AFFECTED FRENCH NERVES.

Shannon News, 6 April 1923, Page 4

AFFECTED FRENCH NERVES.

RESPONSIBLE FOR ‘‘FRIVOLOUS MASSACRE. “FIRED IN SELF-PROTECTION.” (Received Thursday, 8 p.m.) LONDON, April 5. The “ Morning Post ” Dublin correspondent says that the German Government’s protest against the Essen shooting has been sent to Pans. la accuses the French of ffi'mg wßbout being attacked or,menaced. Ihe Note protests against, this ‘‘frivolous massacre ” and demands full satisfaction ior the victims and their dependents. The French reply emphasises the fact that a small band of French were "•oad >d into firing in self-protect l on /ad maintains that Krupps’ were large'y responsible for the sirens being sounded, two hours after the troops arrived, filling Hie town witTi &n inf rnal din, which goaded the nerves of the most tranquil to fury. fhe reply points out that it is significant that- all wounds sustained were in front of the bodies. WHERE COAL COMES FRO3I. HAMBURG IMPORTS DOUBLED. BERLIN, April 4. During March 611,000 tons of English coal reached Hamburg, compared with 345,000 in February. Coal is also being imported from South Africa. FIRST MILITARY POWER. FRANCE STRONGER THAN IN NAPOLEON’S DAY. WILL CLING TO LEFT BANK OF RHINE. Since the Armistice in 1918, the French have solidly united in their determination to make impossible another German invasion of their country. At the Supreme War Council, M. Clemenceau and Marshal Foch pressed for the possession of th,e left bank of the Rhine. President Wilson and Mr. Lloyd George would not agree, but signed the famous pact under which Great Br tain and America were again to fight With France if she were attacked by the Germans. This pact was not confirmed by the Senate of the United States, so that France has neither the safeguard of the pact nor of the Rhine. There is no doubt about this fact, namely, that the French feel they have been deserted by America and misunderstood by Great Britain. They have made friends elsewhere and to-day France, Belgium, Poland Czecho-Slovakia, and Roumania are pledged to stand together against their old enemy. Itaiy was also a party to this agreement, but since the rise of Mussolini that country has adopted an attitude of isolation and independence that makes her position regarding France uncertain: and the sam,e can be said of Turkey. A'l these allies, or possible allies, are conscript countries, and ali have more men at this moment under arms than they had before the Great War. Under the after-the-war treaties conscription was abolished in Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Bulgaria. Russia also has a huge conscript army, and if Trotsky's legions move on Poland or Roumania, France and her Continental a'lies will stand together and fight. According to the French the safety of France demands the military subordination of Germany. Therefor.', the French will never giv.e up the left bank of the Rhine, and they in all probability will not give up the Ruhr. As long as they control the Ruhr, with its coal mines and metal works, and Lorraine, with its iron ores, they control the essential, areas and materials without which Germany cannot manufacture munitions of war on any larg’e scale. The French now have the Germans where the Germans had the French in 1870, and that is where they intend to kvp the Germans. If necessary, the armies of France will march to Berlin. Certain’y. if Poland is attacked by Russ a, the French wi.l go through Germany to help the Poles, and the plain fact is the Republic of France to-day is in a position of supreme military predominance in Europe. Not since the time of Napoleon I. has France been in the masterful situation she is to-day. Indeed, she is, as far as Great Britain is concerned, stronger than in the days of the First Empire. In those days our Fleet was supreme, and the Channel,, therefore, nnpassabie. To-day our Fleet is stiil supreme, but the Channel is easily passable by air-craft, of which France has an immense superiority.—“ News of the World.”