San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-19
isolation Of
| RUHR LOGICAL
DEVELOPMENT
| If Germany Persists France
Is in Position to Com
pei Separation.
WORKMEN ARE THE KEY
They Are Not in Position to
Stand Long Campaign
of Resistance"
BytPAUL SCOTT MowRER

and the Chicago Daily News.
Copyright. 1928:
Paris, Jan. 18.-An eminent French
technician whose name cannot be
given, has written the following analy-
isis Of strategic position Of the oppos-
LIZ forces in the Franco-German eco
|nomic war.
First consider the position. The
French military administration has con-
sidered certain penalties, namely fl
nancial and personal responsibility for
the German industrialists il they con-
tinue 10 resist. These penalties will be
effective only if the German mine
owners seek pretext to surrender.
If they intend really TO resist to the
end and quietly allow themselves to be
imprisoned, France runs the Iisk Of
turning them into heroes for the Ger
man people. -.
at is possible therefore that the
German industrialists have little to fear
from imprisonment, but if their resist
ance has chance of success. two con-
ditions must be fulfilled. First the
industrialists must resign themselves
TO money losses. Prolonged industrial
stagnation. disorder and foreign inter-
vention may well seem redoubtable to
the Germans. 1t is not only the Ruhr
factories that will suffer, but all indus
try in Germany. Are the German EN-
ployers ready to place their patriotism
above personal interests? The answer
to this question is still doubtful.
Dependent Upon Worlmen.
"In the second place if the industrial
lists are to succeed, they must have
the workmen with them. If the latter
accept foreign control and continue at
work. the resistance of the employers
must soon be broken. Is there a real
solidarity of German workmen and
employers? 1t is known that there has
been rapprochement between the
Employers organizations and the labor
unions. The unions have fallen under
the influence of the employers. Ma
tional bolsheyism, which unites the
tendencies of the Extreme Left and
the tendencies of the Extreme Right,
mas won over certain groups of work
men hitherto refractory to national
SIN.
"On the other hand n hunger strike
would be much more difficult for the
vorknien fhansthe employers because it
hreatens their very lives. For the rest
r-~s ermans are hoping for interna-
sonal cooperation against France.
kfhe7 expect that the economic paralysis
which threatens the Germans will
nuickly' affect the economic situation
hf the entire world. The German gov
prnment is trying on the one hand TO
win the worlds pity for German suf-
fering and the intervention of the
worlds business men in Germany's
favor. Germany's first aim is TO gain
time TO allow this Intervention. to be-
come effective.
The, strength of the French posi-
ion may be stated thus:
1.-The resistance of the German en-
ployers threatens to ruin the whole
German economic system which depends
pom Westphalian coal. How could Ger
many recover her lost markets? Ger
man leaders will doubtless hesitate be-
fore assuming responsibility for pro-
onged resistance which may even lead
disorders and revolutions. This
would be "a high price to pay for the
privilege of resisting France. 1t is
doubtful il the mass of workmen will
ong continue TO support the employers.
The fierce repression of the Ruhr up
isings two years ago, left, deep scars
Ind the German workmen and employ
krs have been. oftener at odds than at
pne. ..
Other Means For French.
"Moreover the occupation authorities
nave many ways of acting upon the
masses who will perhaps be more docile
,fter the removal of their national
eaders. namely, the payment of their
alaries, the furnishing of food and the
,ayment of unemployment doles. These
measures can be used skillfully by the
french engineers who in the Saar and
Rbineland have acquired a thorough
hcouaintance with the mentality Of
1erman labor.
~Finally the workmen cannot 20
ong unemployed or they will starve.
There remains the difficulty of replac-
>~$he German technical corps in case
he latter abandons the factories and
mines. This difficulty is not insur-
nountable. The French government be-
eves that the personnel trained in Lor-
aine and the Saar will be adequate.
Also the. ministry of public works has
prepared n veritable industrial mobiliZa-
ion of engineers and foremen destined
o insure the industrial life Of the Ruhr
iasin.
"If the resistance continues in the
nd. the Ruhr valley will have to be
separated from the rest of Germany
economically. Administrative ties with
Berlin will have to be severed and new
money may have to be introduced either
n the shape of local marks or a new
haler or combined system of marks
nd francs as in the Saar basin. The
;uhr basin thus isolated would be at
ached 20 the Rhineland with which it
sill form an economic unit with plenty
# iron and coal, with an exit to the sea
" way Of Antwerp and Rotterdam and
NTH sufficient fiscal resources TO pay
he cost of administration.
MARRIAGE LICENSES.