New-York tribune., 1921-04-17
Gordon of 10000 Troops
to Cut All Westphalia
OFF From Berlin; Cities
To BE Taxed for Cost
Foch in Supreme
Command i'm Area
Entire Output of Region
To Be Confiscated as
Payment on War Debt
By Ralph Courtney
Special Cable to The Tribune

PARIS, April 16.-1t is now possible
to give some details Of the French plan
to make Germany pay her war debt.
To those who regard the French pro-
cedure as brutal, the reply may be
made that it is meant to be brutal. 1t
Is intended as a means Of putting
pressure on Germany, and the greatest
possible pressure will be exerted.
It is hoped that the Germans will
not resist, but no attempt is made to
deny that the drastic measures now
contemplated are likely to be extreme
ly annoying to Berlin. The only sup
port for the belief that Germany will
resort to arms to ward off this new
blow comes in report from Brussels
that highly placed personages there
expect trouble from Germany ulti-
mately. II the French plan is put into
operation it is bound to stir German
hatred.
Military Ring Around Ruhr
French troops under Marshal Toch
will carry out wide cncirclinc opera
tion to surround not only the Ruhr
but the entire great industrial region Of
Westphalia. According to the plans
submitted to the national war council
by Foch, $4,000 French troops will be
used in these operations. The north
eastern point Of invasion of Germany
will extend to Hamm, or just short
of this city. From all this West
phalia region no product of any ma
tional value will be permitted to enter
Germany. Not ton Of coal will be
allowed to leave this Allied controlled
area. and all the products of the dis
trict will be diverted to the devas ted
regions or sold to neutrals for the Al
lied reparation account.
AS the Allied forces pass through
the German cities, heavy tribute will
be levied on these to bear the expense
OF the occupation and to pay the wages
Of the employed in the mines and fac
tories while they are working for the
Allies.
This regime will be continued fo,
ore, two or three weeks, if neces sary
or until Germany agrees to act on this
terms dictated by the Allies. 1t is be
lieved that Germany cannot resist this
pressure more than twenty days, in
which time the Allies can levy suffi-
cient tribute from the occupied cities
to make the occupation successful
Lacks British Approval
This plan has not yet received Great
Britain's approval and is still opposed
by one section Of French governmental
opinion, but it is the one of two plans
worked out by the Paris government
which probably will get the greatest
measure Of support in France. French
popular opinion demands strong meas
ures against Germany, and the plan
here presented doubtless will be sup
ported Enthusiastically by the people
The alternative and more moderate
plan involves the same scheme of mill
tarv operations, but envisages the ulti-
mate object Of the occupation in diff.
ferent light. Marshal Foch is under.
stood to prefer the more moderate
plan of the. two, with the one proviso-
that strong and capable administratol
Of the occupied district is found.
The second plan regards the new
Rhine state as means of payment OF
the reparation account instead of q
means OF putting pressure on Germany
The moderate plan would place a Gus
toms barrier around the region and
by use OF tax levies on commercial
and industrial products of the Ruhr
the Allies would exact their due.
Despite the optimism Of some cl
the French military chiefs public opin.
ion in this country inclines to the
former plan. Marshal Foch will be
placed in charge temporarily, not onl,
OF the military operations, but of the
whole interior of the occupied region
AS for permanent administrator, Gen.
eral Degoutte's name is put. forward
on the ground that military governor
Is an absolute necessity in district
(Conlnued on page four