SITUATION TENSE

Southland Times, Issue 19770, 19 February 1923, Page 5

SITUATION TENSE

POSITION IN RUHR LONDON CONFERENCE ENDS BRITISH WITHDRAWAL FORECASTED (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association). LONDON, February 16. (Received February 18, 5.5 p.m.) It is understood the French and British viewpoints at the Downing Street conference were found to be irreconcilable. It is believed that M. Le Trocquer was informed that if further complications arose consideration of the question of the withdrawal of the British Army of Occupation could not be avoided. Mr Bonar Law, Lord Curzon and Lord Derby lengthily outlined the British view, and submitted alternative proposals for M. Poincare.

The Standard says that the conference ended virtually in a deadlock, the envoys returning to Paris without a decision regarding the railway facilities through the British zone. The British have not for one moment declined to grant the request. Certain questions were introduced which M. Le Trocquer was not authorised to decide. The negotiations were carried on in an amicable spirit, but the viewpoints differed. The British attitude is understood to be that concessions would result in complications. This view is supported by the military experts on the spot. The British proposals will be submitted to the French Cabinet. PROSPECT OF SETTLEMENT. PARIS, February 17. (Received February 18, 11.30 p.m.) It is confidently believed in official circles that the differences regarding the Ruhr transport will be solved at Cologne by General Godley and General Payot. The British proposals permit France to send through the British zone the same number of trains with fresh supplies and equipment as before the Ruhr occupation. While the French Government will accept this rather than run-counter to public opinion, the military authorities are not satisfied with the reduced transport service, fearing the danger of being cut off in the event of Germany’s population or workers getting out of hand. FRENCH MISSION TO GENERAL GODLEY. PARIS, February 17. (Received February’ 18, 11.5 p.m.) M. Le Rocquer submitted to Cabinet the record of his mission to London. He emphasised the ertreme cordiality of the meeting. Subsequently Cabinet decided to send General Payot and General Degoutte to Cologne to confer with Sir Alexander God ley.

BRITAIN URGED TO WITHDRAW TROOPS.

TIME FOR DECISIVE ACTION. LONDON, February 17. (Received February 18, 11.5 p.m.) Mr J. L. Garvin, in outspoken articles in the Observer, declares that the decisive time has come to withdraw from the Rhine and formally end the Entente, unless France can be brought to such a compromise with British views and interests as was refused at the Paris Conference. “Britain and the British Empire cannot be cyphers in these matters. The Cabinet can no longer stand in the position of anxious impotence, such as British Ministers never before have consented to occupy. Either we must have equality under the Entente with substantial considerations for our own essential interests, our own deliberate views, or freedom like America. France can have it either way, but not both ways. Mr Bonar Law’s Government must assert this position or its own political position will become untenable. The vast majority of Britishers are fundamentally opposed to the military conquest of the Ruhr or the partition of Germany. The Government must effectively interpret that view or give place to a Government representing the view of mediation through an impartial international tribunal It ought earnestly to be urged on France that- if France cannot revise her separate policy, which is a breach of the Treaty of Versailles and the Entente, she must be notified with grave and regretful courtesy that the British troops will be withdrawn from the Rhine and the Entente will come to an end, which will mean that we shall wash our hands of any responsibility for the Versailles system.” BRITISH WITHDRAWAL FORECASTED PARIS, February 16. The Petit Parisien, basing its remarks on Sir Alexander Godley’s report opposing Franco-Belgian control of the railways in the British zone, prophesies that Britain, rather than consent, will withdraw her troops from the Rhine. The paper says there is a growing tendency to consider the British zone as a kind of neutral territory. There is little doubt that the British withdrawal would affect the Germans more than the french. Gustave Herve, writing in the Victoire, says: “It is almost heartbreaking to witness Britain breaking the alliance and creating a new atmosphere of hostility which prevailed for so many centuries.” Lenoir is of the opinion that the French demands are simply throwing Britain into a radical solution—namely, the withdrawal of her troops. EFFECT OF MR BONAR LAW’S SPEECH LONDON, February 46. (Received February 18, 5.5 p.m.) According to the Daily Express’s Dusseldorf correspondent full reports of Mr Bonar Law’s speech filled all classes with alarm, women and children begging the British not to withdraw, and the French mistakenly inferring that the British are staying to help and even to protect the Germans. LABOUR CRISES IMMINENT. LONDON, February 18. (Received February 18, 11.30 p.m.) The Daily Express’s Dusseldorf correspondent says: ‘“I have talked with all sorts and conditions and have come to the conclusion that the bulk of Germans in the Ruhr, especially the poor and workmen, favour anything, even the political upbreak of Germany, that will end the intolerable present and throw a light on the depressing future. Grievous unemployment must come. lam convinced that Labour crises are near. The threat of a pensionless old age and work for foreign master is rapidly reducing individual energy and output.

BOLSHEVIK EMISSARY APPEARS. PARIS, February 17. (Received February 18, 11.30 p.m.) Liberte publishes a message from Dudeldorf that Rakowski, the Bolshevik leader, secretly arrived in the Ruhr for the purpose of inciting French troops to revolt. The frontier has been closely watched, and new measures have been adopted to prevent the infiltration of German officials. GENERAL DEGOUTTE’S STATEMENT. TALK OF NEGOTIATIONS. PARIS, February 16. In an interview reported in Paris, Degoutte was most explicit regarding the period of the French occupation. “In a thousand years, if the Germans have not fulfilled their obligations, we will still be here. The Germans have only to declare that they are ready to carry out their obligations for us to consider a resumption of negotiations. If their Government informs ours that they consider it impossible to extricate themselves from the present situation, we are prepared to open conversations. We are unable to accept mere promises; in future we must have realities.”

THE FRENCH PLAN. PERPETUAL DOMINATION SOUGHT. CREDITS FOR POLAND. PARIS, February 16. The Senate is discussing a Bill fixing eighteen months as the period of military service. General Bourgeois explained that this was the very minimum consistent with the security of France. While France occupied the Ruhr she had nothing to fear, but the bad faith of Germany rendered the future disquieting. Although the Germany army was reduced to 100,000, it was distributed among twenty-one camps, and constituted the skeleton of a formidable army if Germany wished revenge. Germany had concealed war material and camouflaged metallurgical and chemical industries. In order that France might dominate Germany it was important that she could be able in time of peace to assure occupation of Rhineland and other coercive measures. The Chamber voted 400,000,000 francs credit for Poland, and also authorised a bond issue of 13,000,000,000 francs, chiefly for refunding Treasury notes due in June, and 8,000,000,000 for the devastated regions. PARIS, February 16. (Received February 18, 5.5 p.m.) The situation is strained. Troops with machine-guns are promenading the streets of Dusseldorf. Reports state that sabotage continues throughout the occupied area. Telephone and telegraph wires were again cut, and a French sentry shot dead a German railwayman in the act of removing a railway signal light. HERR GUNG’S APPEAL. UNITY BEHIND PRESENT POLICY. BERLIN, February 16. (Received February 18, 5.5 p.m.) Herr Cuno, addressing a meeting by farmers, said that they must prepare for a long fight and would be required to, make heavy sacrifices, but must keep their nerve and fight on as best they could. The Government, whose repeated protests had been unheeded by France, proposed to continue the present policy. It was difficult to forecast the end, but he believed if Germany rmained united she would pull through. France wished to make them slaves, and they were determined to have freedom. MINISTER ATTACKS FRENCH. BERLIN, February 16. Herr Becker, Minister of Economy, bitterly assailed the French in a speech before the Coal Commission. He said the French were acting like robbers, thieves, pirates, and murderers, pursuing a policy of brutal imperialisation. He was confident their aggression would fail if the German Government and people stuck together. SITUATION STRAINED. GERMAN POLICE USE REVOLVERS. PARIS, February 17. (Received February 18, 5.5 p.m.) An Essen telegram states that eight French and 4wo Belgian soldiers entered a restaurant and ordered drinks, which were refused. A German policeman and civilian entered. The former fired several shots with a revolver, killing one and wounding two Frenchmen. Other German police appeared and more shots were exchanged. One policeman was wounded. The French later occupied the police barracks and arrested the chief and six men and disarmed eighty.

MORE GERMAN OFFICIALS SENTENCED. BERLIN, February 16. The director, inspector and secretary of the Duisberg goal have each been imprisoned for six months with fines of fifty thousand marks for refusing to accept prisoners from the French. The German gaolers struck, and the French transferred prisoners charged with murder to Dusseldorf prison, and liberated other prisoners. Duisberg prison is now empty. Merchants who refused to sell goods to the French have been sentenced to four months’ imprisonment. LONDON, February 17. (Received February 18, 5.5 p.m.) According to a Dusseldorf telegram the chief burgomaster of Oberhausen has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, taking effect immediately. This is the first case wherein a high official has actually been sent to gaol by a court martial. The same court fined Dusman, Director of the Rhenish Westphalian. Electrical Company, five million marks. (Received February 18, 11.30 p.m.) Essen telegrams say that the solicitor to the Merchants’ Union was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and fined one million marks on a charge originating from the anti-French boycott at Dusseldorf. The Municipality of Bochum, being insolvent, the French are negotiating direct with the minors and the population. The French seized 60,000 gallons of methylated spirits which were intended for export. BERLIN, February 18. (Received February 18, 11.30 p.m.) The Mayor of Essen was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and was fined ten million marks for not obeying French orders. The Belgians court mar ti ailed the burgomaster of Aix La Chapelle for refusing to obey the military, sentenced him to a month’s imprisonment and ordered him to pay costs.

GERMAN ASSASSIN GANG. FINANCED BY MONARCHISTS. LONDON. February 17. (Received February 18, 11.30 p.m.) A message from Dusseldorf states that it has been discovered that German assassins, financed by Monarchists, are operating in the Ruhr. One member of the gang who on February 8 attempted to assassinate General Laignelot, commander of the Fortyseventh Division revealed under a severe cross-examination that these secret gangs were pledged to murder French soldiers. Yesterday a German in civilian clothing called on General Laignelot on the pretence of selling information. The man was detained and searched and important incriminating documents were found on the prisoner. He will be submitted to a third degree examination. EFFORTS TO SECURE BRITISH MEDIATION. LONDON, February 16. The Daily Telegraph says the Germans have been testing various channels in London for some time and sounding the possibilities of British mediation. The results show that all kinds of British circles insist that not a finger shall be lifted in the direction of mediation until Germany begins to use her fingers and grips her industrialists by the neck, and gives an assurance that the necessary guarantees will be really forthcoming from magnates. Berlin is fully aware of this state of mind and there may be developments in a few days if Herr Cuno feels strong enough to force genuine guarantees from the capitalists.

The Anglo-French conference has adjourned. It is understood the French strongly urge the need of Anglo-French unity. The Central News Agency states that the German Government stated that it raised no objection to the British permitting the French to make use of railway lines as it recognised the delicate position in which the British Government was placed. GERMAN TREASURY BILLS PAID ON DUE DATE. BRUSSELS, February 16. German Treasury bills given to Belgium last September on account of reparations owing her and which fell due to-day were paid.