GERMAN ACTIVITY

Evening Star, Issue 18335, 24 July 1923, Page 7

GERMAN ACTIVITY

THE INDUSTRIAL MENACE.

POINCARE'S WARNING.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. PARIS, July 22. M. Poincare, in unveiling a war monument at Villcrs Cotterets, replied to Mr Lloyd George’s recent criticism in the House of Commons o! the French programme. M. Poincare referred to Germany’s systematic obstruction of the French efforts to repair the ravages, and saidi “This is the moment chosen by an eminent statesman and a former Prime Minister of an Allied country to seek to create a mischievous comparison between Franco and Germany and to characterise as amusing the fact that, while Franco was spending so much money repairing the devastated regions, she was complaining of extravagant expenditure by the Berlin Government. All this might he very amusing_ for Mr Lloyd George, but it is saddening, and even intolerable, for Francs.”

M. Poincare said bo wished that all the Allies had gone to the Ruhr with Franco. They would then have understood better the Veal danger of to-morrow. Ho drew a graphic picture of the tremendous industrial organisation which the Germans had built up in the Ruhr. This organisation was substituting itself more and more for the State, which it was enveloping, dominating, and annihilating. It was master of this Press and of the Government. It subjected the German Republic to a domination more powerful than that of tho Junkers. Against ihat danger England, Belgium, Italy, and Franco must unite. It would not bo difficult to supply the Allied Governments with a basis for instructive comparisons and grounds for an equitable decision. It would bo sufficient for them to visit tho Aisne Department and then visit tho Ruhr. Jt would not demand tho aid of financial _ experts to enable) them to make comparisons. M. Poincare did not refer to tho British Notc.-A. and N.Z. Cable.

RIOTING IN BRESLAU.

MOB GET OUT OF HAND,

BERLIN, July 22.

Messages from Breslau state that for several hours tho Silesian capital was in the hands of a mob, which looted tho cafes and shops. Tho police were ordered to delay the use of arms as long as possible, hut finally the streets were cleared with carbines and sabres, about 150 persons being injured in various degrees. Over 1,000 arrests were made, tnough most of the persons arrested were soon released. Tho Socialistic Federation of Trade Unions offered to help the police to restore order, and the offer was , accepted. The cause of the riots was tho rise in prices, which has been so rapid recently that the new scale of payment provides for an incrcase > of 20 per cent, on tho wages prevailing in June.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

[A message received from Berlin last week stated that the metal workers in Upper Silesia had proclaimed a general strike. They were asking for a fixed method of payment, such as by means of gold, in order to avoid tho losses consequent on tho collapse of tho mark.]