GERMAN ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 July 1923, Page 3

GERMAN ITEMS

(USTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. APPEAL TO PEOPLE. (Received this dav fit 9.2.3 n.m.) COLOGNE, July 11. Acting oil iustiactions from Berlin, the President of the Rhine provinces, issued an appeal to the population to refrain from acts of .sabotage to which Government was sternly opposed. FRENCH I’HESS COMMENT. (Received this day at 11.13 a.in.) PARIS. July 11. The “Petit Parisian" regrets that the British Cabinet, though desiring to guard the Anglo-Fioneli. Entente, is apparently planning independent diplomatic action with Germany. Britain ithus prolonging and aggravating the situation which is encouraging the German resistance in the Ruhr and their failure to pay the reparations. Britain will commit a great mistake, if, just when the effects of the pressure are being felt, she attempts to destroy them hv clumsy intervention. “l.e Eclair” says that Birtain may threaten us hut it is dillicult to carry out the threats. It is obvious that Britain should want to ill-treat her ally France whenever, since the armistice, sue has not ceased to spare Germany.

BEN FILLET ON THE RFRR. (Received this day at 11.13 a.in.) LONDON, July 11. Mr Ben Tillctt, addressing the Transporters Conference and basing his icmarks on the visit of the Trade Onion delegates to the Ruhr, said lie was proFrench in disposition hut he regarded the French occupation of the Ruhr as madness and the outcome of a dilemma of statesmanship too cowaruly to face industrial and economic facts and the international situation. While the situation arose out of i..e Versailles Treaty it was really promoted hv the sordid capitalists and the war profiteers. The Trade Fnion delegates who visited the Ruhr found (lie menace greater than tiicy anticipated and predicted as was cabled that our statesmen were now trying to olirk the issue. We had got one of the strongest possible men, hut unless hacked by the working classes to resist war he would he dragged into it by diplomacy. IF we were to be saved from war we must save both Germany and France. Nothing but war or a threat of war will take the French out of Germany. The workers must realise their responsibility and they must call on the French and the German workers to join in preventing war.