Evening star., 1923-11-21

needs must be supplied first: Nor
NAL reparationS deliveries, army re-
quirements. railroad requirements
and all requirements of the occupied
territories.
The first three categories are not
jpaid for and are charged TO the reichs,
payable at an unknown future date.
, The fourth must pay a 40 per cent
| tax to the French.
Industrialists say they cannot
! finance private business il they are
deprived of this income. No manu-
because stocks of such goods. belong
| ing to practically all Ruhr concerns,
! were formally reQuisitioned by the
| French last fall as a pledge for pay
ment of the coal tax. No concerns
| have been able yet to pay the coal
| tax. even under a compromise ar
! rangement with the French.
The French are disposing of some
| of these stocks, but slowly so as not
! to harm French industry. But even
port, it is only possible by special
! French license on payment of tax
| which the Germans say is so hlgh
! that it will make sale of 1.-The goods
impossible. The French administra-
ton, according to German assertions.
is ruinous to economic production.
the French seeing only material
wealth and not realizing that the
greatest wealth of the Ruhr is care
fully planned adjustment of its parts.
Coal Being Imported.
! For instance union mine at
| Dortmund normally works exclu-
! sively TO supply factory in the same
fixed percentage of all coal pro-
! duced. and this is sent to France,
| while the union factory imports coal
| from England to replace it. The
same thing is happening now at the
| krupp works.
| This. according to the Germans, in
! creases the cost sufficiently to wipe
out any margin of profit.
Even If agreements were reached
| everywhere (Which appears likely to
| Germans say resumption of normal
| activity depends on the railroads,
! which at present are far from salts
| factory.
! For Industrial resumption 1t will be
| necessary to start special service on
secondary railway lines. which is a
! complex process. The administration
appears unwilling to inaugurate this
| service without assurance from the
! industrialists that they will have
| business for the new trains. But the
| industrialists are 'unwilling-to promise
( business unless they can be. sure they
! will receive raw materials regularly
Thus mutual lack of confidence is
another factor delaying business
Some German business men are con-
: WINGED that the French are deliber.
ately delaying resumption of railroad
service in order to starve out the in
| dustrialists.
1t is widespread suspicion-un.
fortunately apparently supported by
much that is published in Paris-that
| the French intend by force perma-
nently to hamper or partially kill the
! Ruhr iron manufacturing business, ST
as 10 prevent its competing with the
| French. Another fear is that the
French intend to exact impossible
conditions of sthe industrialists anC
then declare a default and confiscat,
Ruhr industrial properties on a larg,
scale. Needless to say, the French
are equally suspicious of SHINES anC
his assistants with equally good rea
son.
| a double mystery descends ovel
| Ruhr conditions with today's report.
ed resumption of negotiations be,
tween German industrialists anC
French authorities. Also between
Otto Wolff and the French for re-
newal of their previous agreement.
| Many observers had felt that tn,
dramatic break in the Shines French
negotiations last week was mostly
bluff and that both were eager tC
come to an agreement. This appar.
emily is true.