New-York tribune., 1920-03-26
of
|FranceCrippled
~ Rullr Rising
c..sation of Coal Ship
ments, Added to Fall
IN Value of the Franc,
Creates Serious Situation
relief in Treaty Seen
Government Names Eco
nomic Board to Reach
Terms With Germany
By Ralph Courtney
Speciol Gable to The Tribune


.~r,isht. 1920. New York Tribune Inc.>
PARIS. March 25.-French industry
,.. ID crippled by the cutting off of
-, supplies from the Ruhr district
:, Germany. The 20 per cent depre-
.s,;on of the franc in the last few
;sss. the disappointment caused by
ne failure of the national loan just
.,osed to be striking success-sub-
..,;ptions amounting to only about
9 400 10000 francs-the bankruptcy
:. Germany and her inability to pay
;,demnities. and. on top of all, the
,.ssstion of coal shipments from the
phue Valley because OF Spartacist
,..yjties have brought about a very
vrous situation in France. Indus
rj.s are literally starving. De-
mite these pressing difficulties. how
srsr. frances statesmen insist the ma
.on will be able to face the future if
.se conditions of the treaty are full
sIled.
Cfhcial figures place the amount Of
,sa France must have from the Ruhr
strict at about 100000 tons monthly;
his is that districts contribution to
lie 100000 tons required by France
snnualy.
Need 25,000,000 Tons from Ruhr
Despite all extra quantities French
resotators now in London have sue
| usded in obtaining from England and
,sewhere, French industry needs 25,-
$4,000 tons annually from the Ruhr
:is.rict. 1t is officially declared that
lie coal derived from the Saar Basin
&c no more than is necessary to sup
sly Alsace and additional territory
.sined by France as result of the war
The Spartacist occupation Of the Ruhr
Vslley is the most pressing of Frances S
roblems. She may unofficially have
rothing against he Spartacists them
ssves, but the Ebert government can
lot guarantee coal deliveries under the
.rea.y so long as France is unwilling
ether to intervene herself, failing Of
nisrventon by the Allies, or to allow
tie German government troops to take
possession of the Ruhr.
Under these conditions it is expected
rat the Allies will agree to the Ger
nan request for permission to fight the
Spartacists. In return the Germans
viii first guarany to evacuate the
c0untry within a given time; second,
hey will submit to some kind of Allied
ps,rol. and, third, they will give a
0lateral guaranty which will be for
sited in case they fail to carry out
he conditions
Foch to Determine Guarantees
It is believed hat Foch will settle
be exact nature Of the guarantees.
serman military envoys who have
'szehed Parls, declare the German gov
tnment has massed enormous forces.
vf the other hand, the probability of q
PEACEFUL settlement remains open be-
tween Berlin and the Spartacists.
Cusoms questions between France
and Germany are now under discus
sion By the joint Franco-German COM
mission. Recent events appear to have
given rise to sharp differences of opin-
on between France and Britain, which
nave been reflected in the French press.
Inc Temps this evening says:
We must reestablish union be-
veen the Allies, for despite ourselves
Fe have been compromised. Just be-
2lse an alliance between France and
nsland is vital to both countries we
sl to understand why British agents
r. often oppose Frances legitimate in
'fests in Turkish, Russian and Ger
ian questions"
The French government has just
l9polnted NJ. Seydoux, of the For
ign Office, NJ. Serrays, of the Min
NFy of Commerce, and M. Bollee,
9l'ector of the Customs and Duties
aamlnlstration, members of a COM
zHslon charged with the elaboration
an economic accord with Germany.
" Goeppert, president of the German
''ace delegation here, will act for
iermany
Continual complaints have been
aade IN French circles that Germany
sas violating the terms of the peace
saty by discriminating against
,isnch buyers in the sale of goods
" expectation, selling the same
.'aeles to Swiss buyers at half the
,Ace charged French customers.
lals is considered here to be a viola
o1 Of the provision of the treaty
t,9aolting discrimination in economic
satons.