GERMAN REVOLUTION.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3457, 10 April 1920, Page 5

GERMAN REVOLUTION.

SERIOUS CRISIS IN ANGLOFRENCH RELATIONS.

BRITAIN DIb‘APPROVESv OF‘ FRANCE’S ACTION.

LONDON, April 8.

‘A serious crisis is believed to have arisen in AngLo-French relations». Cabine't has notified disapproval of Frauce’s advance in the neutral zone. BERLIN, April 8. " The National Assembly has been convened for Saturday. Trades unions and Socialist parties s_ubmitted to the Governmen-t joint demands for the withdrawal of regular troops from the neutral zone and the reorganisation of the secfirify of the police.

LONDON, April 8.

1 ,It is learned authoritatively that France acted entirely on her own responsibility in_ deciding to advance in the neutral zone. Britain, Italy, Belgium and America all opposed such action. Fl-ance’s military move caused obviously a delicate situation. The Anglo-French Governments are discussing the matter in the hope of easing the tension. When trouble started in the neutral zone it was essential that steps should be taken to restore order, but the question was whether Allied or German forces should act. One proposal was that Germany should be made responsible for restoring order, and be allowed to send troops to Ruhr under the strictest guarantees, which defined that Foch and the ‘Allied oflicers should accompany the German forces in order to determine when retirement was justified. - Another proposal was to leave the decision to the German Government, strictly providing that if the zone was not evacuated immediately circumstances permitted, the Allies would exercise the option of occupying important German centres. The German Government appears to have acted precipitately, and France responded by adopting the plans which had been fiuggested as the last resort by the Allies as a‘ whole; The Allies,‘ except France, felt that Germany ought to restore order, and-they lopposed the idea of their regular forces being called on except‘ as a last resort to undertake what wereyirtually police duties_.. France, with her long experience of the German yoke, and the proved worth of German assurances, evidently concluded that the German movement of troops into the‘ neutral zone was undertaken for some ulterior object. 7‘

LONDON, April 9‘

France doubtless acted on bona. fide, but the immediate result. is that. responsibility for her action cannot be shared by the Allies a.s’a whole. Certainly there is no "intention on the part of the British Government to allow British‘ soldiers to act as police between hostile German factions. ’l.“l1e view taken in London is that our army of occupation is on the Rhine for totally difi'erent purposes. If, and when, the French suspicion of ulterior German motives and deliberate_ flaunting of the terms of the Peace Trea"ry become accomplished igacts, thc_situation would instantly cliangs, and the Allies doubtless would be prepared to act vigorously and concertcdly, but, for the time. being, it may be taken that no British soldiers will participate in the occupation of German cities in the neutral zone. The Times describes Britain ’s disapproval of France’s action -as the rudest shock to Anglo-French. relations since the establishment of the Entente, and says it amounts to political apostacy equally fatal to Britain’s interests and good name. The Times proceeds-: “The scandalous communique from Downing Street, outliningthe disagreement, actually adopts Germany ’s disingeiiuous Version of General Watter"’s policing invasion of the Ruhr. Apparently France ’s independent action hurt the small personal vanities of the British authorities and affected party interests.”

It is stated in Parliamentary circles that the Premiel"s opposition is atfributable to his desire to influence the struggle proceeding at the National Lib'e’ral Club between ooaul tion supporters and Mr Asquith ’s fo]~ lowers. I

QUIET RESTORED.

PARIS, April 8.

Quiet has been restored in Frankfort. The authorities pacified the students. .

BERLIN, April_ 8.

Vorwaerts says the Defence Minister stated {that if pb§sib}e the troops would be withdrawn from the Ruhr in two days.

BETTER PROSPECTS.

LONDON. April 8.

The Australian Press Association learns that there is an increasing like~ lihood of an amicable settlement of the international difierenc-,9 arising out of‘tllc Ruhr incident. Them i 4 évory indicafion that the Reds are rapid}y disarming.

To-da_y’s -supreme Council meeting Was postponed, probably in order to await. events. It is hoped '.vhell the Counc.i.l assembles #llO end‘ will be in sight. -

MOROCCANS FIRE ON CROWDSL

DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE INCIDENT.

Received 8.50 am,

ZURICH, April 3‘

Owing to the threatening attitude of the crowd in Frankfort, the Moroccans used machine guns. It is reported the crowd mobbed the oflicers and pelted. them with stones. But another report received from Berlin denies that the crowdis attitude was hostile, and says they were merely watching the Moroccan guard. " FRENCH ADVANCE INTO GERMANY, JUSTII«‘ICATION FOR THE ACTION.

FRENCH PRESS OPINION.

Received 8.5 21.11)

PARIS, April 8.

l Newspapers. point out that Germany has been latterly expressing her ii-eadiness to withdraw surplus troops», and denouncing the French demand for a complete withdrawal. They ‘consider Germany in attempting to trick the Allies,.well knowing Germany had no right to keep any troops in the neutral zone after Saturday But France does not intend to hold Germany to ‘the strict letter of the protocal. She is willing to arrange a fresh protocol, imder which Germany would retain sufficient troops for police purposes, The newspapers frankly express the View that now is France’s chance to exact the guarantees from Germany for her bona fide discharge oaf -the Treaty obligation. They say the occupation of Frankfo-rt_.« etc., is not the end but the beginning of resolute French policy. The _P_etit Parisien says France’s ineasiires, while constituting a guarantee against the assemblingof German troops in Ruhr, also offer means of V obliging Germany to conform strictly to her engagements._Le J7O-urnal says: “Yes-t‘erday’s -episode is only the ‘Starting point. It would be unpardonable simplicity not to profit. by the crisis in order to clarify the situation. Now or never is the time to learn it‘ anything may be expected from the Germans. The present test gives the means 10f getting what is owing to us, and of showing our ‘Allies we must have something more than the Versailles scrap of paper.”

Newspapers declare that Athougih the Allies may not co-so-perate in military nlea.sures, it is unlikely they will disapprove, because they are interested equally with France in the en-f-‘orcement of the Treaty. _ Le Temps calls attention to the strategic importance of the occupied towns-, and quotes‘ Marshal Fochfs standard /book on the conduct of the War, in which he says Germanyfs power can be cut in halves, and that the main reasonable plan of attacking Gemmny would be to proceed to Berlin by Way of Mayence, because that is the point where lies the interest of North and South Germany.

REDS ENTERING BRITISH ZONE.

Received 8.5 am.

LONDON, April 8.

The number of Reds entering British zone, Where they are interned, is steadily increasing.‘ Twenty mousand of these and refugees have now arrived, and are adding to the food difiiculties, particularly in view of the disorganised transport. ‘

GERMANS VVANT TO STAY AT RUHR.

BELGIUM SIDES WITH FRANCE.

Received 10.10 a.m

PARIS, April 8.

Le ' Tempts states the Ger_nla.n troops occupied Essen after the Reds fld,e many of whom surrndered to the British. The Reichs-Wehr continues to advance into the centre of the Rhenish-Westphalian basin. This is attributed to the pressure of the military party at Berlin upon the German Government. The latter is asking the Allies to allow them to use troops in the neutral zone until the tenth July, pointing out Germany has already been allowed to use troops to maintain oréer until the tenth April,

PARIS, April 9.

Strong patrols of French -cavalry preceded by armoured cars, paraded Frankfurt st‘reets.a.ll night Long. There were no further incidents. _ French military’ authorities »assert the anti-French ‘demonstration were organised by German militarists. A small body of Belgian troops has been ordered to enter Ruhr, indicating that Belgium ranges herself alongside of/«France.'

FRANKFURT INCIDENT.

OFFICIAL ACCOUNT.

Received 10.10 am.

PARIS, April” 8.

Official reports’ of the Frankfurt incident state that two were killed, and several wounded. Le Matin alleges that the PanGerman procession consisted mostly of students who surrounded a. French picket and separated the .o»fl"lcers from the men. The latter, fearing their officers were endangered, fired several shots. MILITARY ACTION ENDED. Received 10.10 a.m. AMSTERDAM, April 3. A Dusseldorf message states that military action by the Reichswehr has virtually ended, but. the delivery of u.l'm_s according to the Biclfeld agreement wilj occupy a few days.

HIGrH—I-lANDED PRUSSIANS.

CORRESPONDENTS ARRESTED.

Received 9.25 a.m

NEW YORK, April 9.

The Chicago Tl-ibilne’s Dusselidorf correspondent states Lieut Linzmeyer, -an oflicer of the Baltic Iron Division, an arriving at Essen, secured telegrams despatched to England by Mr -Harding, representative of the Daily News, and Mr Voight, representative of the Manchester Guardian. [.inzmeyer arrested both. Voight. kept his hands in his poekets when arrested‘. says Linzmeyer resented the attitude Voight to teach him how to behave in “the presence of Prussian officers. Both were subsequently I'elea'sed. Voiglit says Linzemeyer rescnteii the attitude of A.ng]o~Amel-ican e'orrespondents re? garding Ruhr. Mr Hfirding states he Crew attention to the fact. that Linz-A Ineyer’s troops were identical with ‘tliose involved in Kapp’s coup, there-_ ‘by angering Linzmeyer. The corres-_ pendent adds the Baltic troops began ‘the reign‘ of terror, kiliing ‘many Women Workel's. T