RUHR OCCUPATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18763, 17 January 1923, Page 5

RUHR OCCUPATION

CRITICAL SITUATION. GERMANS REFUSE COAL. FURTHER ADVANCE OF FRENCH. I Pres* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright BERLIN, January 15. (Received Jan. 16, at 8.5 p.m.) The Daily Express’s Essen correspondent states that the whole situation has changed suddenly, and become most critical. There is now a complete rupture between the French authorities and the German industrial leaders. A joint Franco-German Commission met to-day and discussed the provisional agreement under which coal was to be supplied, the French paying the miners’ wages, but the Germans announced the receipt of an order from the Cool Controller at Berlin forbidding the mine owners to make further deliveries on any conditions. The French peremptorily demanded prompt deliveries in compliance with the Reparation Commission’s demands. The Germans declared that they must obey Berlin. The French then left the room and immediately drove of! to consult General Degoutte. Meanwhile, the French forces completely occupied Bochum by noon. The French state that all previous agreements are cancelled, and that they retain complete liberty of action.—A. and N.Z. Cable. [Dortmund (214,000) ia an important coal mining and railway centre in Westphalia, and is even further inland in Germany than Bochum, which has a population of 140,000.]

KING OF THE RUHR. BERLIN, January 15. (Received Jan. 16, at 8.50 p.m.) The organisation known as the Rhemish Westphalian Syndicate, which ordinarily sells the whole of the Ruhr coal, is the work of Herr Kirdorf, who is now taking a leading part in the attempts to thwart the French. Herr Kirdorf, beginning' life penniless, is now one of Germany's richest men. He has a strong, masterful personality. He persistently warned Germany against the perils of the exKaiser’s policy, and after the ovcrt.irow of Bismarck, refused all the ex-Kaiser’s proffered honours and invitations.—A. and N.Z. Cable. EARLIER MESSAGES. BERLIN, January 15. The Coal Commissioner has prohibited the Ruhr coal owners from supplying France and Belgium, even in the case of payment. Dramatic action by Franco is expected.—A. and N.Z. Cable. LONDON, January 15. France has decided on forcible measures to secure deliveries of coal. —A. and N.Z. Cable, PARIS, January 15. Following the German Government’s prohibition of coal deliveries, a conference at Essen between the French authorities and representatives of the Mine Owners’ Association broke down, after Herr Fritz Thyssen, on behalf of the German representatives, had declared that the French order to resume coal deliveries could not be obeyed. General Degoutte immediately gave orders to advance to Dortmund, and announced that the troops would be established in the evening on the line WerdenI Inttingen-Weme - Heinrinchburg - Reck-linghausen-Bottrop. —Reuter. ORDERS FOR BRITAIN. LONDON, January 15. Large foreign orders for coal include 120.000 tons for the French railways, and 50.000 tons for the German railways.— A. and N.Z. Cable. A REPARATIONS SUSPENSION. PARIS, January 15. (Received Jan. 16, at 8.50 p.m.) It has been agreed to suspend the 24 hours’ requisition on spot of a quantity of coal which is due from Germany on account of reparations.—A. and N.Z.

Cable. FRANCE RETALIATES. Will. DECLARE NEW DEFAULT, PARIS, January 16. (Received Jan. 16, at 10.30 p.m.) France, in view of the Reichstag’s decision forbidding coal deliveries, will ask the Reparations Commission to declare a new German default. Germany’s refusal of deliveries is not expected to last long, owing to industrial pressure. France does not intend to exploit the mines herself. She will negotiate with Berlin to fix prices and deliverv terms, without consulting England.—A. ,and N.Z. Cable. TAX TO PAY MINERS. LONDON, January 16. (Received Jan. 16, at 10.30 p.m.) The Morning Post’s Paris correspondent says: The French Government has decided, in order to obtain money to pay the coal owners for future deliveries, to levy a tax of 40 per cent, per ton on the whole value of the coal leaving the Ruhr, whether on reparations or other account. —A. and N.Z. Cable. GERMAN VIEW OF POSITION. LONDON, January 16. (Received Jah 16, at 10.50 p.m.) The Daily Telegraph’s Berlin correspondent says: Germany considers herself in a state of war, in which military force is used on one side, and economic manoeuvring on the other. The Reichs Bank is refusing to send money into the occupied area, treating it as in the enemy’s hands. The question of paying the miners is thus acute. The French troops have reached Dortmund. —A. and N.Z. Cable. CHOOSING SIDES. FRANCO-POLISH AGREEWENT. RUSSIA WOULD BE DRAWN IN. BERLIN, January 15. (Received Jan. 16, at 8.5 p.m.) German newspapers attribute importance to Poland’s decision to call up 17-year-olds, and suggest that Poland has secretly agreed with France to invade Germany in the event of the Ruhr occupation producing a Franco-German diplomatic rupture. The Tageblatt’s Moscow correspondent 'says: The All Russia Executive after protesting against the Ruhr occupation, declares that if the latter reacts on Poland it will directly involve Russia and Central Europe in the crisis.—A. and N.Z. Cable. AMERICAN ATTITUDE. SILENT WHITE HOUSE. WASHINGTON, January 15. (Received Jan. 16. at 7.25 p.m.) M. Poincare has cabled M. Jussernnd, for the information of the American Government, a complete account of French activities in the Ruhr, emphatically denying tlie use of any but white Trench troops. A heavy silence has fallen upon the Administration at White House. State Denartmont officials refuse to sav anything concerning the reparations situation. They decline even to permit speculation,

and have hinted to correspondents the desirability of saying nothing. Everything now must come from Europe. This appears to bo the last word.— A. and N.Z. Cable. A NEW PROPOSAL NEW YORK, January 16. (Received Jan. 16, at 8.50 p.m.) The New York World’s Paris correspondent declares that Mr Boy den, the American representative on the Reparations Commission, presented on Friday an entirely new plan for the solution of the reparations question, hinting that the plan had Washington’s approval. Mr Hughes, commenting upon the New York Times’s Paris cable, declares it did not represent the American official attitude. The report exonerated Germany in certain particulars for not supplying reparations coal, declaring that there were extenuating circumstances. —A. and N.Z. Cable. READY TO NEGOTIATE. BERLIN, January 16. (Received Jan. 16, at 9.45 p.m.) An apparently official communique has been published in the evening papers stating that Germany is ready to negotiate with the whole Entente for a reasonable solution of the reparations problem.—A, and N.Z. Cable. ADVANCE CONTINUED. FRENCH AT BOCHUM. PARIS, January 15. An official message states that the French troops are advancing on Bochum. Berlin messages say that the French troops are at Bochum, where there is great excitement. The Communists are distributing leaflets advocating war with France, and demanding Herr Cuno’s resignation.—A. and N.Z. Cable. HALF-HOUR STRIKE. DEMONSTRATION AT ESSEN. BERLIN, January 15. (Received Jan. 16, at 8.5 p.m.) A half-hour’s complete strike was observed throiighout the Ruhr during the forenoon. The shops were closed. A large demonstration was held at Essen. Students, business men, and workers assembled in front of the Town Hall and sang “Deutschland Über Alles,” and other songs with the refrain, “We shall march victoriously against France.” Mounted police unsuccessfully attempted to disperse the crowd. The> populace observed the two minutes’ silence order from Berlin for meditation “on the terrible consequences of France’s outrage.” ANTI-FRENCH DEMONSTRATIONS. BERLIN, January 15. Advices from Essen state that a halfhour stoppage of work as a protest against the French action was carried out. There was an anti-French demonstration outside the French headquarters. Speeches were delivered, patriotic songs sung, and a noisy demonstration held near the offices of the Interallied Military Mission at tho Bellevue Hotel, but the police prevented the demonstrators from entering the building or doing any damage, and finally dispersed them. No arrests were made. The crowd was gratified at the hoisting of the German monarchial colours on buildings opposite the hotel. Advices from Stettin state that the police prevented an attempted demonstration against the Entente Commissioners. —A. and N.Z. Cable. THE FIRST SHOT. TROUBLE AT BOCHUM. COLLISION WITH FRENCH TROOPS. BERLIN, January 16. (Received Jan. 16, at 10.30 p.m.) A large political demonstration at Bochum culminated in a collision with the French troops, who fired, killing one man and wounding several. At the outset a crowd of several thousand collected outside the Town Hall, where the French general was staying. They sang patriotic songs, cheered the German Republic, and then marched in procession through the streets. A number of young Communists made a counter-demonstration, and cheered the Third Internationale, and the French Communistic League of Youth. The police were unable to cope with the demonstrators, who came into collision with the French troops at the railway station with tho above result.—Reuter. RELIEF MEASURES. BERLIN, January 16. (Received Jan. 16, at 9.45 p.m.) The French authorities are adopting special measures to prevent privations among tho people in the newly occupied area. They are establishing soup kitchens and other relief measures. The Cabinet is considering how to prevent the area from being flooded with depreciated marks. One proposal is t establish a new thaler to take the place of the mark.—A. and N.Z. Cable. ENGLISH COMMENT. LONDON, January 16. (Received Jan. 16, at 11.5 p.m.) The press practically unanimously adopts the attitude towards France of “I told you so.” The Daily Chronicle says: Perhaps some Frenchmen will rejoice at the possibility that their troops may yet enter Berlin. The Daily Telegraph savs: The course which events have taken confirms the melancholy anticipation of trouble that was formed in this country when France decided for the occupation of the Ruhr. The Westminster Gazette remarks: France has placed herself in the position wherein what she does or refrains from doing is dictated by the German Government and people. We believe that France will find that she has undertaken a task that is impossible of accomplishment. By that time reparations will have probaibly disappeared as a possible policy in this generation.—A. and N.Z. Cable. BRITISH LABOUR’S SYMPATHY. LONDON, January 15. Mr C. Roden Buxton, the member for Accrington in the House of Commons, will go to Germany on Thursday in order to convey to the” German Socialists the Independent Labour Party’s sympathy in regard to the French occupation of the Ruhr. Mr Buxton lived for some time in the Ruhr district.—A. and N.Z. Cable. FRENCH OPTIMISM. LONDON. January 14. Notwithstanding the difficulties. France takes a most optimistic view of events. A high official to-dav said to the Daily Mail’s Paris representative: “We can see success coining. The Government feels sure of success. It spells the beginning of a new policy in Europe, with a closer friendship with England. By Monday night tho Government will have all the information it wants regarding the working of tho unoccupied area. If the German Government refuses to credit the mine owners with the value of the reparations coal, France will take the necessary money hv seizing the whole of Iho coal tax on fuel sent into Germany. Thi.-, can be used-to pay the miners.” The official ndded • “A private agreement between Herr Stinims and the French iron owners is bound *o eomc sooner or later.”—A. and N.Z. Cable.