RUHR OCCUPATION

Southland Times, Issue 19771, 20 February 1923, Page 5

RUHR OCCUPATION

FRENCH ACTION CONDEMNED ANOTHER WAR PREDICTED (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association). LONDON, February 17. In the House of Commons in the course >f the debate on the Address-in-Reply Mr Philip Snowden (Labour member for Colne Valley) declared that it would be a happy day for France when she threw off the domination of militarists. The fundamental cause of the present situation was the crime committed at Versailles under the so-called peace treaty which violated all conditions of the armistice. Never was a beaten nation so dismembered and tortured. The Government policy was weak and contemptible. The French action meant another war a decade hence. France’s aim was the economic destruction of Germany and further dismemberment of her territory. Mr Harney (Liberal Member for South Shields i, declared that Britain having disarmed Germany had made France the most powerful military nation in the world. Britain’s attitude of benevolent neutrality could not long be maintained. He urged the Government to take stronger action and disavow French action.

BRITISH LABOUR MEMBERS VISIT OCCUPIED AREA. LONDON, February 16. Four Scottish Labour members of the House of Commons (Messrs Wheatley, Kirkwood, Maxton and Stephen) have gone to Ruhr for the week-end. BRITISH LABOUR MEMBERS APPEAL TO PRESIDENT HARDING. LONDON, February 16. Eighty-eight Labour members of the House of Commons to-day cabled President Harding: “America, with Britain, unwillingly made France’s present destructive action possible. We appeal for American co-oper-ation to-day as the one hope of saving Europe.” CANADIAN LABOUR MEMBER’S PROPOSAL. OTTAWA, February 16. Turmoil was created in the House of Commons when Mr J. S. Woodworth, Labour member for Centre Winnipeg, mentioned that Canada should withdraw all reparation claims against Germany. Mr Woodworth declared that other European nations, including Britain, made plans for military aggression before the war and Germany to-day was not the Germany of the war lords. The motion caused a stormy scene in which Mr Woodworth was accused of libelling Allied statesmen. RUNNING THE BLOCKADE PARIS, February 18. The German Minister of Fine Arts visited Bochum despite the embargo. CHECKING THE BOYCOTT. PARIS, February 18. Essen reports state that the French with a view to checking the trades-people’s boycott sent officers through the town in motor lorries. Officers here and there descended and ordered goods. If they were refused the shopkeeper was immediately hoisted aboard the lorries. The French at Treves seized 250,000,000 marks intended for striking railwaymen. In consequence of the Gelsenkirchen municipality’s refusal to pay a fine of 100,000,600 marks the French seized 110,000,000 from the city coffers. FRENCH OFFICER KILLED. BERLIN, February 18. The Lokal Anzeiger’s Essen correspondent reports the death of a French officer shot by a German constable after the former remonstrated with the latter for reto salute.