Evening star., 1923-01-17
Prefer Jail to.
Resuning Coal
Shipments.
INVADERS ACT
THIS AFTERNOON
Labor Chiefs Agree
to Work, But Fear
Strike.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
DUESSELDORF, January "a
(5:3O p.m.).-It was officially an
nOunced by Gen. DegOutte this
afternoon that the military opera
tions of the Ruhr occupation now
are completely finished.
ESSEN, January 1.-THE French
Occupational authorities an
nOunced this afternoon that they
will begin operating the mines of
the Ruhr district tomorrow, requi-
sitiOning German labor, III neces-
Sary.
The Ruhr coal and Industrial
mngnateS who refused to cO-op-
crate with the French will be
prosecuted before n cOurtmartial.
DUESSELDORF, January IL
The French will take possession
of the mines throughout the dis
trict tomorrow morning, placing
military guards at the head of
every pit.
The Ruhr magnates were in
formed late this afternoon that
their property will be cOnfiScated
nnd Will he worked under French
management for the benefit of the
reparatiOn account.
DUSSELDORF, January 17.-Rep-
/, resentatives of the German mag
mates failed to appear this morning
before the control commission, send
ing word they had decided to obey
the instructions of the Berlin gov
ernment instead of the French orders
as to coal deliveries, thus placing the
next move squarely up to the French
occupying authorities.
rTsI-
Industrial leaders yesterday. ~di-
recting them to resume coal de-
liveries under heavy penalties for
failure, expires at 4 pm. No action
will be taken by the French. it is
stated. until the full twenty-four
hours from the delivery of the ulti-
matum. 4 CLOCK yesterday afternoon,
have elapsed.
Germans Are Defiant.
Ruhr valley coal operators had be-
fore them the French ultimatum that
If deliveries were not resumed "the
military authorities would ttake such
measures as were deemed necessary"
The attitude of the German mag
remark by Herr Thomas, representa-
tive of the SHINES interests at Gel
Senkirchen. He, said:
we are perfectly willing to go to
jail, but under no conditions shall we
resume deliveries"
So far as was indicated in adyices
reaching this city this morning. not
chunk of reparations coal or coke
was being sent to France or Belgium
Thy any of the Ruhr mines. 1t was
reported that in some instances ship
mentS intended for south Germany
were being diverted westward by the
occupation authorities. 1t was said
that deliveries to Italy were contin-
ufng.
At the conference here Yesterday
between the French authorities and
the operators Gen. Simon said to the
xGermans:
I'VE have not summoned you here
for a discussion, but to transmit to
You the orders of our government. If
you do not see fit to obey them you
will be prosecuted before a court
martial, condemned and imprisoned"
Appealed to Labor Leaders.
The industrial leaders filed out of
the room without uttering a word,
but once outside of the conference
hall they made no secret of their de-
termination to go to Jail rather than
submit.
Thirty-two labor leaders, represent
ing all the districts and all the
Catholic socialists and communists,
Syndicates of miners, railroad men
and steel and iron workers, were in
troduced. DIR. Groetzner, Prussian
governor of Dusseldorf province, act
ed as their spokesman.
Gen. Simon told the labor leaders
France was the friend of the work.
ingman. The German government,
he declared, was responsible for the
recent events and was willing to sac
s'iffce the workingmen to it's imperi-
alistic policy. 1t had permitted the
food stocks to become depleted and
cared little whether its own nationals
starved or not.
DIR. GroetZner, laborfng under great
emotion. rose and said:
Il cannot listen to such lies, to such
an unjust arraignment of my govern
ment. L withdraw" He then left
the conference.
Gen. Simon, continuing, requested
the labor men to get into touch with
their comrades in the Dusseldorf and
Duisburg zones, which had been
under French occupation for two
years, and learn how well the work.
ingmen had been treated.
May Import Engineers.
The leaders agreed to continue
work so long as there was work for
them to do, but expressed the opinion
that circumstances might cause the
Industries to shut down. For the
present they would go on as usual.
The French are resolved to carry
out their threats Of reprisals and i'm
prisonment, it would appear, and the
Germans are determined to resist de-
velopments likely to occur If by this
afternoon the magnates do not recede
from their present stand.
Experts are at work on plan for
operating the mines with German
labor and French engineers. Addi-
tional engineers have been instructed
TO come from France Immediately
and are expected to arrive by tonight.
They number 200 men-less than one
for every pit head in the Ruhr.