Evening star., 1922-11-28
FRANCE PLANNING
TO PAY HERSELF
BY SEEING RUHR
Absolute Control of Rhine
Sector Also Believed Ap-
proved by Cabinet.
TROOPS READY TO ACT
ON "a HOURS NOTICE
France Prepared to Go It Alone,
But Drastic Step, if Decided Upon,
Would Await Default.
Ry the Associated Press.

WOUlU await OCAouAGs
BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, November 2S.-A plan for
direct action Dy France as solution
of the reparations question was sub
mitted today to the full cabinet, meet
ing in the Elysee palace with Presi-
dent Millerand presiding.
The plan provides for seizure # the
state coal mines and collection of the
export taxes In the Ruhr district. to-
rether with absolute control of that
section of the Rhineland now occu-
pied by the French military.
Members of the cabinet after the
meeting refused to discuss the ac-
tion taken. but it is generally believed
the plan was approved without oppo-
sition. as it was drawn up yesterday
at meeting in which the foremost
military and civil authorities partici-
pated. including President Millerand.
Premier Poincare. Marshal Foch. and
the ministers of finance. war and
liberated regions.
Marshal Foch and Maj. Gen. Buat.
the French chief of staff. are under
stood to have told President Millerand
and Premier Poincare at yesterdays
meeting that a plan for expanding
the military occupation of the right
bank of the Rhine had been prepared
with the utmost care and that it could
be executed within twenty-four hours
notice. NJ. Tirard the French high
Commissioner for the Rhineland. in
discussing his part in any necessary
action, said that civil administration
of the territory occupied by France
on the left bank of the Rhine could
be Immediately taken over by COM
petent French authorities.
Would Await Default.
This program would be applicable
only after January Is, for Germany
now has moratorium until the end
of December. and the first payment
under the existing scheme of repara-
tions. now In suspension, would be
due in the middle of January. Ger
many's failure to meet this payment
would, In the opinion of the French.
automatically give them the right to
act.
Premier Poincare's purpose in his
appeal to the nation last Sunday to
submerge party feelings in sacred
union" in support of the government
row Is seen.
This drastic program Of action
naturally hinges upon the outcome OF
the Brussels conference. but there Is
such doubt that that meeting would
reach satisfactory decision on the
reparations question. or that 1t Will
even be held. that the French think
tuality which many think Is reason
ably certain of being faced at the
end of the year.
Ready to Go 1t Alone.
France now is ready ito go it alone"
acting on the theory that il she ever
expects to get anything from Ger
many she must. as the French news
papers say. hit Germany hard in the
Ruhr. her most vulnerable spot. This
is specifically stated in apparently in
spired reports of yesterdays Elysee
meeting, given only to French news
papers. In these articles 1t is ex-
planned that action in the RuhT would
he designed ito strike the hardest
blow at the interests of the great
heads of German mining and metal
industries" as well as to obtain for
France the full quota of reparation
coal and coke which she needs for
the full development of the Lorraine
iron industries
Complete control of the French sector
of the Rhineland would accomplish the
much-desired expulsion Of German Off
cials, many Of whom. the French be-
lieve, are PrussianS recently come into
the region with the intention of
Strengthening resistance to the allied
occupation.
Poincare Sees italian.
Premier Poincare saw MARQUIS Sal
vago Raggi, Italian member of the rep
was taken for granted that it was to
supplement the outline NJ. Poincare al
ready had given Premier Mussolini at
Lausanne of the French intentions
toward Germany. France, in any case
It is said. will continue making it the
rule to keep the allies informed of her
reparations policy.
The cabinet had before it today the
governments calculations on exactly
what the seizure of two-thrds of the
Ruhr would yield. These official figures
show among other resources that the
German governments mines in the
Ruir, produce 100000 tons of coal,
about half the amount annually due
France. This resource was discussed
in London last August by Premier Poin-
care with the allied ministers. and its
ACQUISITION was tentatively approved 1t
is understood as a last resort measure
The French calculated last summer
before the big drop in German exchange
that the Ruhr metal industries sent out
products valued at SIS, 900, ,000. 900 paper
marks. so that If a customs barrier
were thrown around the Ruhr and even
a small export tax imposed it would
yield several hundred million gold marks
annually.