The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-13
GE RMANs PROTEST AGAIN AT FRESH FRENCH |NvAS|ONS
Occupation of Ruhr Charac- terized as "Purely Arbitrary Action and Force" Com
 mitted Against Weak
(Continued FrorA Page one)

(Continued FrorA Page One) 1, of the additional convention of Jan uary 16, 1919.
 "The towns of Appenweir and Off, fenburg lie beyond this territory and no article of the Rhineland conven- tion or of the treaty of Versailles | gives the Rhineland commission the right of it's own accord to extend the | scope of it's competence.
 "The approval expressed by the Rhineland commission of the meas ures taken by the French govern- ment does not legalize these meas ures, which violate the treaty and likewise does not give legal title to the illegal ordinance of the Rhineland commission. The approval shows, however, anew that the Interallied Rhineland commission lets itself be made the tool of French policy. The against this violation of the treaty and of right"
 French Clash With Germans LONDON, Feb. 12.-(By Asso- ciated Press.)-A Central News dis patch from Berlin today says two | French soldiers and one German were killed in clash at Gelsinkenchairen in the Ruhr, this morning, when Ger German government protests also man soldiers halted a motor car con l ldlIlIB r ICiCn SOAoiCi Ss
 BERLIN. Feb. 12.-(By Asso- ciated Press.)-zGerman policemen clashed with the French today at Gel senkirchen, but there were no fataii- ties according to reliable advices. A policeman and two French officers were reported to have been taken to a hospital with wounds.
 BERLIN BELITTLEs BOYCOTT
 BERLIN, Feb. 12.-(By Associated Press.)-There Is a strong inclination on the part of Berlin press to be- little the immediate consequences which are likely to follow the new Franco Belgian boycott against un- occupied Germany, especially as far as 1t may concern iron products. The newspapers point out that Ger many can continue to be an impor- tant competitor In the world mar kets, since most of her finishing plants are in unoccupied sections, I and these are stocked up with sup | plies for months ahead.
 The Allgemeine Zeitung, organ of Hugo Shines, reviewing the mcnth of occupation, sees the French iron | industry the heaviest sufferer up to date
 "The decrease of more than a mill lion tons in reparation coal for France alone" says the newspaper, "has driven from the world market ! the French iron industry which, with cheap reparation coke, has been conducting a flourishing dumping business against England and Italy. | Economic disturbances cannot fail to | appear. The only question is whom ahey will hit the harder. About 75 to so per cent of the German iron producing industry lies in occupied territory and from 65 to 70 per cent of the iron finishing industry in un- occupied Germany. The feeding or the finishing industry is the essen tial problem"
 Continuing, the Allgemeine Zeitung says the finishing plants have stocked up on raw and semi-manu- factured supplies and that they can well increase their production. The German iron industry, it adds, has been operated at only SO per cent of capacity. Large supplies of raw and semi finished products heretofore have been imported from France and France now has destroyed this ex- port business for herself
 Calling attention to the split which | it says the French are attempting to make in the German industrial structure. the Allgemeine Zeitung says this will be as hard for the French as it is for them to mine coal with their bayonets.
 FIGHT LOOMS IN PARLIAMENT
 LONDON, Feb. 12.-(By Associated Press.)-Comment on all sides turns on the grave state of affairs fac- ing the reassembly of parliament to- morrow, not only internal affairs. like unemployment and the need of retrenchment, but still more for eign affairs, such as the Ruhr and the Near East crisis. Attention is focused particularly on the question of relations with France, in which the difference in policy as the Times | phrases it in an editorial 'as re- | vealed by French action in the Ruhr is past all concealment."
 Dispatches from French sources in | Coblenz and Dusseldorf today | showed that the inter allied Rhine land commission is already making l arrangements to prevent goods of any kind from leavNg the territory under it's jurisdiction without per- mits while similar measures are be- ing adopted in the Ruhr.
 It is pointed out in Paris that British officials must participate in the work of granting these per- mits. because England Is still tech | nically a member of the Rhineland commission. It may be supposed that this will cause further indignation to the labor and Lloyd George par ties. which are already clamoring for withdrawal of the British troops from the Rhine and complete sever ance of England from any responsi- bility in the French occupation | It is quite certain the government will find 1t difficult to maintain it's attitude of benevolent neutrality to- wards France in the face of the strong attacks certain to be brought by the laborites and Georgites and the strong feeling in the country generally against the French policy.