences regarding the Ruhr transport question will be solved at Cologne by Sir Alexander Godley and General Payot. The British proposals permit France to send through the British zone the same number of trains with fresh supplies and equipment as were allowed before the Ruhr occupation. While the French Government will accept this rather than run counter to British public opinion, the military authorities are not satisfied with the reduced transport service, fearing the danger of being cut off in the event of the German population or workers getting out of hand.