The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-04-16
FRENCH MOVE
in GERMANY
Disapproved by England and
the United States
WAS TOO PREcIPiTATE
Intervention, It Is Said, Should Be
ny All The Allies And Only AS A
Last Resort--Engiand Will
Send No Soldiers.

London. After long conference
which the French ambassador, Paul
Camibon, had with Premier Lloyd
George, and full discussion of the
FrapcoGerman incident by the cab
tnet council, at which the French view
was fully explained to the British
minister, an authoritative statement
was made to the effect that France
acted entirely on her own initiative
in deciding to occupy German towns;
that Great Britain, the United States,
Italy and Belgium were all opposed
to the plan and that Frances action
has caused a delicate situation.
The matter is under discussion Of
the British and French Governments
and the hope is expressed that the
situation may be eased.
The statement recites various exz
pedients suggested for dealing with
the Ruhr situation, among others, the
sending of Allied officers with the Ger
man troops to supervise the German
withdrawal Another alternative was
that the decision should be left with
the German Government, with the
stipulation that unless the status quo
was sufficiently restored the Allies
themselves would occupy German
points to enforce their demands. The
statement proceeds:
THE German Government appears
to have acted precipitatafy and France
to have responded adopting plan
which was only intended as last
restort method, and even then to have
been the affair Of the Allies and not
Of any one of them simply"
Great Britain, Italy. Belgium and
the United States, 1t is declared, all
felt that the task OF restoring order
should lie with Germany, and ali
were opposed to their regular forces
being called upon, except as last
resort to undertake what are virtu-
ally police duties.
1t is pointed out that France feared
some Interior motive on the part OF
Germany and doubtless acted in good
faith, but, adds the statement, ''the
immediate result is that the respon-.
sibility for her action cannot be
shared by the Allies, as whole, an,..
certainly there is no intention on the
part OF British Government to allow
British soldiers to act as police be-
tween hostile German factions and
incur all the odium of such d posi-
tion to say nothing of its risks
The statement concludes: "If, and
when, Frances suspicious of Ger
many's Interior motives and deliber-
ate Haunting of the terms Of the
peace treaty become accomplished
facts, the Allies would doubtless be
prepared tosact instantly and vigor-
Ously in concert to vindicate the po-
sition and respect for the provisions
of the treaty. But for the time being
It may be taken that no British sol
dier will participate in the occupa-
ton of German cities in the neutral
gone.
The London Times says that a crisis
has. arisen in AngloFrench relations,
and that, contrary to assurances that.
the differences Of opinion between
the Allies regarding the violation Of
the neutral zone BY German troops
were about to be composed BY a
friendly understanding, it appears that
the British Government took steps to-
emphasize their disagreement with the.
policy OF France s