FUTURE OF THE RUHR

Evening Star, Issue 25769, 16 April 1946, Page 5

FUTURE OF THE RUHR

HOLLAND AND BELGIUM CONCERNED FRANCE STILL PRESSING FOR SEPARATION LONDON, April 15. Holland and many other smaller European countries are concerned about the slowness of the four Powers in determining the future of Western Germany, says the diplomatic correspondent of ' The Times.' They have seen with dismay how great are the differences still dividing them—for instance, over the Ruhr. The correspondent reveals that the Netherlands Prime Professor Schermerhorn, after talks with Mr C.

R. Attlee and Mr Ernest Bevin on April 12 on Indonesia, had discussions with the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary and the Under-Sec-retary at the Foreign Office for Western Germany's affairs, Mr Oliver Harvey, yesterday. They exchanged views on what they would like to see happening to Germany. The correspondent expresses the opinion that Holland and -Belgium cannot properly plan their economy until they know what trade is passing through Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Antwerp, and what benefits they can derive from German products. While the British are maintaining that detachment of the Ruhr is impracticable, a view probably shared by America, the French are still pressing for its political separation, a policy which the Government reiterated after discussions between Mr Harvey, M. Gouin and M. Bidault 10 days ago.