THE RUHR IMPASSE.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1923, Page 5

THE RUHR IMPASSE.

BRITAIN’S INTERVENTION. SUGGESTED COMPROMISE. SEEKING FINAL DECISION. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received June 12, 9.15 p.m. London, June 12. The Foreign Secretary (Lord Curzon) had a conference yesterday with the French ambassador, who handed him a communication from M. Poincare regarding the German offer. A subsequent Cabinet meeting lasted an hour and it is stated unofficially that Cabinet did not see its way to accept unreservedly M. Poincare’s propositions. It is thought a solution may be found by the British Government urging Germany to end passive resistance in the Ruhr, on the understanding that the offer will be taken by the Allies as a basis of a final reparations settlement.. Cabinet has decided to communicate further with the French Government and keep the Allied conversations open in the hope of overcoming the difficulties raised by M. Poincare's conditions. A suggestion receiving consideration is a consultation between Allied technical experts concerning the Ruhr as a means of bridging the French and British attitudes. Another proposal is that the French should offer an amnesty in the Ruhr and make their occupation peaceful, as was at first intended. It would then be easier for Berlin to persuade the Germans in the Ruhr to work under Allied supervision for the purpose of reparations. While an official announcement is withheld pending conversations there is ground for the belief that Cabinet’s efforts were directed tn finding a Ruhr compromise that would satisfy the French as a preliminary to united Allied efforts to settle the raparations question finally. London, June 11. The Berlin correspondent of the Timw says that the Reichstag debate on food prices and wages ended inconclusively. Socialists and Communists illustrating how the standard of living had been lowered owing to the failure to adapt wages and prices. They alleged that the German worker works five hours for lib of margarine, the British worker twenty minutes for lib of meat, with similar comparisons in regard to other commodities. Herr Becker, Minister for Economic affairs, held out no hope of further attempts to stabilise the mark, so long as there is an unfavourable trade balance, which is computed at £100,000,000. The problem was also discussed by the Reichstag inquiry committee. Both revealed industry conducts its business with gold marks, while paying wages and taxes in depreciated paper. This explains why German Labor is restless and the State finances are in hopeless disorder.