THE RUHR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18787, 14 February 1923, Page 7

THE RUHR

FRENCH OCCUPATION. CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS. FINAL RESULT FAR DISTANT. Trees Association—By Telegraph—Copyrigftt PARIS, February 12. General Degontte, in the course of an interview, said ; The final result is still far distant, but I am confident that there is not the slightest doubt of the success of the Ruhr operations.” The Petit Parisien, in calling attention to the importance of the French measures prohibiting the exportation of iron and steel products from the Ruhr to unoccupied Germany, considers that these measures will probably be more important than the coal blockade, bt-cuuso Germany is more dependent on the Ruhr for parti-ally-manufactured goods than on eoal. lo blockade the manufactured products is to paralyse most branches of German industry. 'The measures will probably he completed by a system of exportation licenses to prevent the Ruhr industrialists from breaking the blockade by exporting goods to Germany through foreign countries. Exportation from the Ruhr will be placed under strict control.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

GERMAN SEPARATISTS.

' ASSISTANCE TO FRANCE. PARIS, February 12. The Dusscldorf correspondent o> the Echo de Paris states that Herr Smeei, leader of the Separatists in the Rhineland, has given the I rcnch the names of 1200 German railwayman who are willing to work under the French, and expressed his willingness to organise 50,000 workers to prevent all terrorism in the Ruhr. He says that 1,500,000 workers favour France, and arc hostile to Prussia. The Central Telephone Exchange in Dnsseldorf, which was disorganised by the Germans, will he manned by 100 Parisian women telegraphists. A member of the Russian Soviet Diplomatic Corps was mistaken at Insterburg for a Frenchman, and was roughly handled by the crowd. The German Government has apologised to the Soviet. —A. and N.Z. Cable.

IRON AND STEEL BLOCKADE

CONSIGNMENTS SEIZED BY FRENCH. BERLIN, February 12. The French stopped Germans wh”o were trying to nm the iron and steel blockade only an hour after the new measure oper-

ated. Captures were made on the Ruhr frontier, and also on the Rhine, where valuable consignments were seized by the French Customs. —A. and N.Z Cable.

POLICE COMMISSARY ARRESTED.

THIRTY DAYS’ IMPRISONMENT. LONDON, February 12. (Received Feb. 13, at 7.20 p.m.) According to a Dusseldorf telegram, the arrests of recalcitrant officials continue. A police commissary was imprisoned for oO days for placarding one district with denunciations of the French. —A. and N.Z. Cable.

CONFLICT NEAR ESSEN.

FRENCH AND GERMAN SOLDIERS. BERLIN, February 12. (Received Feb. 13, at 7.20 p.m.) An alarming report has been received from Gelsenkirchen (five miles north-west of Essen) of a fight between French and German soldiers. The Germans refused to allow a motor car containing two French soldiers to proceed. A wrangle followed, and a Frenchman drew his revolver and killed a German. The Germans retreated, firing upon the motor. Others reinforced them, and two Frenchmen were killed.— A. and N.Z. Cable. GERMAN SOLIDARITY.

PEOPLE BEHIND GOVERNMENT.

PASSIVE! RESISTANCE POLICY. BERLIN, February 12. (Received Feb. 12, at 7.20 p.m.) Herr Ebert (German President), speaking at Karlsruhe, said that the Government knew the people of Germany stood united behind it. The Government would assist it to offer passive resistance to the utmost. How the fight would end and what would happen in the meantime nobody could say, but Germany could not give way without sacrificing everythin.>-. The surrender of the Ruhr would mean death to Germany. France’s invasion of Baden was an attempt to dominate the Rhineland. He did not know whether the world was ready for intervention, but the world expected of Germatny continued passive resistance.

TELEPHONE OPERATORS.

FRENCH GIRLS REPLACE GERMANS.

PARIS, February 12. One hundred and fifty Paris telephone girls have been sent to take over tho Essen exchange, which the German operators deserted.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

FRENCH RESTRICTIONS.

IGNORED BY GERMANY. BERLIN, February 12. (Received Feb. 13, at 10.30 p.m.) Cabinet has replied to the French Note forbidding Ministers to visit the Ruhr, stating that it regards tho prohibition as an attack on the sovereign rights of the State, and it will not take the least notice. The Ministers must take risks in fulfilment of their duty. If necessary they will journey to the Ruhr. The French have placed an embargo on all merchandise going from the Ruhr to unoccupied Germany. Foreign exports will be permittee! under a license 10 per cent. tax. Belgians troops are occupying Wesel and Emmerich in order to support tile blockade.—A. and N.Z. Cable.