The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-04-05
BERLIN SEEKS
TO QUELL REDS
ReaCtionary Troops Staged
Stormy Scene Sunday in
Ruhr District.
r0CH HEADS OPERATIONS
Planned by French to Force
German Government to
Withdraw It's Soldiers.

London, April So. n. S.)-The
German government announces that
it is taking steps" to allay the reds
in the Ruhr district. say Berlin dis
patches to the Daily Express today
The red troops are reported to be
active again in that area. The armed
workmen in Westphalia promise to
disarm as soon as the supporters of
Won Kapp are dsarmeG.
The Essen correspondent OF the
Daily News describes a stormy scene
in that city Sunday when bands of
red soldiers returned from the front
and demanded their pay for the
weeks fighting. They were told by
President Comrade" Ettstein that
there were not sufficient funds on
hand as all the bank deposits had
been struggled out in Red Cross
boxes during the week The furious
red soldiers threatened to isolate the
communist council until funds were
secured.
The communist leader, Herr Plau-
sen. summoned the merchants and
finally demanded 100000 marks
weekly to pay the red troops. The
merchants were reported to have
agreed If the workers laid down their
arms.
In Hands of Foch.
French military measures destined
to force the German government to
withdraw its troops from the Ruhr
basin are now entirely in the hands
of Marshal Foch. it was said at the
foreign office today, according to an
A. L. report from Paris.
It is advanced in some ell-in-
formed quarters that occupation of
Frankfort, Darmstadt. Homburg and
Hanau is unlikely to exercise sutfi
cient pressure upon the Germans,
since they may well argue that this
occupation Is distastefui to the
French as well as to themselves and
cannot continue indefinitely. On the
other hand, the expense of the oper-
ation comes up as vital question in
he present state of French finances.
The newspapers recall war tributes
imposed by German troops upon
French and Belgian cities and sug-
sest similar measures being applied
to German cities occupied by French
troops.
Dispatches from Wiesbaden saying
that Gen. De Goutte's forces are I'M
der "alert" orders are explained rs
not necessarily meaning an imme-
liate advance, but complete readi-
ness to move forward unless Berlin
promptly recalls the troops which
have entered the Ruhr district
against protests from France.
No censorship has been established
here on news of the intended opera
lion, but the communications from
thn rA1,
ounded with the usual precautions,
although the operation is not consid-
9red on a basis of war.
Only For Police Duty.
An International News Service dis
latch from Berlin says that the gov
eminent announced today that the
reichswehr sent into the Ruhr dis
trict will be used only for police
duty to 'clean up the red army,
which has dissolved itno plundering
bands"
The reichswehr is under command
IF the civilian government being
headed by Commissioner SeYering,
who went to Westphalia to negotiate
with the workmen before the Ebert
forces entered the district.
The reichswehr entered the Ruhr
district from the north and east.
1t is reported from Munster, CAPT
al of Westpahalia. that the reds
nave executed number of civilian
hostages
Workmen Hold Essen.
Essen was still in possession of the
Ruhr workmen, according to repoNs
'eaching the government today and
eported by Berlin to the Interna-
ional News Service.
Things are moving slowly but sys-
lematically," one high official of the
government stated. 80 far we have
received no word of clashes between
civilians and the government troops
that were sent to the Ruhr district.
on the contrary, the troops were re-
ceived ioyfully." 1t was declared that
independent socialists were sending
word by telephone that the troops had
inaugurated a reign of white terror
hut that not a single report to this eff
feet had been confirmed by the civil
ian officials in the Ruhr district.
1000 German Troops.
The latest information reaching
he foreign office at Paris confirms
Is belief that, despite the assurance
,fFcially given by the Germans that
lnly very limited number of troops
lad been sent to the Ruhr district.
n reality the number amounts to
N army of 10000 men.
All information from the country
ordering on the Ruhr basin, it was
aid at the foreign office today, tends
q prove there was no necessity of
,ending an army into the Ruhr dis
riot, as the workers and commun-
SITS were exhausted and without
money. food or ammunition Con-
rmatory information has also been
cceived that the movement in the
Industrial region was not bolshevik
N nature, although many aliens were
involved. and was essentially anti
.ar-aa