POINCARE'S PERSISTENCE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 104, 30 October 1923, Page 16

POINCARE'S PERSISTENCE

I'GERMANY'S TONE HAS NOT CHANGED." (PROM OUR OWN CORRESrOHDENI.I LONDON, 13th September. There is something uncompromising in U. Poincare's attitude towards the Germans which cannot fail to claim admiralion. His latest declaration on tho Ruhr question and reparations shows that he does not intend to change the subject of his week-end speeches until "the rights of France have definitely 'triumphed."

."Instead of loyally making the payments in kind which she was in a. position to offer us," Haid the French Premier at.Damviliers, in Lorraine, on Siin'dayj "instead of coming to an agreement with us, as we asked for, for the purfoso of assuring the regular continuance tof such payments, Germany has expended crazy sums for the purpose of organising a resistance which she- appeared to think would discourage us, but .which we have little by little overcome, •nd which is now beginning to break jdowQ-of. itself.

; "When Herr yon Raumer, or the GerUian Finance Minister, Herr Hilferding, itates that Germany cannot restore her«elf financially until after the struggle in the Ruhr is ended we are entitled to retor,t that if this is so they have the remedy in their own hands. They have only to cease to throw billions of marks into the Ruhr for the purpose of encouraging the workmen not to work, they liave only-to leave the population of the Buhr who only -wish to work and to coma to an agreement with us in regard to deliveries which are due to üb, free to follow their own inclinations.

"WE WANT KEALITIES.' 1 ?'I quite realise that the new Chancellor, Dr. Stresemann, row proposes that we should take other pledges than the ■Ruhr and than the 'railways in the occupied regions, but we prefer a bird in the hand to one in the bush. The guarantees he speaks to us about would be able to add nothing to the general mortgage which the Treaty of Versailles gives to. the Allies over all the belongings o^ the German States. To these theoretic rights, extensive as they are, we prefer the positive securities we have already in hand. We do not intend to relinquish them in return for general guarantee which may perhaps be excellent on paper but of which the product would slip through our fingers. We .■want realities, and we shall not leave the Euhr until we are paid. GIVE UP EQUIVOCATIONS. "The question that dominates all other's and demands • our first attention is the renaissanoe of our devastated regions. When we see Germany is. sincerely determined •to come to a settle- | ment and also to give us for our security gomething besides promises we shall consider without parti prig the possibility of concluding economic treaties. Jjet Germany begin, however, by altering her behaviour and by at last showing her goodwill. Let her give 'up •equivocations and evasions. Let her deoide once and for all to make serious efforts and to put herself in a positionto pay her debts. : '"Down to the present we have not observed any appreciable modification in her disposition. Her tone has changed, and that is in spite of everything an evidence of progress. The tune, however, is still practically the same. If the German Government .would fee fit to read tha correspondence between Thiers and the Comte de Saint Vallier and Yon Monteuffel it would better understand how tho country which doEires to liberate itself can, and must, bohave. Germany is at the turning of the ways. If she would save herself there is still time. If Bhe persists in her present methods she will draw down upon herself catastrophes, for which France will not be responsible."