ATTITUDE OF FRANCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16186, 24 July 1923, Page 3

ATTITUDE OF FRANCE.

POINCARE'S REPLY TO CRITICS. TILE REAL DANGER. (Elec. Tel. Copyright—Uni tea Press Assn.i (Australian autl N.Z. cable Associanoxu PARIS, July 22. M. Poincare, unveiling a war monument at Yillers Ootterets, replied to Mr. Lloyd George’s recent criticism in the House of Commons on the French programme. M. Poincare referred to the Germans’ systematic obstruction of the French efforts to repair ravages, and said : “This is the moment chosen by an eminent statesman, the former Prime Minister of an Allied'country, to seek to create a mischievous comparison between France and Germany, and to characterise as amusing the fact that while Franco is spending so much money repairing the devastated regions, she was complaining of extravagant expenditure by the Berlin Government. All this might bo very amusing for Mr. Lloyd George, but it is saddening, even intolerable, for Franco.” M. Poincaro said he wished all the Allies had gone to Ruhr with France. They would have understood better the real danger of to-morrow. He drew a graphic picture of the tremendous industrial organisation the Germans had built up in Ruhr. This organisation was substituting itsolf more and more for the State, which it was enveloping, dominating, annihilating. It was master of the press and the Government. It subjected the German Republic to a domination more powerful than that of the Junkers. Against this danger England, Belgium, Italy, and France must unite. It would not be difficult to supply the Allied Governments with a basis for instructive comparisons and grounds for equitable decision. It would be sufficient for them to visit the Aisne department and then visit Ruhr. It would not demand the aid of financial experts to enable them to make comparisons.

M. Poincare did not refer to the Bri tish Note. ,