Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-02-02
Women Shed Tears of
Rage in Fight Against
French
MEN ARE READY
French Bring All Imple-
ments of War to First
LineS-Coal Blockade
is Effective.

DeEilit rCDs - He PcppiV VI
the Ruhr Valley have murderous
resentment in their hearts.
The women are shedding tears
of rage-not grief. and they are
urging their men to rise against
the long, horizon blue columns
of Frepehmen who 90 swinging
through the streets Of their town
and bivouac in the public squares.
The men are waiting grimly.
They are about the same stamp
as West Virginia miners-just as
ready for battle. Something is
holding them back. There is no
telling whether this restraint will
snap.
l have been over the whole
Ruhr industrial district. The
French soldiers are everywhere,
Of course. The tramp OF their
hob-nailsd boots over the cobblesi
or the jingle of their cavalry, a:-,
couYrenents, are heard on AL
sides. The German people stand
dumbly along the cutters, watch
ing them ride past. In those
crowds there are many men, who
a few years ago, wore the gray
garb of Germany's army and
marched deep in to France. Now
they appear content to stand aside.
The French are fetching all
the implements of war along with
them-artillery, field kitchens, air
planes, machine guns. tanks, etc.
In fact, the situation presents
every clement of war-eScept an
enemy army. The next four
weeks will tell whether such an
army is going to spring to LIE
from the ranks of those who now
are satisfied with standing on the
curbstones, watching the parade.
Germans in the invaded zones
acting under orders from the
minister of transport. put forth
further sabotage measures to pre-
vent this being carried into et-
feet.
Ruhr miners were instructed to
hamper the French in every pos
sible way. New and secret means
of hindering requisition OF coal
bv the French were reported 70
have been worked out. .
Miners of the Saar Valley voted
70 strike to assist those of the
Ruhr in withstanding French at
tempts to seize coal.
The French customs line today
extended from Dusseldorf to
Duisberc, Oberhausen and Lueh,
on. II was heavily supported
with machine guns and artillery;
The strangling French coal
Eool,ada ,stirs the westphalisns'
for tbev feel that even if this is
but partially effective it gradual
" will bring the mines to a STAND
still. This conjureS up to the
workers picture of early uh-
employment followed by huhgei,
They see hunger, anyway, IN 'he
near future. according to the IA
pidity with which prices are o"'-
stripping wages
Over the whole invaded district
in the past month, United Press
correspondent heard only one
story;
"There will he blood bath here
sooner or later. When despera-
ton sets in. men and women
will risk their lives against bay
onetS and machine guns rather
than Starve wretchedly.'
The difficulty is to say whether
these predictions will be reAhz-
"A for there is certain amount
of propaganda. and a certain
1ooseness of statement among Ger
mans for lust such emergencies.
Arrest Of German officials, de-
nortStions and gradual stysugu-
Istion Of business are not seasiag
the population, but revoludaR'
have hesn started bsfsrs upon
anssr and empty stomachs.