GERMAN REPARATIONS.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLII, Issue 1808, 5 May 1921, Page 5

GERMAN REPARATIONS.

FRENCH TROOPS READY.

FOR OCCUPATION OF RUHR

[By Electric Cable—Copyright.] [Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.]

(Received Wednesday, 7 p.m.)

' PARRS, May 3. France lias 400.000 men ready to occupy Ruhr, including 140,000 just mobilised, and being- transported' to the frontier in a manner to interfere with the railways as little as possible.

A GERMAN PROPOSAL

BERLIN, May 3

The "Deutschetage Zeitung" urges a commercial boycott of the Allies' trade, and passive resistance to all the Allies' decrees. It recalls that the Chinese were able to offer effective resistance to Japan through a rigorous boycott of Japanese trade.

GERMAN POLITICAL OPINION.

Received Wednesday, 8.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 4

A message from Berlin, via Paris, reports that the general opinion in political circles in Berlin is that Germany will accept the stipulations in the ultimatum from the Allies. It is hoped the scheme of payment fixed by the Reparations Commission will be acceptable. The bonds principle is approved, but the wish is expressed that payment will be longer delayed.

PREPARATIONS FOR BLOCKADE

PARIS, May 4

From a. French source it is learned that trie Supreme Council has approved a telegram to the United States Government inviting the latter again to be represented on the Council.

A military plan for the occupation of the Ruhr district has been entirely agreed upon. Admirals Beatty and Grasset have been detailed for the naval operations which may be carried out by the Anglo-French fleets if deemed necessary. These include either a blockade of Germany or the occupation of Hamburg in cooperation with the land forces. The "Retit Parisien" states that 400,000 men are ready to occupy Ruhr by the sth.

The "Echo de Paris" says the French Mediterranean squadron has been chosen to blockade the German ports, which in the event of British co-operation will be under the orders of a British admiral.

AMERICAN OPINION.

TEMPERED BY HOOVERISM.

Received Wednesday, 10.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 4

Irreconcilable Republican senators* confident hopes that President Harding had abandoned the Versailles Treaty, were destroyed when it was intimated that a high authority does not share Senator Lodge's views that a separate peace with Germany should be drawn up, and that the withdrawal of American troops from the Rhine had not yet been considerd.

Mr Hoover informed Congress that his investigations show that fifty thousand million marks of Germany's wealth have been devoted to subsidising production, and thus Germany is manufacturing great quantities oft various products which she is selling cheaply in an effort to capture the markets of the world. Mr Hoover advocates a protective tariff, and an American valuation in fixing duties. NEW GERMAN OFFER. TRANSMITTED TO LONDON. (Received Thursday, 1.20 a.m.) LONDON, May 4. It is stated on good authority that the new German offer to the Allies was telegraphed from Berlin yesterday to the German Ambassador in Paris, for transmission to the Reparations Commission. The offer Is believed to be approximate to an acceptance of the Allied decision at Paris at the end of January. It is presumed that the offer will be placed before the Supreme Council to-day. ' PROTOCOL TO GERMANY. LONDON, May 3. The protocol to Germany is being drafted by the Reparations Commission, which has been summoned to London and arrives to-morrow. It will rest with the commission to transmit the protocol to Germany, which must be sent not later than May 6. The Germans have a further six days in which to accept or reject. To the reparations bill has to be added £150,000,000 on account of the Belgian debt. Germany will, therefore, be required to issue £6,750,000,000 worth of bonds, of which £600,000,000 must be issued forthwith, a further £1.900,000 in November, and the balance as the Germans are able to pay. Her capacity in this respect will be gauged by the results of the export tax. An additional one per cent, will be charged on German exports to provide interest on bonds held in reserve. It is understood that the Reparations Commission will receive the bonds and divide them among the Allies In the proportion arranged at Brussels. Mr A. Chamberlain, replying to Mr Asquith in the House of Commons, said that tlie plans for the occupation of the Ruhr *iad been agreed upon; also that certain naval measures were being studied in the event of the military measures proving insufficient.

A GERMAN* REPORT. PARIS, May 3. A Gorman wireless message reports that workers in Ruhr Valley have been notified that the hours of work will be reduced in the event of occupation, and the manufacturers have asked the shopkeepers to suspend business. A report, is circulated that plague has broken out in the Ruhr district. THE AMERICAN REPLY. WASHINGTON, May 3. The reply to German declining the reparations offer consists of only three sentences totalling less than a hundred words. The feature of the message rests in the last sentence, reading: "The United States therefore, again expressing its earnest desire for a prompt settlement of this vital question, strongly urges the German Government, to immediately make directly to the Allies clear and definite adequate proposals, which would in all respects meet its just obligations."

The second sentence reads: "The United States finds itself unable to