The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-17
FRANCE REACHING
OUT ST|LLF URTHER
FOR ERMAN CITIES
Entire Ruhr District Worried
by Extent to Which
Occupation May Be
Carried

By Associated fress
ESSEN, Jan. 16.-How far the
Franco Belgian occupation ultimate
ly will extend and what other punt
tive steps are contemplated are aues-
lions uppermost in the minds of tho
Ruhr population because of the new
ultimatum delivered to the mine di.
rectors at Dusseldorf today. Genera
Degouette's latest order which is de-
clared to be final, provides for re-
sumption of the reparations coal de-
liveries to France and Belgium to-
morrow morning; otherwise Germany
will be subjected to further penalties
The German mine owasrs reiteratl
their Intention TO abide by the fed
eral commssar's instructions to with
hold the deliveries.
While it was revealed as the Dus-
seldorf conference that the occupa-
ton of Dortmund was the price paid
for the commissar's action, French
circles here declined to discuss the
nature of the additional penalties tc
be exacted. Reports are widely cur
rent that Muenster will be the next
large place to fall yet these are
skeptically received because that city
is so far outside the so-called Ruhr
area.
1t is pointed out however, that
Muenster possesses great strategic
Importance as it is one Of the central
points of the railroad to vessel which
runs parallel to the railroad through
Hamm Dortmund, Bochum, Esser
and Duisburg. Thus its occupation
would aid greatly in effecting control
of the Ruhr traffic, as the occupying
forces are reported to be planning.
Establish Control stations.
Control stations already have been
established on the lines about Essen
freight trains being required to stof
while their papers are inspected. II
is feared here that one of the steps
in the program of occupation will be
to place such a tight ring of patrols
about the occupied territory that the
rest of Germany viii be deprived OF
Ruhr coal. 1t is stated in German
quarters that no more freight cars
are being permitted by the railroad
administration of unoccupied Ger
many to enter the Ruhr, and hun
dreds of cars We're hurried off during
the first stages of the occupation.
Entente engineers today went to siS
mines in the neighborhood of Essen
and endeavored TO determine whether
deliveries were being resumed. Theii
mission was unsuccessful and they
are reported to have left word that
if the information was not supplied
voluntarily soldiers would seize the
books,
One of the labor leaders gave il
as his opinion that very probably
tie miners would continue at work
The miners he said. would have ia
keep employed in order to support
their families He therefore, believed
a strike was not likely unless the
entente tried to xtend the working
day of the miners.
other German circles declare that
the funds OF the miners union are Sc
low that strike could not be sup
ported for more than a fortnight.
The Bochum disorder of yesterday
is the sole instance of serious dis
turbance since the French and Bel
gian troops came into the district.
BOCHUM AGAIN QUIET.
BOCHUM. Jan. 16.-Bochum was
quiet today following the disturb
ances last night which were quelled
when the French fired upon the dis
orderly elements. Calm was restored
by II p. m.
LABOR LEADERS SUMMONED
DUSSELDORF, Jan. 16.-Labor
leaders of Essen. Bochum and Gel
senkirchen were summoned to Dues
seldorf by General Degouette to meet
with. the French economic mission
after the latter's conference today
with the Industrial magnates.
The French desire the workers TO
continue operation of the mines and
industrial plants should the magnates
persist in their. decision not to- CO.
operate. The French would guaran-
tee the workmen payment of their
wages provided they would work uhi-
der French management in case the