ANXIETY OF THE ALLIES

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 78, 1 April 1920, Page 7

ANXIETY OF THE ALLIES

GERMANY'S REINFORCEMENTS

PRECAUTIONS TO SAFEGUARD

FRANCE,

(UNITED PBBSS ASSOCIATION.—COTTRIfiBT.) (tfeceived April 1, 10 a.m.)

LONDON, 30th March,

The Australian Press Association learns that the Allied Governments continue to view the situation in the Ruhr district with grave anxiety. It is understood that Germany, in order to quell the insurrection in the Ruhr area, requested the Allies to permit the despatch of 100,000 troops instead of 40,000 which the agreement of last August allowed. Prance fears the presence of sucb an army will- be a 6erious menace to her safety, but Britain and the othor Allies, recognising the importance of the restoration of order, favoured acceding to the German request. Ultimately, in response tf/ French "representations, the. Allies a-greed to permit the additional German, troops to enter the neutral zone, provided a-n equivalent Allied forco occupied various'points. The Allied terms included the occupation of Frankfort and Darmstadt temporarily, and the taking over of. the local administration with power to proclaim martial law. The Germans refused these conditions, pointing out that they involved ah Allied advance of twenty kilometres. Herr Muller, in a speech in the Reichstag, declared that the purpose of Bending the reinforcements was solely to restore order so as to enable Germany to fulfill the coal deliveries to France required by ■ the Treaty. America sent a Note stating that she dia not object.to the German troops advancing, and disapproving of the Allied advance.

The authorities in London state that tile food situation in the Ruhr district is getting worse, and cannot be relieved until order is restored. Food, if sup-" plied now, would be seized by the Reds, who continue their threats to ruin the industries of the whole district before they will giveway. The authorities also,fear that there is a danger of conflict if French and German soldiers meet in the neutral zone.

Tho German Charge d'Affaires in Paris has assured M. Millerand that the number of German troops would be kept within the August agreement. M. Millerand, in an interview, said that France would order an advance with or without the consent of the Allies if the agreement was broken.