THE RUHR QUIET.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 February 1923, Page 5

THE RUHR QUIET.

NO DEVELOPMENTS. CONFLICTNIC REPORTS. BETTER TEMPER HINTED. By Telegraph.—Pres* Aasn. —Copyright. Received Feb. 5, 12.5 a.m. London, Feb. 4. There have been no developments in th? Ruhr. Conflicting report* from French and German sources continue to reach London. Some declare that France realises the failure of the Ruhr policy and desires to negotiate with Germany, but she cannot make the first overtures. Other reports assert that Germany is abandoning her obstructive tactics, including the strike, realising that obstruction will penalise the Ruhr inhabitants more than the French.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Association HAMPERING THE FRENCH. RAILWAYMEN DESERT TRAINS. FRENCH FIRE ON RECALCITRANTS. Received Feb. 4, 5.5 p.m. Paris,. Feb. 2. A number of German railwaymen, pretending to be willing to resume work, were taken in trains, but they abandoned them in open country, the drivers disappearing. The French are now sending expert railwaymen to accompany the trains which the Germans are handling. Received Feb. 4, 5.5 p.m. Berlin, Feb. 2. Herr Groener (Minister of Communications) has again ordered the railway managers to disobey French orders, the managers complying by rushing trains out of the Ruhr. French soldiers fired on a number of trains failing to stop when ordered to do so. In several instances where the Germans were unable to get trains out they have diverted them to a siding and abandoned them. A mob at Koenigsbnrg smashed the windows of the French Consulate. The town authorities have requested Berlin tc call on the French to leave the town, as they could not guarantee their safety.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Association. PLAN TO SEIZE TREASURES. REPORT FROM GERMAN SOURCE Received Feb. 4, 5.5 p.m. BerVn. Feb. 3. Der Nachrichten, published at Dresden, states that the French nuthorif.es have ordered the museum officials to draw up a list of the best works of art in public and private collections, the intention being to confiscate them against the payment of reparation*. The Dresden Picture Gallery is world renowned and the. museum of Johanneum contains the finest poreclain in the world. AMERICAN LABOR SYMPATHY. GOMPERS URGES MEDIATION. Received Feb. 4, 5.5 p.m. Washington, Feb. 2. Mr. Samuel Goihpers (American Labor leader), in a statement declaring his hearty sympathy with the German workers for American intervention in the Ruhr, and calling on the United States.-to give sympathetic consideration to the appeal, says: “I believe our Government should tender its good offices as mediator.’” EXPRESS TRAINS STOPPED. COAL SHORTAGE CLAIMED. Received Feb. 5, 12.55 a.m. London, Feb. 2. Reports have been received that the Germans yesterday stopped the Paris-Bucharest and the Paris-Prague expresses on the ground of a shortage of coal. The French retaliated by suspending the passenger traffic on the Karlsruhe-B: lines, except the express to Holland and Paris. The first German Note sent, to the Reparations Commission since the occupation of the Ruhr protests against the refusal to grant a moratorium and urges the commission to make a new estimate of German’s capacity.