Limitation of Action

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 85, 15 August 1923, Page 5

Limitation of Action

ALLEGED FRENCH CHANCE. 9 Press Asso iation—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.50 a.m.) Berlin, August 14. Tho Vossische Zeitung's Paris correspondent reports that tho French Government is considering officially announcing a limitation of the Ruhr action, provided tho German; Cabinet offers sufficient guarantee regarding reparations. France Its realising that the unconditional abandonment of passive resistance is impossible, because it would prejudice beforehand the position of any Government.

FRENCH PRESS OPINION. (Received 11.50 a.m.) ' Paris, August 14. Le Petit Parisien says : If Britain ! is ror.ljy trying to find a solution acI ceptable to all tho Allied peoples she I will find it in M. Poincnro's sucpes- ' tion, namely, in agreeing to the im- * mediate payment of the German Debt and a corresponding reconstnio tion of t li o devastated region*, dej ferring for later consideration the { remainder of the German debt and I the inter-Allied debts. Tt may to J nofe=«ary to return to this equitable | sutpwtion when Britain seps that ■ the pnth is now following leads « to a blind alley. j The F'earo says • The Note is con- ' trary to the Versailles Treaty. Ger- | many no longer wants the Repara- } tion Commission, undoubtedly be--1 cause it has not succeeded in classin <r. France and Belgium as the -, minority. I Eclair psivs: England concludes I that Belgium already bad too much. ( and France must pay out, and. must f not revive. | Le Petit Journal states: England ' seems to mix up the two kinds of - S deMs, which have no+hinc in com- ! mon. namely, the war debts, which |we not intend to repudiate, and the German d<>bt. which represents ;so much Allied bloodshed.

! "" ALLIED PRESS COMMENT. a Le Temps, Paris, declares the Bri- | tL3 h Note disposes of Belgium's case | with bitterness and injustice unj worthy of a great power and aggravates Germany's plight because it ' supplies France and Italy with a i motive to force the Germans to pay i England. The result of all EngI land's pressure upon European nations falls upon the United States' i Note. Everything would easily be (settled if the United States would I renounce its claim against England. 1 The Daily Express (London) aril gues that the British Note implies i a tremendous departure in policy, i namely definite orientation towards I Germany and away from France. It i advocates withdrawing our Rhine j troops and quitting Europe, leaving i France and Germany to settle their j differences, while we maintain our j full claim to debts and reparations I due.

The Westminster Gazette says Mr Baldwin has evolved a far-reaching policy and will lose no time ip accepting the ,G erman proposal for an impartial commission of experts if M. Poincare's reply makes it clear that nothing can he gained by further negotiations. The Gazette adds, that the Ministers will probably be summoned in a few days to decide the next step. The Italian press generally is favourable towards Britain's attitude regarding reparattions. L'Epoca characterises M. Poincare's speech as full of sophistry. II Mondo says England is safeguarding her own interests, which are not opposed to the interests of the world. The paper acrees with the contention that the occupation of the Ruhr is a violntion of the Versailles Treaty. The Tribuna says the British Note has destroyed the illusions of those who anticipated a change in

British policy. The latter oft n appears slow and even sleepy, hut it is inflexible and most logical when fundamentals are involved. No question could be more serious for England than the Ruhr, which now involves the formation of a dang' rous industrial and military hegemony on the Continent. No British Cabinet can remain doubtful as to the line it should follow in such an emergency.