Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1923-06-29
BRITISH C0OPERA-
TORS CONDEMN
RUHR INVASION

The surest index of the success or
failure of governments policy the
world over is what the average work
er thinks abou, II. No amount of
Official propaganda can convince an
honest man of the justice of govern
ments program il the common people
themselves condemn il.
American eooDeratols have been fed
up on French official propaganda
lnsufying the war in the Ruhr."
Now they want to know just what the
average cooperator and the average
worker in France and Belgium really
thinks about the Ruhr occupation.
Thanks to the enterprise of the Brit
ish Cooperative Party, which sent
over a delegation of its members to
France and Belgium TO get next TO
the people whose government is vio-
laung every principle of international
relations and is provoking a peaceful
people to take up arms in defense of
their fundamental rights, we have the
answer. This delegation has just
made public its findings which, says
the Ali American Cooperative Com.
mission, leave no room for further
doubt.
French cooperators, trade unionists,
and workers unanimously condemn
the action of their government in the
Ruhr, says the British report. The
grand boasts made by the government
in the early days of the Ruhr in
yasion that the desired PREPARATIONS
would be Immediately produced when
once the French soldiers were on the
spot to force payments have proved
to be empty boasts. The most hope
full fact the British cooperators dis
covered is that Franch and Belgium
cooperators both recognize now that
the occupation is not bringing repara-
tons but is making il more difficult
than ever to get reparations at all.
They have been deceived by their
governments. They predict further
that when the true results are realized
by the French people there will be a
rude awakening for the Franch gov.
eminent.
Cooperators of both countries COM
mend the stand that German workers
and cooperators have taken In oppos-
ing the ruthless and unprincipled
military occupation of their peaceful
country, just as American workers
would holly resent any invasion Of a
foreign power on our shores be-
cause we couldn't pay excessive
charges made against US. Suffering
is becoming more acute every da" for
supplies are prevented from entering
the Ruhr, and the export of goods
has practically ceased. Just as En-
peror William in 1870 had made
united Germany, the French cooDera-
tors maintain the hostile action of
their government has done what no
other action could have accomplished.
and again united the German people
in resistance against a hated foe.
After the war German people were
sick and tired, and earnestly desired
peace. But the ruthless action Of an
exploiting victor nation is creating
in the minds of many German people
the desire to regain their freedom
some day and to repay the injustice
they are now suffering.
Concluding its masterful report, the
Cooperative Party representatives
call upon the great convention OF
British cooperators about to assemble
in Edinburgh, Scotland, to recommend
"that the questions of debts, repara-
tons, and ala other outstanding mat
tiers between the countries concerned
should be referred to an authoritative
international commission, fully. repre-
sentative of the League of Nations,
as being the only way in which the
economic reconstruction of Europe
may be accomplished, and a real peace
assured