Evening star., 1923-04-22
RUHR PROBLEMS FROM INSIDE
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! not to be compared with those eX-
pected when the occupation was first
discussed. And the recent announce
ment that the soldiers who should
have been demobilized the 1st of
April would be kept in service for an
additional period of tUo months has
created a real uneasiness throughout
the country. particularly among the
peasants. This. despite the fact that
every effort was made to lessen the
purport Of this decree.
| This doubt, of course, was immedi-
ately made known to the administra-
ton, which appreciates keenly how
simple a matter it is for a movement
Of this character to cause the down
fall of the government. Likewise,
the administration knows that its de-
cision to hold the classes now in
training met with some opposition
in political circles as we'll as among
the independent press. Its opponents
asserted that the government should
have prepared its plans with enough
care to avoid a decree which would
o.
the French people.
* = + *
THe administration realizes that it
i must show a definite result to the
French nation or the opposition Will
Immediately strengthen. Should the
cabinet be compelled to have recourse
to some drastic measure such as the
already considered recall of five old
classes to the colors, the government
| would probably be defeated on the
first occasion.
This is the present dilemma of the
administration. Shall it continue its
policy Of moderate action today with
the probable result that it will incur
the dissatisfaction of the nation or
shall it carry out the occupation in
more severe fashion, which would
have a. dangerous reaction at home
as we'll as convince the world that
France was imperlalistic?
On the other hand the political sit
uation of Germany does not appear
any better. And while officially en-
couraging all sorts Of resistance from
the German people, the government
of the Reich realize that resistance
has failed TO attain any of its OBJ
jectives, and that it is certain to
weaken in time. Neither has 1t driven
the intruders back nor has it really
affected the relations between Great
Britain and France. The attitude of
the United States has not grown more
favorable to Germany as the result
of the occupation, as Berlin had
hoped. The little echo which the re-
cent address of Chancellor Cuno woke
up in your country seems to have
added q new note of bitterness to
the melancholy of the disappointment
previously shown in the comments of
the official press on the present at
titude Of the great nations toward
the cause of Germany
Negotiations have never occupied
as important a position in the Ger
man press as since the chancellor
declared that there could be no ques-
ton Of arbitration. And there is a
growing belief among those in close
touch with the political situation in
Germany that while the Reich Is
bending every effort to provoke gen.
eral strikes and increasing the re-
sistance, this Is but a clever maneuver
on it's part in order to put itself in
the best possible position for a dis
cussion of a settlement.
The situation of the Ruhr, in short,
has reached a point at which 1t does
not appear unlikely that diplomatic
Intervention from without, and that