Evening star., 1923-02-04
'TUC-OF-WAR In RUHR
SURE TO END in DISASTER
Rope Secured Upon Rocks of Finance.
Memel Again Looms as
Danger Point.

vigorous reprisals against the Ger
mans.
Perpetual Separation Planned.
In the meantime it is declared the
French government Is proceeding
| with elaborate plans looking toward
the perpetual separation Of the Rhine
| land and the Ruhr from Germany. 1t
being realized by every fair-minded
economist and close student of the
present enterprise that France never
can collect on the reparations sched-
ule prepared at the London confer
ence unless this is achieved. The sit
uation in Germany today is far diff
ferent than when the London confer
ence was held, Germany then having
| advantage Of the busy Ruhr and the
mines of upper Silesia. These now
are denied her
The French say that they never will
leave the Ruhr until Germany pays.
Germany cannot pay, according to the
present outlook. The moneyed inter
| ests OF the nation are not expected to
governments rescue, a thing desired
by France but improbable with the
, temper of the German people being as
| II is
| tne FTenCn government
is going about its plans for a long
stay in the Ruhr.
But the thing most dreaded by Eng
land and other European neutrals
who in one way or another are being
| affected by the French occupation. has
not yet occurred and that Is a gem
eral strike with Its consequent chaos.
There is some doubt that the Ger
mans will be successful in a general
mine strike in the Ruhr because OF
! the fact that more than 200, 900 Poles.
Sympa thetic to the French, are em-
! ployed there and may continue to la
| Dor while the Wesphalians renig. But
! the industrial chaos created by par
! alyzing the railways. the telegraphs
and posts. is certain to inject the
virous of resistance SO firmly into the
| minds and hearts of the bourgoise
elements that there will he solidi-
| fed phalanx OF hatred directed against
| the French at, sooner or later date.
| Resistance Sure to Come.
1t is not to be expected that the
Germans will consent to permanent or
| even indefinite stay in the Ruhr and
the Rhineland without by some means
| or other solidifying public sentiment
| to the point of open armed resistance
| to the French invading legions. Sc
cret military forces. Washington al
|
but it is realized even by the most
| recalcitrant Germans that existent
| forces could not make any real head
way against Europes greatest peace
time army. and that to resist before
Germany is ready to make headway
would be futile indeed.
Up to the moment the cooler heads
have kept the lid upon the seething
couldron. but how long they Will be
able to do so remains in doubt If
they succeed we'll and good from the
fare. II they fail. nothing can be
surmised save general conflict.
one OF the most dangerous features
| of the whole situation. as has been
pointed out, is the growing resent
ment of the Germans against their
own government and their desire to
! punish it. This, however. has not in
anyway abated or diverted general
mined general national sentiment
against the invaders. Nevertheless IT
would have far reaching affect upon
the future plans of the French in
thrown and q new set of Germans
put in power to deal with. particu-
larly II the counter revolutionists
should gain power on the platform of
resistance to the French.
Match Struck mt MemeI.
A match has been struck at Memel
which may yet have far reaching ef-
feet upon the whole situation. The
allied council of ambassadors. pursu-
ant to the policies of the supreme
council, which it has supplanted in
co-ordinating the policies OF the al
lies. has demanded that the Lithuan-
ians leave the Memel region, which
ostensibly is under the protection of
the allies. until its fate finally has
been decided. The Lithuanians who
dared to battle allied forces there un-
doubtedly will dare resist the allied
dictates. The Poles, allied with
France, and antagonistic to the Lith-
uanian tenure, may be utilized in one
capacity or another in ejecting the
Lithuanians If military force finally
is necessary. In this case it Is con-
fidently believed in Berlin, and Lon
don as we'll as Paris, that the match
then will fall in the tlnder, for the
Russians are expected to act against
Poland forthwith, utilizing the vast
forces which already are in readiness
along the Polish frontier.
In case Russia steps into the gen.
will have adequate grounds for fear.
eral melee then Poincare in Paris
something other than politics So