FRANCE AND THE RUHR

Evening Star, Issue 18258, 24 April 1923, Page 9

FRANCE AND THE RUHR

POINCARE REPLIES TO ROSENBERG WAY TO PEACE INDICATED. Frees Association —By Telegraph—Copyright “parts, April 22; M. Poincare, speaking at tho unveiling of a war memorial at Meuse, replied to Herr Rosenberg’s Reichstag speech. He had declared that the German Government proclaimed that, without an understanding between the Reichstag and Franco, the reconstruction of Europe would remain impossible. He asked: “Does the resumption of normal relations really depend on Franco; 1 Since peace France has never ceased to display patience and magnanimity. Herr Rosenberg of an understanding witi France, yet Germany begins by sotting up the doctrine of the rejection of treaties and the repudiation of signatures. The essential conditions to a rapprochement remains always the same, arid consists of two words—reparations and security. Germany now wants the origin, both immediate and remote, of tho catastrophe which she precipitated on the world to be forgotten. To listen to her one would suppose that tire nations who allied themselves to resist her eternal spirit of domination were dealing with an innocent and odiously calumniated nation. When we entered tho Ruhr we desired the masters and tho workmen to remain on tho spot, so that the mines could he worked for the benefit of tho reparations. The orders from the Reichstag compelled us to give the operations a more accentuated military character. When Germany pretends to ignore that Franco was authorised by the treaty to take all the necessary measures without finding in it an act of hostility, she once more confounds diplomatic acts witn scrires of paper. Germany at tho same time insults the intelligence of the other nations, and imagines that by persistently persevering in falsifying previous events in history she will in the long run succeed in distracting general attention. Let not Germany count on that. Alluding to the reparations problem, Herr Rosenberg pretended that Franco had rejected in January, 1922, an offer of thirty milliards of gold marks which was made generally to tho Allies. This offer was invented afterwards, and was never made. Herr Rosenberg, in refusing the evacuation of the Ruhr by stages, invoked the pretended mildness of Bismarck towards France in 1871; but what would tho Reich pay if to-day’s victors used similar language to that of the 1871 victors?” M. Poincare added that on Wednesday, the day following Herr Rosenberg’s speech, all the Allied Governments agreed to invito the German Government to abolish the organisation of police in military groups, and to stop their military system of instruction, substituting a system more adapted to the police "force.— A. and N.Z. Cable.

THE TASK OF FRANCE DEFINED BY PRIME MINISTER. PARIS, April 25. (Received April 24, at 11.5 a.m.) In addressing the County Council at Bar-le-Duc, M. Poincare gave the Government’s programme in regard to foreign relations, lie said: To keep our alliances intact; to maintain them loyally in the common interest; to bring Germany to an admission of her responsibilities and obligations without mediation by anyone; to obtain complete reparation for damages and permanent guarantee against new invasions—this is our task.—A, and N.Z. Cable. THE MULHEIM RIOITNO. GERMANS PUNISH COMMUNISTS. PARIS, April 25. Order has been restored at Mulheim after two days’ rioting. There have been some unemployed Communist demonstrations outside the Town Hall, which the Gerinan police punished in a typical manner. The police took fifty Communists, stripped them to the waist, and submitted them to German field punishment. They lined them up against a wall and forced them to crouch on tiptoes, causing intense muscular strain. Whenever they attempted to secure a moment’s relief the police brought them back to the desired posture with a blow from a whip across the face or body.—A. and N.Z. Cable. • OPINIONS IN GERMANY. DP. CUNO’S DECLARATION. BERLIN, April 23. (Received April 24, at 11.25 a.m.) The newspapers descrlipi Lord Curzon’s speech as the most important declaration from Great Britain since the signing of peace. ‘Vorwaerts’ says: “The time has come for Germany to submit proposals, not to France, but to all the Allies. Wo believe that this can be done in a few days.’’ Dr Guno, interviewed, said: “Wo are willing to go to the extreme limit of our means in paying reparations, but 1 cannot accept conditions which I do not think Germany can carry out.” GERMANY HARD PRESSED. INDUSTRIAL MAGNATES BLAMED. LONDON, April 23. (Received April 24, at 11.6 a.m.)

The ‘ Daily Telegraph's ’ Berlin correspondent says ; “It must bo remembered that the German newspapers regard the country as being at war, so that admissions of weakness and anxiety for peace are supposed to prejudice the country’s chance of securing favorable terms. Germany has now reached a state of mind analogous to that in which she addressed President Wilson in her appeal for an armistice. She has lost hope of victory. Her change of mood is largely duo to the fact that the Ruhr industrial magnates are suspected of using the fall m tho mark to their own advantage, thus actually paralysing tho arm stretched out to help them. These worthies wanted not merely dollars sterling as hiding places for money of which they had swindled the Government, but wished to effect the fall in tho mark with tho object, of defrauding tho public, believing that if the mark fell it would b© much easier to refund the money which they had borrowed from the. Government.” ‘ Vorwaerts ’ accuses Herr Stirucs of talcing a largo part in these schemes, and adds ; “ Germany’s defence cannot be continued now that it is known that the overthrow of the Government’s financial schemes was deliberately brought _ about by the Ruhr magnates with, the object of lining their own pockets. All tho Reichstag parties have .agreed that tho Cure Government should remain in power till the problem is solved. If Dr Ouno, however, does not reach a decision ipuckly a settlement will be sought through a new Government.”—-A. and N.Z. Cable.