PLOT REPORTED

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 9 June 1923, Page 7

PLOT REPORTED

I • —■ — | FRANCE IMPLICATED, j SEPARATION OF BAVARIA FROM j THE REICH. j i ! BY CABLB- <-EESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT I BERLIN, June 7. '■ Remarkable evidence was given by i Major Mahr at the resumed trial in Munich of Professor George Fuchs (journalist) and others, who are charged with high treason in regard to the = alleged conspiracy to separate Bavaria ■ from the Reich. ? Major Mahr said he met the French Colonel Richart, who explained to him that France was the strongest Power ■ in the world and could do what she liked. France wished for peace and | quietness for the next fifty years and ■ therefore she needed the Rhine fron- : tier. They discussed the plot for two hours. I Richart said the rising must take place quickly. Only M. Poincare, M. . Milerand, General Buat, M. Lenail and ! himself on the French side were in the j secret. Outwardly France would be obliged to adopt a hostile attitude, but nevertheless the conspirators would receive all the help they wanted. Richart said the Ruhr army had instructions to ! support the rising. He added thafc/acj tion in the Ruhr would come opportunely for France, as otherwise a reduction would have been necessary. The plan was that Bavaria should be joined to Austria, though Vienna would be given to the Czecho-Slovaks. The Tyrol, Wurtemberg, Baden, Hesse, Hanover and Bremen would form a new Rhine confederation, and the whole west bank of the Rhine would then become French. There is naturally much speculation as to the motive for the trial, which is so compromising to many of the Government's chief supporters. One reason given is a desire to cause trouble among the Allies by a disclosure of the French policy. It is significant that the Berlin papers give only the most- meagre reports of the trial, which is continuing.