FRANCE & REPARATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 19 February 1923, Page 3

FRANCE & REPARATIONS

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. A DEADLOCK. LONDON, February 16. The “Standard” says: The Downing Street conference ended virtually in a deadlock, and the French envoys are returning to Paris without a decision being obtained regarding the Trench control of the railway facilities through the British zone. The British hate not. for one moment declined to grant the request. Certain questions, however, were introduced which M. Let to. - quer was not authorised to decide.. Dm negotiations were in the most amicable spirit, but the vie a points differed, the British attitude is understood to be that the concessions asked would result in complications. This view is supported by military experts on the spot. The. British proposals will be submitted to the French Cabinet. “Le Matin”, the Paris paper, s;if, sees the hand of Lord D’Abernon (British Ambassador; in the difficulties met with in London by M. Letrocquer, and says the German Chancellor, on D. Abernon’s advice, will see the British King, and insinuates that if Britain yielded unduly to France, it would disturb good relations between the British and tho German authorities. Cuno was conciliatory, and wants to bring in Britain as mediator, to which Franco and Belgium object, insisting on negotiations only on definite Gei-

man proposals. The “ Daily Telegraph' ’ says tlu> Germans have been trying in l.omhm l" induce British mediation, but on all sides the British obi-el to mediating till (leniiany {trips her industrialists by the neck and gives tin guarantees from the magnates [''ranee requires. The Central News says the Germans do not object to the I'Tcneh using tho railways in the British area. BERLIN, February 111. Becker, the .Minister of Ecouoiin. bitterly assailed the French in a speech before the Coal Commission. Me said the French were acting like robbers, thieves, pirates and murderers. They were pursuing a policy of brutal imperialisation. 11 e was confident tin-, aggression would fail if the German Government ami people stuck togctlioi. LONDON, February lb. Four of the Scottish Labour members of the House of Commons, .Messrs "Wheatley, Kirkwood, Mnxton and Stephen have gone to the Ruhr for the week-end.

FRENCH INTENTIONS. ESSEN February 17. In an interview reported here, General Degouttee was most explicit regarding tho period of the I'iencli occupation. He said: “In a. thousand .years, if the Germans have not fulfilled their obligations, we will-still be here. The Germans have only to de- . Clare that they are ready to carry out ! their obligations, however, for us to (, consider a resumption of negotiations, J If their 'Government informs ours that j they consider it impossible to extricate themselves from the present situation, we arc prepared to open up conversations. AVe are unable to m-rept mere promises. In future we must have realities 1” LONDON, February Kb It is understood that the french and British viewpoints were defined at a Downing Street conference and were found to be irreconcilable. It. is believed that -M. Letrocquer (French representative) was informed that it further complications arose on the Rhine, the consideration of the question of the withdrawal of the British Army oi Occupation could not be avoided. Mr Honor Law, Lord Guram, and Lord Derby lengthily outlined the British view, and then submitted alternative proposals for the consideration, of Al. I’oincare. According to the “Daily Express's’ Dussoldorf correspondent, the full reports of Mr Bonar Law’s speech have j filled all classes in that area with alarm, i The women and children are begging j the British forces not to withdraw they j mistakenly inferring that the British j are staying on to help, and even to j protect the Germans. j LONDON, February Id. r In the House of 'Commons, the Rt. i Hon. J. 1!. Slynes moved the Labour amendment already cabled. He stated j that until there had been a great modification of our foreign policy, or, m many respects, a complete reversal of it, fliure would be no permanent cure for unemployment. Britain’s sacrifices for French freedom in men, material and money entitled her to speak on matters of French policy. France was still dominated by fear/ That fear would continue as long as France’s chief instrument was force. Security would he found more in the establishment of goodwill between France and Germany. An immediate revival of trade depended less on Empire development. than on a speedy rstoration of trade with Europe. The Labour Party would “strenuously resist any policy tendiug to exchange British blood for | foreign oil !’’ They would never suh- I scribe to the monstrous doctrine that. Germany must be prevented from becoming strong enough to pay her way. He urged the Government to abandon its present policy of neutrality, and inaction. The Government’s unemployed policy had failed to produce an effective plan for absorbing more than an inconsiderable percentage of the unemployed. It would be better if the Government spent £3,000,000 weekly on productive works and housing than I paying £2,000,000 per week for no- j thing. AN OUTSPOKEN ARTICLE. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 17. Mr Garvin in outspoken articles in the “Observer” declares the decisive time has come to withdraw from the Rhine and formally end the Entente, unless France can be brought to such a compromise of British views aud interests as was refused at the I ans Conference. Britain and the British Empire cannot be cyphers in these matters. Cabinet can no longer stand iu a public position of anxious impotence such as British Ministers never before consented to occupy. Either we must have equality under the Entente With substantial considerations lor our own essential interests, our own deliberate views or freedoinlike America. France can have either way, not both wavs. Mr Bonar Law’s Government assert this position or their own political position will become untenable A vast majority of Britishers are fundamentally opposed to the military

conquest of the Ruhr or the partition of Germany. Government must effectively interpret that view or give place to a Government representing the view of mediation through an impartial international tribunal. It ought earnestly to be urged on Franco that if Franco cannot revise her separate policy which is broach of the Treaty of Versailles, and the Entente must be notified with grave regretful courtesy that Biitish troops wil lbc withdrawn from the Rhine and the Entente come an an end, which will mean we shall wash our bands of the responsibility oi the Versailles system.

TANK ARTILLERY. {■Recurred this dnv at 8 a.in. 1 LONDON, Fob. 18. Experiments have boon satisfactorily concluded with tank artillery, whereof a lleet of seventeen are being constructed. D is a combination of caterpillar and traction lighting. The rank is twenty-live feet long and is mounted with a turret able to take any guns into action rapidly. Ail IF o'a telegram says a solicitor to the Merchants Union was sentenced to Luo years and fined a million marks on a charge of originating a form of antiFivnch boycott al DusseldoiT. ESSEN SENTENCES. •' Received this dnv at S a.in.) BERLIN, Fell. 18 The Mayor of Essen ua- sentenced to two years and lined icn million marks lor not obeying French order-. Belgians court n.a rtiailod tic luirgoniaster of Aix l.a l hap, die for refusing to obey the milhury and in' was sentenced tu a lnoiiil/s imnri • ■•.nineiil and ordered to pay cosis. The municipality nl iioc!ii".mi being insolvent, the Fnnnh arc (Erectly negotiating with the miners and population. )' tench seized sixty thousand gallons oi methylated spirits wliieb u i-re intended' tor export .

A message fro lit Dusseldoii states d lias been discovered that Gorman assassins, financed by Mona renist s. are operating in Ruhr. One member of the gang who on February Mill attempted to assassinate General LaigncUb. commander of the 17Lh division. rcvealeil under severe cross exa mi na i imi that these secret gangs were pledged to murder French sudiers. \eslenlne a German in civilian eiihhhig railed ni! I.aigiielol on the protein I selling inf'orinn t ion. The man was detained and searched anil important inerimmatiiig document . were found on the prisoner. He will be Miami! ted In the third degree examine' mu, PARIS'. Feb. 18 It is coitiideuH\ believed in oiiicial circles i hat di/fcrences regarding Ruhr transport wil! in- sob. ed at Cologne by General God ley and i’aynt. Ihe British proposals permit France to send through the Briii-'h zone the same number of trains wild fresh supplies and equipment a. be (ore the Ruhr occupation. 'While the Ficiiei: Government will accept ibis iat her than run counter to Rriii-h public opinion the military authorities are mil satisfied with the reduced transp irt service fearing the danger of being cut off iu the event of the German population or workers getting out ni band.

PRESS REPORT. p/tocMved Dus dav at 8 a.m ) LONDON, Eeb. 18

The ‘ Daily Express” Dussoldorf correspondent says—”l have talked with all sorts and conditions, and have come to the conclusion that the bulk ol the Germans in Ruhr, especially poor and workmen, favour anything even the political upbreak of Germany that will end the intolerable present and throw a light on the depressing future. Grievous unemployment must come. I am convinced and a Labour crisis is near. The threat, ol a pensioiiless old age and to work for a foreign master is rapidlv reducing individual energy and output. PARIS, Feb. 18.

The “Libeite" publishes a message from DusseldoiT that Rakowskt, the Bolshevik leader secretly arrived in Ruhr for the purpose of inciting I' return troops to revolt. The frontier is closely watched and new measures were adopted to prevent the infiltration of German officials.