San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-15
BY WILLIAM BIRD.

Copyright. by The San Antonio Light
Paris, April 14.-One of the most
amazing Of many of the underground
intrigues now operating in every Eu-
rOpean capital designed to settle the
Franco-German problem was unfolded
to your correspondent today.
1t was learned that DIR. Max Dor
ten, the Dusseldorf lawyer who is
president of the Rhineland Peoples
Union and who has been in Paris all
week has held secret conferences with
Marshall Foch and Peretti Rocca, sec
retary-general of the French foreign
office. This fact establishes beyond
doubt that France officially, though
not as yet openly, approves the Dorten
plan for an autonomous Rhineland
state.
My informant had a long interview
| with Dorten today. He found the lat
ter extremely satisfied with the result
of his visit. He has been staying in
Paris under the fictitious name of Du
Rhinger and under a false passport
which makes his connection with
French officials even more startling.
The advantage Of using n false name
Is that it affords an excellent oppor-
tunity for an official denial that he
has been received.
Would Settle Problem.
DR.. Dorten's program is to settle
the entire Franco-German problem, in
Guiding the guaranteeing of Frances
safety from invasion, by demilitariz-
ing the Rhinish state although having
1t retained as part of the German
empire. The state would assume its
proper proportion of the reparations
debt and Dorten also would have it
assume a part of the French internal
debt.
AS preliminary steps. Dorten desires
negotiations Of mediation opened By
Great Britain. Then France officially
would announce that she will annex
none of the territory of this state. A
proclamation of demilitarization, &C.
companied by plebiscite il necessary,
would then be made. Within four
years the state would establish a con-
stltution and assume its fair proper
ton of the complete debts, its nav
ments to be made directly TO Paris and
not through the medium of Berlin.
France would be granted a share in
the Rhlnlsh industrial establishments
and railroads, but the management
would be retained by the citizens of
the states.
Dorten insists that the Rhineland
now is under the domination of Prus-
sra as, indeed, is all of Germany.
ne says. Autonomy entirely would
destroy the Prussian power. he as
serts, and make Germany a real ma
ton.
Began In 1918.
DR.. Dorten initiated his campaiyn
Tor the Rinish state in 1918 and was
arrested by the German authorities in
American occupied territory. The
French, who always had been friend
~ TO his ideas, protested to General
Hunter Liggett, then commanding the
army of occupation. Liggett. in n
letter to the French defended the
arrest and refused to order his release.
put Dorten now asserts he has another
letter from the American general adj
uniting his original position was an
error.
Ihe Dorten movement is separate
from that of Joseph Smeets who has
been working for an independent
Rhlneland republic which Dorten
holds would not be acceptable to Ger
many and would also be disadvant-
ageous to the French.
One point on which Dorten insists
is Tree trade between France, Belgium
and the Rhineland he argues that
after two generations. the inflow of
population and intermarriage would
result in new Rhinish race forever
ending hostile Franco-German con-
facts.