FRANCE AND GERMANY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16122, 10 May 1923, Page 3

FRANCE AND GERMANY.

THE KRUPP SENTENCES

INDIGNATION OF GERMANS

EXCITING SCENES

lElec- Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.l iAustral/an and N.Z Canie AssoclHtuiu.l BERLIN, May 8. Tho full list of sentences at the Krupp trial is as lollows :

Krupp and his fellow directors, Osterlen and Hartwig, fifteen years' imprisonment and' a fine of 100,000,000 marks; Bruhn, ten years' imprisonment and a. line of 100,000,000 marks; Mueller, a member of the Workers' Council, six months' imprisonment. All these were present at the trial. The following sentences were imposed on those absent: Bauer, Schaeffer, Kunt.l and Schraeplor were sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment and lined 1 100,000,000 marks; Groos, head of apprentices, was sent to ten years' gaol and fined £0,000,000 marks. Tho closing scenes of the trial at Werden were marked by intense excitement. Tho whole neighborhood of the courthouse was guarded by French troops, the market place being occupied by cavalry and tanks, as the French feared an effort might be made to rescue Krupp. In his final evidence Krupp admitted his firm had received offcial instructions from Berlin i-egarding the lines on. which resistance should' be; carried on, which were the same as the whole German nation received.

Captain Durvert, in a bitter closing speech for the prosecution, insisted that Krupp's personal responsibility was incontestable. 'Germans are disciplined people who never act on their own initiative," declared Captain Durvert, adding that the order for the attack on a little group of ten soldiers came from Berlin and was issued by the Krupp firm itself. Some thousands of disguised police agents towk part in the attack. He- continued :

"I imagine how the great Krupp- and his chiefs remained! molionleiss in the board room while thousands of their employees were threatening these ten French soldiers with death. Imagine their smile when they peeped down on the spectacle from the windows. We saw the same smile during the war. Their generals displayed it when German troops were burning French villages, massacring the inhabitants." Captain Durvert concluded dramatically ■•— "Tho hands of these men are red; with the blood of their own workmen and with French blood that flowed! that day." Maitre Moriand, the ianious Swiss international lawyer, in an impassioned speech on behalf of Krupp, maintained with a- wealth of argument that the charges were not supported by a single fact.

A sensation followed when Captain Durvert rose .and said, that seven poisons were to be tried in Dusseldorf on the following day who had already admitted they belonged to a society whose purpose was to murder persons objectionablel to Germany. These persons declared 1 they had received pay from the Krupp building from an ex-officer who was once a Krupp engineer. Amidst the amaxementi of the people in the courthouse, who .are accustomed to the procedure of other countries, M. Moriand, sprang up and protested! against this statement, adding : "Anyone who said! that is guilty of a lie." Raising his voice, M. Moriand! concluded': "You call this justice in the name of France. In tho name of France 1 say render justice." '

The Court agreed 1 upon Krupp's and Bruhn's sentences by a majority only, namely three to two. The decision in the other cases was unanimous.

Krupp and his co-directors will betaken to a French prison. LONDON, Mav 9.

The Daily Express' Berlin correspondent reports that the Krupp sentences have* roused general indignation. Dr. Serge, president af the Union of Industrialists and Krupp's Berlin representative, declares: "It'is now impossible for German industrialists to co-operate with the French. The sentence is- an indignity." LONDON, May 9.

The majority of the London newspapers received] the news of the Krupp sentences too late for comment. The Daily Chroni-lei says: "The sentences fairly take cue's breath away. Solemnly to pretend that the blamei for the massacre is on the side of the massacred is to challenge not merely the feelings of Germany but the conscience of all the world. How can peace for Europe, security for France, or civilisation for mankind, be compatible with such courses?"

REPLY TO GERMAN NOTE. [Australian anil NZ cable Assr-clatlon.i LONDON, May 9. The Daily Telegraph's diplomatic correspondent says the British reply to the German Note will probably be bandied' to tho German Ambassador in London on Thursday Ctt' Friday. Its criticism of tho German offer is severe, but it will avoid taking sides on the Ruhr question. Regret may be expressed that Britain's advice is not more fully acted l upon.

FRENCH COMMENT ON CHAN CELLOR'S SPEECH.

tAustralian and N.Z Cable Association.) (Received 1 May 10, 12.5 p.m.) PARIS, May 9. The press gives prominence to Mr. Stanley Baldwin's statement in the House of Commons. Tho Journal t-nys: Jt is a declaration of a man in a bad' temper, though he may not have realised' it. The Matin remarks: The main point is that it seems* to reproach France officially, this lime with the same lack of courtesy in which the British press have already accused us. La Vicloire asks : What interests have the Allied' nations to serve by publicly pi-khiT at each other? We thought this dieplorable habit disappeared with .Mr. Lloyd George. L'Eclair says : ; In orchid to embarrass Mr. Bonar Law, M. Poincare only need submit! France's:! debit account for the devastated areas, and ask this great man of justice whether France or Germany should nay?

FRENCH RESENT CRITICISM. ■Australian and N-Z Oib!» AssodaUonJ (Received May 10, 1 p.m.) PARIS, May 0. The newspapers arc indignant at Lord Curzon's statement and consider the criticisms of Franco-Belgian action unfounded. They hope the incident, which generally is considered a question of amour propro, will not have consequences.