BREAK UP OF GERMANY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17179, 24 October 1923, Page 7

BREAK UP OF GERMANY.

FRENCH SUSPICIOUS OF GERMAN INTRIGUE. RUPPRECHT HAILED AS KING OF BAVARIA. By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright.—“The Times” Service. (Received October 24, 10.45 a.m.) LONDON, October 23. The Paris correspondent of ‘‘The Times” says:—“The man in the street is decidedly sceptical regarding the benefit France is likely to derive from the break-up of Germany. He suspects an ulterior motive on the part of the Rhinelanders to escape paying reparations. The movement might result in sheltering the richest regions of Germany from the French bailiff. Besides this he asks: If the most productive portion of Germany is amputated, what is the prospect of the remainder of Germany making an effort to discharge her obligations? In the second place, Rhinelanders are already hinting that the. Watch on the Rhine, if entrusted to them, would need a small army, and would not need to have Allied troops any longer performing the painful duty of occupying German soil. Eventually the Rhineland, Bavaria and Saxony would all be requesting permission to maintain small armies in self-defence against Prussia. The average Frenchman conjures up a vision of these small armies combining against France.” The Munich correspondent of “ The Times ” states that at a dinner attended by Herr von Kahr, all the members of the Cabinet, the municipal chiefs, and most of the representatives of the governing class in Bavaria rose as one man as Prince Ruppreeht was leaving the hall. They clicked their heels and cried: “ Hail. Your Majesty!” . BERLIN, October 23. Several State Governments have proclaimed their loyalty to the Reich. The Government of Thuringia announces that special measures are being taken to protect the frontier against Bavaria.