NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3611, 29 May 1923, Page 20

NEWS BY CABLE.

FRENCH REPARATIONS.

UNITED ALLIED ACTION FAVOURED. PARIS, May 20. It is announced that the Belgian Government has intimated that if the German Government represents new reparation proposals it is advisable on this occasion that they shall be examined by the whole of the Allies, and not by Belgium and France alone, and that a response shall be made on behalf of the Entente as a whole. Significance is attached to a Brussels telegram published by Le Temps stating that the Belgian Government would shortly hand to the French Government communications which express the views of Belgium on the manner of settling the reparations business. May 26. The Belgian Ambassador has delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a document embodying a reparations scheme which has been devised at Brussels. It will be discussed at the FTanco-Belgian Conference, which has been postponed for % few days owing to M. Jasper suffering from a chill. FRENCH RUHR ARMY. PARIS, May 19. The French Government has decided to increase the Ruhr Army of Occupation by 5000 to stop leakages of coal and coke to unoccupied Germany.

THREE DIRECTORS ARRESTED. BERLIN, May 20. The French have arrested three diree tors of the Baden aniline works. FRENCH AEROPLANE SEIZED. PARIS, May 20. The German authorities seized a French aeroplane which was forced to land it Nuremburg during its journey from Prague. The f>ilot and the passengers were sent to Strasburg by train. CONFIRMED BY COURT MARTIAL. BERLIN, May 20. A general court martial at Dusseldorl confirmed the sentences at the Krupp trial, with the exception of that of lien Mueller, who was granted leave to apply for a retrial. GERMAN CONSTABLE SHOT. BERLIN, May 20. Plain-clothes Constable Traub, while on duty at the Necliar Bridge, Alannhein, was arrested by the French. Traub managed to escape, but he was ultimately tracked down by the erench, who fired, arid Traub died on his way to hospital. Later in the evening sentries fired on a tramcar which failed to stop when signalled. The car was disabled. Two passengers, were severely wounded. AMERICA’S TOTAL MOUNTING. WASHINGTON, May 21. The American claims against Germany growing. Out of a total of 1,471v600,000 dollars as presented to the Mixed Claims Commission here, the United States Government is the largest claimant, its claims totalling 366,000,000

dollars. The claims arising out of the sinking of the Lusitania, for which Germany has already admitted her liability, but not in a definite amount, total *2,1C0,000,000 dollars SETTLED BY AGREEMENT. PARIS, May 26. The controversy over the United States demand for payment of one milliard marks on account of the cost of the American army of occupation has been Settled by an agreement between the British, French, Italian, and American Governments, which provides for a sum payable in 12 equal instalments. The first is due on December 31. For the first four years the current cost of the Allied army of occupation is to have priority over (he instalments due to the United States. After that the instalments due to the United' States constitutes the first charge upon all cash payments by Germane on account of reparations. The United States have the right to abrogate the agreement if at any time there is a prospect of full payment being jeopardised within the period unless satisfactory assurances are given. GERMANY’S DESIRE FOR REVENGE PARIS, May 21. The press gives prominence to the reports of a conversation which Marshal von Hin.dcnburg had with Captain M'Mahon (an American), in which he declared: “ We will have revenge on France if we have to wait 100 years. History will repeat itself. My most ardent desire would be to take up arms against the French, who to-day are sowing the seeds of hatred which will produce a terrible harvest.” SCISSORS CLUB FORMED. BERLIN, May 21. A Scissors Club has been organised in the Ruhr to check German girls’ flirta-

1 ions with French and Belgian soldi .s. 1 he club officials announce their intention of cutting off the hair of any German girl carrying on with Frenchmen, Belgians, Indians, Chinese, Japanese, or negroes. The hair thus forfeited will be made into nets and sold in aid of the Ruhr Relief Fund. BELGIUM’S BURDENS. BRUSSELS, May 22. M. Thounis, speaking in the Senate, said : “We have been living in a fools paradise regarding German reparations, the time has now corne when we must ourselves bear the burdens of which Germany will relieve us only in the most distant future. We have debts to certain Allies, including America. While there is reason to believe that America will deal leniently with us, we must make adequate provision.” SLUMP IN THE MARK. LOWEST POINT ON RECORD. LONDON, May 22. The German mark in London yesterday reached the lowest point on record, 270,000 to the £ sterling- Berlin reports state that the Germans depressed the market over Whitsuntide on learning that sterling was above 260.000, and the dollar above 50,000 marks to the £. The raiiwav fares will be doubled on June 1, and the price of bread will be more than doubled on June 4, and the Berlin tram fares will be increased from 300 to 500 marks. The Daily Telegraph’s correspondent states that the precipitation of the mark is due to the Cabinet crisis in England, business men fearing that the new Prime Minister may be more amenable to French influence than was Mr Bonar Law. Even with the doubled fares travelling is etil the cheapest form of amusement in Germany. Five days before the holidays every seat was sold in the expresses leaving Berlin on Friday and Saturday. Thousands went the 800-mile journey to Munich and back, spending 24 hours in the train. The holiday makers, apparently belonging to all classes, seemed free from pre occupation regarding the Ruhr and reparations. They were concerned only with their enjoyment. A HOPEFUL FEATURE. BERLIN, May 23. Though it is likely that the change of Prime Minister in England will delay the German reply, preparations for a new offer are proceeding without interruption. A definite basis has not yet been decided on. Ministers will refuse to put their names to anything they believe that Germany cannot pay, while what she can pay is beyond the capacity of anybody to estimate. The leaders of the various parties are pressing for rapid action. Suggestions regarding guarantees continue to pile up. The latest is the reservation of the Customs and Excise revenue and the railway surplus; but the railways, notwithstanding an increase of 100 per cent, in fares, are run at a dead loss, while the Customs and Excise, which are collected in paper marks, have a steadily diminishing value. The most hopeful feature at the present stage is the oftrepeated remark that German industry, even agriculture, would gladly make a heavy sacrifice if there were any element of finality. The new reparations Note has been drafted. Well-informed circles state that Germany will not increase the amount of her offer, but that she will modify her international loan proposals with offers of more definite guarantees. GREAT DYE WORKS SEIZED. PARIS, May 23. The French have occupied the great dye works at Oppau and also at Dorsten where they seized goods valued at thousands of millions of marks, including a train laden with spare parts from the Krupps works. RED PROPAGANDA DENOUNCED. PARIS, May 24. A Dortmund message says that the Association of German Miners, the Union of Christian Workers, and the Association of Polish Workers appealed to the Ruhr miners, denouncing the work of disorganisation by Russian emissaries as tending to destroy the miners' unity and to annihilate the freedom of the workers. GERMAN PAYMENTS TO BRITAIN. LONDON, May 25. A Treasury statement shows that Ger many for the financial year ended March 31, 1923, paid Britain £7,476,000 for reparations, including £1,700,00 for the maintenance of the British army of occupation.