REPARATIONS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 49, Issue 15049, 30 November 1923, Page 5

REPARATIONS.

BRITAIN AND FRANCE.

EXTRAORDINARY SITUATION.

Press Association—Electric Telegraph— Copyright

(Received Friday, 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, Thursday.

The Times, in a leader, says: “It is the urgent duty of the British Government to safeguard British and European interests in view of the extraordinary situation which has arisen through the creation of what is virtually a new political and economic unit in the wealthy region between unoccupied Germany and France. France has chosen to carry out a policy culminating in an agreement with the Ruhr industrialists in the face of the emphatically expressed disapproval of Britain. From, the inter-Allied viewpoint ©he has shaken the foundation of the Treaty of Versailles. The general question of reparations has obviously been, postponed indefinitely, and the French must accept the consequences of theiaj own deliberate action. What no British. Government, can do is to forgo its claims in Europe.—The Times.

FRENCH OFFICIALS. UNENVIABLE SITUATION. (Received Friday, 9.35 a.m.) LONDON, Thursday. The Times Paris correspondent says that attention is being called to the unenviable situation of the French officials in Berlin and other parts of unoccupied Germany. They are subjected to daily petty annoyances by German landlords and tradespeople. Moreover, the French 100-franc not© only produces in Berlin six billion marks, whereas it is worth fifteen billion in Dusseldorf and at least twmity billion in Cologne. i French officials in Berlin are, therefore, obliged to draw from their private resources in order to maintain their position with becoming dignity.—'The Times. . DISARMAMENT OF GERMANY. (Received Friday, 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, Thursday. Well-informed quarters discredit the statement attributed by the Matin t» General Bingham, head of the central section of Allied Military Control in Germany, that the disarmament of Germany was completed months ago. It is pointed out that the latest Note sent by the Conference of Ambassadors to Germany plainly intimated that a number of the military clauses in the Treaty of Versailles had not been carried out to the satisfaction of the Allies.

Since the despatch of this Note no Allied control has been exercised. Meanwhile large numbers of men, exceeding the Treaty establishment, have been rapidly training.

Military experts express the opinion that owing to the French occupation of the Ruhr Germany at present is unable to provide artillery, but Krupps’ have cultivated close relations with Russia and Sweden, though it is not yet possible to ascertain whether this concerned the manufacture or supply of guns.

It is also pointed out that the Allies have secured only about half the rifles in Germany. There is little doubt that German small arms factories are turning these out and ammunition on a. large scale. Altogether t!he situation is regarded as potential, though not an imminent menace. —Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn-