New-York tribune., 1922-12-18
Germany Sees
Plan to Annex
The RhineIand
Views Frances ID Q m a n d
for Productive GUARANTEES
as a Preliminary to Ter.
ritorial Aggression
Fears Law Might Consent
SHINES Is Accused of Fa.
voring Occupation as an
Aid to His Own Interests
special cobls 20 Tas TrlSvas

Copyright, is2a. New Tor. Tribune Inc.
BERLIN, Dec. isr-The rsparstions
question has been more than ever the
center Of affairs for the past week.
The London conference, although re-
garded as favorable 20 Germany insofar
Is it failed TO bring Allied approval
for the French desire 60 occupy the
Ruhr, on the other hand it is looked
upon as \ prelude 10 something Just
as bsd-the application Of the so-ealled
productive guarantees BY France In
the Rhineland. Such measures for the
economic annexation Of the left bank
OF the Rhine, political circles fear,
might be used ss a foundation for ter
ritorial annexation.
Frances recent demand for the oe-
eupAtion OF the Ruhr 10 regarded here
as barrage behind which the Rhine
land program Is concealed. France 3
plans for the forthcoming Paris con-
ferenee, as seen in financial circles
here, iS TO obtain consent to the sp-
plieation Of productive guarantees
through French control Of the railways,
mines, forests, ETC., on the left bank
Of the Rhine 10 be followed b. the in
PRODUCTION Of French currency as q
means OF weaning away the German
people by showing the advantage OF
the French franc over the mark over
q period Of years thus tying up this
territory economically With France and
laying a foundation for the desire for.
or at least passive resistance 70, per-
manent French rule By the Rhine
lsnderS.
In financial and political circles
familiar with what took place behind
the scenes at London, II Is feared that
, Bonar Law might scquiesce in the de-
msnd for the approval Of the Rhine
land program since on its face II does
not represent the seizure Of German
territory, but only temporary
guaranty Of Germsny's indebtedness.
II Is dificult to determine how fer
Germany's fear on this point is justi-
fed, but that IL constitutes Poineare's
Paris program Is emphatieAlly main
tained here. This Is all the more
threatening, because IL Is knoen that
many Germans having industrial in
terests In the Rhineland and the Ruhf
look favorably on French occupation,
feeling that Il would greatly enhance
private interests by putting them on
frame basis. SHINES, for example.
is being openly accused by his enemies
of favoring the occupation OF the Ruhr
where a large part Of his interests lie.
He Is accused Of favoring this step be-
cause IL would put his business on q
franc basis and enable him 70 fight the
competition Of the French iron and
steel industries on their own ground:
The bitter conflict now being waged
between two powerful feetlons In the
National Association OF German In.
dustries, one headed by SHINES and
the other by sorge. the president OF
the association, Is really esnteTed
around the question Of the 6suirability
cf the French occupation q he Rhine
land and the Ruhr from the viewpoint
Of the industrial interests directly
concerned on the one hand, and the
interests Of Germany sS q whole on
the other.
This conflict has bean. brought 10 a
head By stinnes's sensational disavowal
of Cuno's proposals at London. The
effect Of this disavowal, however, has