THE RUHR

Southland Times, Issue 18965, 12 June 1923, Page 5

THE RUHR

“PEACE OR DESTRUCTION?” ALTERNATIVE TO REJECTION OF NOTE STATEMENT BY CUNO. (By Telegraph—Press \ssn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) BERLIN, June 10. Herr Cuno, after conferring with industrial magnates and labour leaders, told press representatives that France complained that Germany was trying to evade the Versailles Treaty but the Treaty itself mentioned the possibility of easing reparations to meet Germany’s ability to pay. The proposal for international arbitration to decide this emanated originally from the Reparations Commission. As soon as the reparations demanded approximated Germany’s capacity the whole of Germany would be prepared to make sacrifices to meet the demand. The Government would use all powers to see that industry carried its fair burden. After Germany’s late Note the world must decide for peace or destruction. The Government would do nothing against passive resistance in the Ruhr. It could not if it would. To the present the French had shot 50 Germans in the Ruhr, sentenced 450 to imprisonment, and deported 50,000 people from the occupied area. Germany was ready to give every guarantee to France for peace on equal terms but the Ruhr, Rhine and Saar districts were priceless and indivisible from Germany. REBELLION MUST CEASE. CONDITION OF FRENCH NEGOTIATIONS. PARIS, June 10. It is semi officially stated that M. Poincare has informed the British Foreign Office of his willingness to sign a common Allied reply to the German Note if such is confined to the request that the Reich cease its policy of rebellion. If Germany fulfilled this condition, France would be prepared to negotiate with the Allies with a view to reaching an agreement on the subject of reparations on the basis contained in the French memorandum of January. FRANCO-BELGIAN AGREEMENT. FRANCE WILLING TO MAKE SACRIFICES. PARIS, June 10. The Petit Parisien says France and Belgium are absolutely agreed on M. Poincare’s points. The Matin says if the British plan offers real and substantial proposals France is willing to make sacrifices to help the re-establishment of Allied solidarity but unwilling that Britain should act as arbitrator between France and Germany.

FRENCH OFFICERS SHOT. PARIS, June 10. Three Germans walking in the street at Dortmund shot dead two French officers. INDIGNATION IN FRANCE. STORY OF THE CRIME. PARIS, June 11. (Received June 11, 9.30 p.m.) The shooting of two Frenchmen at Dortmund aroused great anger in France. One message states that the shooting followed a street brawl between soldiers and civilians, but the London Daily Telegraph’s Dusseldorf correspondent says that two French non-commissioned officers were walking the streets at 10.30 at night when they were attacked by three Germans armed with revolvers, who opened fire, killing one Frenchman outright, with a bullet through the head. The other was wounded, but only lived a few moments. Other Germans nearby raised the alarm, but too late to catch the assassins. Their descriptions, however, were given, and it should be possible to identify them.