FRANCE & GERMANY

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1923, Page 3

FRANCE & GERMANY

[by telegraph—per press association] Fl< Fi.N'CH CONTENT lONS. PARIS. Foil 16. “Lo Matin” has accusetl D’Abornon of tlio responsibility for Herr Cnnos aggressive attitude, declaring Cuno is %, noft only d’Abernon’s relative, but also a friend. M. Tardieu. writing m the ‘•National Echo” says the present conditions in Germany are entirely due to England, which has proved carc-kv, ... winning peace. She failed to exe.t moral force and influence on Germany, Briain asked France to make sacrifices without a. suggestion of proportiunare compensations regarding reparations and .security. A. DIFFICULT POSITION. LONDON. Feb Id. The ‘‘Daily Telegraph's” Essen eor- *+ respondent states:—“The occupation ftllthorites have a delicate and dilhcult task at Essen. They arc anxious to keep Essen at work, but they arc meting with provocation, which is taking ft dangerous turn. It is eei'uun t"c French are being sorely tried lung, seem to be moving in a way winch nun end the peaceful character of ; he occupation. Something like a goading soicit is discernible' among sections of German population. The troop-, arc badlv billeted. The sabotage i- assuming a new form. Some directors of the mn.es and eoko ovens .-re destroying their plants.” FRENCH PRESSURE. PARIS, M- I''The Minister of War, in the Senate announced that fresh recruits w-u d be necessary immediate, and also that t serving effective forces would have to he retained. Since the bcgnmmg o 1 the Rhine operations he ban been a. t,, operate the greater part ol the ia - wavs .telegraphs, and telephones with volunteers and troops, but owing ‘ the German resistance and sabotage, the French have had to take over tin whole transport and comnnimeation., system, for which an tuercaseu P nel is necessary.

financial OPERATION. BERLIN, bob 10. It is understood the German Government are aiming at an exchange pantv of 15.0011 marks to one dollai. The Reichs Bank will persist m its policy of placing foreign currencies on the 'market, utilisng the money s L aside for the Reparations. Meant i ■ the Berlin Stock Exchange is !<■' o« owin'' to the upsetting of the marke cftleuTations. Some ol the i ; ,dusL ' o crashed 40 per cent, on Ihinsii.iy. •' ltm over tlio prices of food and other goo arc not falling with the exchange , so f’vol difficulty of this sudden Op tion of the mark is that the business man who have borrowed marks ■igailist their sterling deposits ale >e 'mg asked to make up the deticit-m A • which is most difficult.

FRENCH OFFICER ATTACKED. BERLIN, bob IIJ - A French officer in t-.i viHa" dj™* ttju&s'jrjssfc Fret., ,«,&= m™™. "pHis injuries probably will prove ata .

Tt.GIIR, I'ROBLEAL LONDON, February Id. The “Morning Rost’s” Pans eoiiispondent states: Reports indicate bat matters are rapidly going from bad to worse in Ruhr. The lives of the French soldiers are in such positive dangci. owing to the hatred of the populate.,, Hint many military guards m isolated positions in certain centres have been withdrawn to the outskirts of those h - calities. There need tie no hesitation in saying that an armed conflict is now within measurable distance, unless the French take much more drastic stops to render such an outbreak impossible. The incidents transpiring convince -n. French opinion that the German of ■TflO‘23 lias in no way changed from tlio Boche of 19M. and that the policy of patience, hitherto shown by the occupying, authorities, is a mistake. The demand that the French shall use m an unmistakable way the force at: their command is becoming more insistent

daily. The French Ambassador, in.his speech said it was a cunning scheme, involving tliat Franco should he so crushed b> the burden of debt that she should not resist the new German aggression France had decided the German maonates had fooled her long enough and should, he compelled to pay the tax which they were now eluding. and leaving if to bo borne by the- German working elass. France had. therein! c decided to occupy the magnates’ strong hold. Franco desired peace as much as any other country, but she had learned by hitter experience that the Germans and the great industrialists in particular, would obey only force. If Britain whose prestige stood so high in the world would consent io co-operate in the achievement of the common task, it would he greatly facilitated.

D'ABERNOX AND CUNO. ! Received Ibis dav at 8.30 a.in.s PARTS, Februai'v 1(5

•‘he Matin” says: D’.Abernon's work is in difficulties which Ike Trocquer is j meeting, and declares Herr Cuno. on j D’Abortion's advice is seeking to in- j sinuate that the good relations between the German and British an- i thorities would he disturbed if the British yielded unduly to the. French. Nevertheless Cuno has adopted a conciliatory attitude and has expressed a desire not to embarrass England and not to oblige her to evacuate Cologne. Cuno wants to bring Britain into the dispute as a mediator, hut France and Belgium will refuse her mediation and will only accept negotiations on definite German proposals. MOBF, MILITARY. (Received this dav at 8.30 a.m.l LONDON, February 1(5. A Dusseldorf message states' M. De gouttce has requested a military draft to replace the German railwayman and telegraphists in Ruhr. m. /Received this dav at 0.30 a.m.) \ GAOL OFFICIALS PENALISED. (Received this dav at 0.30 a. n.i BERLTNfi Feb. 16 The Director, Inspector, and Secretary of the Duisberg gaol were each imprisoned for six months with fines J» , j, of 50,000 marks for refusing to accept prisoners from the French. The Gorman gaolers struck and the French * transferred the prisoners _ charged with murder to Dusseldorf prison and liberated other prisoners. Duisberg prison is now empty. MERCHANTS FINED. BERLIN. Feb. 1(5. Merchants who refused to sell goods to the French have been sentenced to four months’ imprisonment.