FRANCE & GERMANY

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1923, Page 2

FRANCE & GERMANY

f ll Y TELEGRAPH —-PER PRESS ASSOCIATION!

GERMAN REAVARD. LONDON. March 9. YdvicCs from Dusseldorf state a German nationalist organisation at AA itten has offered a reward of two hundred thousand marks for every bunc-h o hair cut from the beads of women deemed to be too familiar with tc French soldiers in Ruhr, FRA.NCO-BEI.GIAN PLANS. PARIS. Alnrch 9. AJr Poincare’s conference with AL Theunis (Belgian Premier) at Brussels has been fixed for Alonday. he King of the Belgians dines with M- l and in the evening the two 1 rc »» e,! J will discuss control of the Kuhi, an foi a united plan of action if. and when Germany seeks a resumption ot tne reparations negotiations. FRENCH DEFEND RUHR INVASION. PARIS, March 10. France, in a. reply to the Gorman Note of February 15. justifies her oecupation of tlic IDihr. Firstly, she points out that the setfum of the Versailles Treaty quoted by Germany permits the Allies, on a untary German default, to take auy mensures they think necessary. Secondly France cites the London ultimatum of April. 1921- that the Allies would occupy the Ruhr Valley awl piocoed to other military action if Germany should default in paying reparations. . Quoting the Spa Agreement regarding the coal 'deliveries, France points out that Germany has totally failed in her obligation for payments both in easli and in kind, she not paying up to De comber. 1922, a total of nearly one hundred millions sterling. The German Govcrnmen lias issued r.ll order to the German mines to refuse to deliver coal to the Allies. Tills made it impossible for the latter to act m a friendly manner, but compelled them to requisition coal. They had only pt‘>cecded against those Ruhr officials Whose conduct had endangered the safety of the Allied forces. The Note concluded that France was resolved to exact payment from Germany in respect to the obligations which Germany bad contracted. Al. Poincare and the Foreign Affairs Committee reiterate that they could not accept mediation, but are ready to listen v.ben Germany is ready to speak.

humiliating position: (Received this dav at 8 a.m.) LONDON, ATarch 10. Air Beach Thomas the “Daily Express” Cologne correspondent says the position in tlie eastern semi-circle of the British zone is humiliating. British passes coverng goods decreed by the Rhineland Commission to have iicc passage are flouted by tlie French, whose sentries are posted live yards from the British boundary. This is part of the scheme to prevent the export and import from the British zone of coal and raw materials for the factories stopped, though specifically stated they me entitled to free passage under the international arrangement. INDEMNIFIED. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) BERLIN. March 10. The newspapers report that officials expelled from Ruhr have been indemnified by the Government and given posts in 11011-oeeupied Germany, moic important- than those held in Ruhr.