OVER THE RHINE

Evening Star, Issue 17323, 10 April 1920, Page 6

OVER THE RHINE

FRANCE’S LONE HAND. OTHER ALLIES DISAPPROVE, FRICTION WITH BRITAIN. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. Reuter’s Telegrams. PARIS, April 8. Quiet has been restored in Frankfort. Hie authorities have pacified tho students. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. BERLIN, April 8. The National Assembly have been convened for Saturday. Thf trade unions and Socialist parties have submitted to the Government joint demands for the withdrawal of regular troops from the neutral zone and the reorganisation of security by moans of the police. The Defence Minister stated that, if possible, the troops would be withdrawn from the Ruhr district in two day*. Imperial. News Service. LONDON, April 8, A serious crisis is believed to bare arisen in. Anglo-French relations. Cabinet has notified its disapproval oi France’s advance in the neutral zone. It is learned authoritatively that France acted entirely on her own responsibility in deciding upon the advance in the neutral zone. Great Britain, Italy, Belgium, and America all opposed such action. The French military move caused an obviously delicate situation. The British and French Governments are discussing methods in the hope of easing the tension. When the trouble started in the neutral zone it was essential that stops should be taken to restore order, but tho question was whether the allied or German forces should act. One proposal was that Germany should be made responsible for restoring order and should *be allowed to send "troops to tho Ruhr district under the strictest guarantees, which laid it. down that Marshal Foch and allied officers should accompany the German forces in order to determine when a retirement was justified.

Another proposal was to leave the decision to tho German Government, strictly providing that if the zone were not evacuated immediately circumstances permitted the Allies' would exercise the option of occupving important German centres. The G Serman Government appear to have acted precipitately, and Prance responded by adopting tho plan which had been suggested ns a last resort by the Allies as a whole. The Allies, except France, felt that Germany ought to restore order, and they opposed the idea ox their regular forces being called.on, except as a last resort, to undertake what were virtually police duties. Franca, with her long experience of the German yoke and tho proved worth of German assurances, evidently concluded that the German movement of troops into the neutral zone was undertaken for some ulterior object.

France doubtless acted bona fide, but the immediate result is that the responsibility for her action cannot bo shared by the Allies as a whole. Certainly there is no intention on the part of the British Government to allow British soldiers to set as police between the hostile German factions. The view taken in London is that our army of' occupation is on the Rhine for a totally different purpose. If and when the French suspicion of ulterior German motives and the deliberate flaunting of the terms of the Peace Treaty becomes' an accomplished fact the situation would instantly change, and the Allies doubtless would bo prepared to act vigorously and/“ConceTtedlj\ But for the time being it may he taken that no British soldiers will participate in fhs occupation of Gorman cities in the neutral zone.

The Australian Press Association learn that there is an increasing likelihood of an amicable settlement of international differences arising out of the Ruhr incident. There-is every indication, that iho Reds are rapidly disarming. _ To-day's meeting of tho Supreme Council has been postponed, probably in order to await events. It is Imped that when the. Council assemble the end will he in sight.

April §. 'Tho Times’ describes Britain’s disapproval of France’s action as tho rudest shock to Anglo-French relations since the establishment of the Entente, and pays it amounts to political apostasy, equally final Britain’s interests and good name. ‘The Times’ proceeds: “Tho scandalous communique from Downing street outlining tho disagreement actually adopts Gerdisingonious version of ‘General TVcttcrs ‘policing’ invasion of the Ruhr district. Apparently France’s independent action hurt the small personal vanities of the British authorities and affected party interests.” It is stated in Parliamentary circles that the Prime Minister’s op; * qfiou is attributable to his desire to influence the struggle which is proceeding at the Xa~ tional Liberal Club between the Coalition supporters and Mr Asquith’s followers.

REFUGEES CROWD COLOGNE. LONDON, April d'. (Received April 10, at 8.5 a.m.) The number of “Reas” entering the British zone, where they are being interned, is steadily increasing. Twenty thousand of Reels and other refugees have now arrived. They are adding to tho food difficulties, particularly in view of the disorganised state of transport. FRANCE’S CHANCE TO MAKE GERMANY PAY AND SECURE GUARANTEES. LONDON, April 8. (Received April 10, at 5.5 a.m.) Tho Paris newspapers point out that Germany has been latterly expressing her readiness to withdraw her surplus troops, and has been denouncing the French demand for thrir complete “withdrawal. The papers consider that Germany is attempting to trick the Allies, well knowing that gho (Germany) has no right to keep any troops in the neutral zone after Saturday. But Franco does not intend io held Germany to the strict letter of the protocol to tho Pea to Treaty. She is willing to arrange a fresh protocol under which Germany would retain .sufficient Loops for pol ice purposes. The newspapers frankly express the view that now is Franco’s * chance to exact guarantees from Germany for the bona tide discharge of her treaty obligations. They say that the occupation of' Frankfort and oilier towns is not the end, but tho beginning, of a resolute French policy. Tho ’Petit Pnririen ’ says; "France’s measures, while constituting a. guarantee against the assembling of German troops in rii? Ruhr Basin, also offer a means of obliging Germany to conform strictly to her engagement.” ’Lc Journal’ says: ‘‘Yesterday’s episode is only the starling point. It’ would be nnpnrdonable simplicity not. to profit bv the crisis in order to clarify the situation. Now or never is the time to learn if anything may be expected from the Germans. Tho present- test gives tho mean? of getting what is owing to us and of showing our Abies that wo must have something “more than .the Versailles scrap of paper." The newspapers declare that, though the Allies may not co-operate in military measures, it is unlikely that they will disapprove, because they are ‘interested equally with France in the enforcement of the Peace Treaty.

1 Le _ Temps ’ call* attention to the strategic importance of the occupied town?, and quotes Marshal loch's standard book on the conduct of war, in which ho rays: “Germany’s power can be rut in halves along the river Main. A reasonable plan of attacking Germany would, be

to proceed to Berlin by way of Alayence (at the Main-Rhino confluence), because that is the point where the interests of North and South Germany meet. 1 ’ THE FRANKFORT FRACAS. MOROCCANS USED MACHINE-GUNS. ZURICH, April 8. Owing to the threatening attitude of the crowd m Frankfort, the Moroccans used machine-guns. It is reported that the crowd mobbed the officers and pelted them with stones, but another report has been received from Berlin which denies that tho crowd's attitude was hostile, and says that Ihey were merely watching the Moroccan Guard. STACKING ARMS. • AMSTERDAM. April' 8. Dus&eldorf messages state that militarv action by the Roichswehr has virtually ended, but the delivery of arms according to the Bielefeld agreement will occupy a few days. THE FRANKFORT AFFAIR. PARIS, April 8. Official reports of tho Frankfort incident state that two men were killed and several wounded. ‘Lo Matin’ alleges that the Pan-German procession, mostly students, surrounded a French picket and separated the officer from his men, and the latter, hearing that their officer was endangered, fired several shots. GERMAN TROOPS ADVANCE. ANOTHER APPEAL. PARIS, April 8. *Le Temps’ states that German trooos occupied Essen alter the Reds lied. Mauv of The Reds surrendered to the British. * Tho Reichswher troops continue to advance into the centre of tho Rhcnk-h-Wcsphalian Basin. This is attributed to the pressure of the military party at Per; lin upon the German Government, who are asking the Allies to allow them to u?e troops in .the neutral zone until July 10, pointing out that Germany lias already been allowed to use troops to maintain order until April 10. FRENCH PATROLS PARADE WITH GOOD EFFECT. PARIS, Anri! 9. Strong patrols of French cavalry, preceded by armored cars, parade’d the Frankfort streets ail night long.' There were no further incidents. The French military authorities assert that the anti-French demonstration was organised by the German militarists. A small body of Belgian troops have, been ordered to enter the'’Ruhr district. This indicates that Belgium now ranges herself alongside France. JOURNALISTS ARRESTED. BRITISH CORRESPONDENT .MAULED. NEW YORK, April 9. The Chicago ‘Tribune’s’ Dusseldorf correspondent states that Lieut. Liuzmorver. officer or the Baltic Iron Division, on arriving at Essen secured telegrams which had been despatched to England bv Mrs Harding, representative of tho : Daily News., and by Mr Ya:ght, representative of the ‘Manchester Guardian.’' Linzmcver arrested the coirespondents and ordered two soldiers to beat Vaight in order to touch him how to behave in the presence of Prussian officers. Both were subsequently released. Mr Vaight ears that Linzmeyer resented the altitude‘of the Anglo-American correspondents regarding the Ruhr coup, and Airs Harding' state? that tho drew attention to the fact that Linzmeyer s troops were identical with those involved in Dr Kupp's coup d'etat. Tho correspondent adds that Baltic troop? have begun a reign of terror, and arc killing women workers.