FRANCE & REPARATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 January 1923, Page 2

FRANCE & REPARATIONS

AUSTRALIAN AND N. 7.. CABLE ASSOCIATION. STRIKES AND BOYCOTT. BERLIN, Jan. 21 The masters of the German iron and steel industry have decided to break otf commercial relations with France, Belgium and Luxeinberg, during the occupation of the Ruhr. Four big commercial firms in Dortmund have closed because theyeaniiot get money to pay their employees, as the French troops occupy the hanks. The miners have left the pits in the Recklinghausen area, also 4000 from i lie Bonifncius mine, as a protest against the managers' imprisonment. The strike is spreading to many private pits in the Essen region. There is a transport strike, which is getting worse. Traffic has ceased at Dortmund, but is running in the othei sections of the occupied area. LONDON, Jan, 22. Essen coal owners are to he tried at May cnee to-day. They are charged with refusing to provide information, or to promise co-o|>crntioii. The trial of 22 directors and officials is pending. The Miners’ Council has sent an ultimatum to General Degoutte to release the arrested men. in default whereof a strike will he officially announced. The French intend removing coal from the nits to-day, which action is expected to cause the closure of the mines. PARTS, Jan. 21. The arrest of German mine owners in the Ruhr has provoked numerous antiFrench demonstrations, particularly in Munich. RERUN. Jan. 21. The boycott of French goods i> spreading. The Reiehsbank has instructed all the hanks to transfer to neutral countries their deposits ol French and Belgian francs. The railway workers believe they can disorganise the whole railway system in the occupied area, but the French authorities are convinced that all the efforts to paralyse the transport are (loomed to failure. The French policy is to obtain the reparations coal without interfering with the German miner. LONDON. Jan. 22.

The “Tillies” Essen correspondent States :--"A considerable movement of French troops is reported, particularly in the north. It is believed that, railway control posts from all exits from the occupied territory are being established. The appearance of such a post in Dortmund caused a strike among the station officials. Meanwhile the temper of the German people is becoming mote ......ressive. Hostile groups have taken "toleering at the French sentries The who were refusing to obey the ordet to halt. No casualties are reported. A French censorship has been esta >- I-shod at Essen. . . The “Times” Berlin correspondent savs the arrests of owners angered the public. Herr Thysseii has become ovoi - ni.rbt a national martyr and hero. The miner measures proposed for 1 he government of the community are eomi,m ouicklv into force. If the UviU and Belgian guests are not yet cuete«l rerun D’e hotels, French arrivals ,m l-eing turned away. French notes are not changeable at tie hanks. The French hanks h.ue been warned to he ready to suspend business at it moment’s notice.

BRITISH PLAN RECONSIDER I’D LONDON, January 21.

The “ | Hi' v Telegraph’s” diplomatic correspondent says-“ The French experts have re-examined Britain’s plan in connection with the reparations, Which was rejected at Paris Conference. Their opinion, was decidedly less hostile than r.t first, more especially regarding the indemnity total. 'lhey contend that the least unsatisfactory features of the plan were misconceived owing to the involved dral tmanship. Had they been fully explained, they might well have been discussed. Ihe total might have proved acceptable to France, if her percentage had been raised from 52 to 70.”

NEW FRENCH PROPOSAL. LONDON, January 21. It is stated that if the Ruhr position becomes impossible, France may submit an entirely new reparation scheme, based on the division of J 7! milliards ot German gold marks between hi.,nee Britain, Belgium, and in the proportion of 20 to France, and the remainder to be divided bet-wen Britain. Belgium, and Italy, the assumption being that Jhilaiu only .cqiiiro.s Miffioiont to pay the Flitted States the war del is and tint the Failed States i- prc-l pared to make sacrifices for the sake of a settlement. ft is semi-oflicially declared tin's seheni" is regarded optimistic; 11 y.

ANTI-FRENOhI FEELING. LONDON, Jan 21. Air Remvick. Ha* “Daily Chronicle’s” correspondent v citing from Duisberg, reports that lie. spent a day in the minin'' area. All tlier- agreed that no work will he done under the Freniii hayiiii ds. The arrest of six industrial leaders is calculated to stiffen the 'rru-'-s of the workers, partn ulaily the M) of Tryssr u’.s vmplnyees, who stand solidly against the French. The »ix iiidii-triali'ts wen taken to Cologne. I’hey were cheered at the stations a- they passed. Mr lleimiek expresses it as liis opinion that the French are being beaten all along the line, and says that news s id I'r.iiu Paris has been greatly exaggerated. Tli" Fi'cm-li argue that they can hold out longer than the strikers, I f they forget that tliev ate dealing v. itli desperate men, who will resist uni i I Hair food fails, and then anything may happen. Germany’s c< at cellar is being .set alight, and a lire engine I- urgently needed if ( entrul h.u rope is not to he the prey of flames. A general strike lias been called for Monday throughout the State mines.

FR \ NCE’ S DETER,MIN ATI<IN Pc ive.l this day at «.#> a.m.) PARIS, January '-’2

Marshal Foch attended a Cabinet meeting oil Sunday night when the Ruhr position was discussed. The "Petit Parision’’ states ii the strike proceeds, France intends to expel German Commissioners and civil servants from the Rhineland and establish a customs barrier east of the newly occupied territory, in order to prevent coal reaching northern Germany and cutting off Ruhr from Prus-

The “Petit Pnrisien’s” Dusseldorf correspondent -ays the miners unions unanimously adopted a policy of folded arms, deciding to descend mines hut to refuse to work. FRENCH JOURNALISTS REPLY, PARIS, January 21. M. Saint Brice, the foreign editor of iif,. Journal..” traverses Mr Lloyd George’s last article. He denies that Germany has paid an amount of in-

demnity threefold that which France

had zc pay Germany alter the .* ar of 1370. It 'would total 00.000,000,000 gold mirks if Germany had paid so much whereas Germany has paid less than 11,000.000,000 marks in cash. AT. St. Brice points out that the German monetary debacle is not connected with Reparations. The collapse of the Herman mark has never been nun- rapid than it lias been since August of 1921. when France decided to suspend prarticalK all the cash payments.

M. St. Rriee also points out that the eon! deliveries were short by 21.000,000 tons in August of 1922, which shortage was the result of a deliberate Therefore it is right, and is the duty of France. a< s duped creditor, to ont*‘r the mining centres and control the deliveries of coal. The Ruhr operations have no other aim.