The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-11-28
FRANCE WILL
ACT ALONE ON
PREPARATIONS
Seizure Plan Given
to Cabinet
fBy Associated Press,

6By Associated Press)
PARIS, Nov. 2S.-A plan for direct
action by France as a solution of the
reparations question was submitted to-
DAY to the full cabinet meeting In the
Elysee palace with DR.. Millerand pre-
siding.
The plan provides for seizure of the
state coal mines and collection of the
export taxes in the Ruhr district to-
gether 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 action
taken, but 1t is generally believed the
plan was approved without opposition
as 1t was drawn up yesterday at a
meeting in which the foremost civil
and military authorities participated
in which President Millerand, Premier
Poincare. Marshal Foch and the minis
ter of finance and war and liberated re-
gions.
Faith About Gone
There no longer is much faith here
in any inter-allied solution of the re-
parations question, even though the
Marshal Foch and Major General
Buat the French chief of star are un-
derstood to have told President Miller.
and and Premier Poincare at yester-
days meeting that plan for expand
ing the military occupation of the
right bank of the Rhine had been pre-
pared with the utmost care and that
it could be executed within "a hours
notice. M. 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 competent
French authorities
Have Until Jan. is
This program would be applicable
only after Jan. 10, for Germany now
has a moratorium until the end oe
December. and the first payment un-
der the existing scheme of reparations
now in suspension would be due in
the middle of January. Germany's
failure TO meet this payment would,
in the opinion of the French. auto
matically give them the right to act.
Premier Poincare's purpose in his
appeal to the nation last Sunday to
submerged party feelings in sacred
union" in support of the government
now is seen.
This drastic program of action nat
urally hinges on the outcome of the
Brussels conference, but there is such
doubt that that meeting would reach
satisfactory decision on the repara-
tions question or that 1t will even be
held that the French think it wise to
prepare now for an eventuality which
many think is reasonably certain of
being faced at the end of the year
"To Go II Alone"
France now is ready ito got it
alone" acting on the theory that if
she ever expects to get anything from
Germany she must as the French
newspapers say. hit Germany hard in
the Ruhr. her most vulnerable spot.
This is specifically stated in apparent
ly inspired reports of yesterdays Ely
see meeting, given only to French
newspapers. In these articles it is ex-
planned that action in the Ruhr would
be designed ito strike the hardest
blow at the interests of the great heads
of German mining and metal indus
tries" as well as to obtain for France
the full quota of reparation coal and
coke which she needs for the develop
ment of the Lorrain iron industries.
Complete control of the French sec
tor of the Rhineland would accomplish
the much desired expulsion of German
officials many of whom, the French be-
lieve are Prussiaps recently come into
the region with the intention of
strengthening resistance to the allied
occupation.
Premier Poincare saw Marquis Salv-
ago Raggi, Italian member of the re-
parations commission yesterday and it
was taken for granted that it was to
supplement the outline NJ. Poincare
already had given Premier Mussolini
at Lausanne of the French intentions
toward Germany. France in any case,
it is said, will continue making 1t the
rule to keep the allies informed of her
reparations policy.