Evening star., 1923-09-04
.STRESEMANN PLAN
WINNING PO|NCARE
Franco-G German Relations in
Era of Appeasement, View
in France, Said.
By PAUL SCOTT MOwRER.

BY Wireless TO The Star and Chicago Daily
News. Copyright. 1923
PARIS, September 4.-Franco-Ger-
man relations have entered upon a
period Of appeasement. in the opinion
Of French observers. France obvi-
ously is benevolently encouraged
with the new Stresemann cabinet,
and Chancellor Stresemann himself
reconciliation with France.
The German Premiers speech at
Stuttgart is regarded in Paris as the
most satisfactory discourse on repair
ations that has been made in Ger
many in years.
Louis Barthou, chairman of the
reparations commission, and close
personal friend of Premier Poincare.
whose influence with the French gov
ernment Is considerable, is said to
be pulling for Chancellor Stresemann.
He is alleged to have met the German
chancellor on several occasions in the
recent past, and to have negotiated
with him matters of international
Importance.
Stili Keep Dems nds.
Premier Poincare still holds to the
formula that passive resistance in
the Ruhr must cease before negotia-
tions can be opened between Paris
and Berlin. But he beliveS, also, ac-
cording to his own confession, that
this stipulation is becoming less i'm
portant every day. Throughout the
Ruhr and Rhineland passive resist
ance is ceasing, he thinks, without
orders from Berlin. The, inhabitants
are said to be tired out and willing
to surrender at any cost.
"StreSemann Is preparing public
opinion in Germang for capitulation,
a French statesman of first rank said
to the writer today His govern
ment is the best and the most in
year, although the French are not
sure it is the strongest. In fact II
is precisely this question of strength
which alone Is holding back progress.
Must Tread Lightly.
"Stresemann has elements opposed
to surrender within his own cabinet.
which he dares not offend openly.
Moreover. his accord with Bavaria.
unde1 Premier Won Knilling. and
Hilferding Is none too secure. Either
one might upset him in case he pre-
cipitated action.
Nevertheless, there can remain no
doubt that StreSsmann wants to sur
render. He sees the handwriting on
resistance is ceasing. He feels that
Germany's battle in the Ruhr is lost.
Consequently. he wishes to come to
terms as quickly as possible. Soon
II may be too late. Germany is on
the verge of catastrophe
These statements represent the
views Of Premier Poincare, the writer
is assured by his informant. That
collection Of reparations still forms
the primary aim Of France, above all
other ambitions, political and eco
nomic, is insisted by the French pre-
mier After reparations, however,
there Is a place for economic accords.
involving close industrial co-opera-
ton between Alsace-Lorraine and the
Ruhr, accords such as those fore
shadowed by Chancellor Stresemann
Sunday. But these, the French pre-
mier insists, can come only after the
reparations question has been settled.
settled.
When Hugo SHINES, Fritz Thyssen
and other German industrialists wish
ed to come to Paris to talk to NJ
Poincare about such cooperation last
year he discouraged them on the
ground that the financial indemnity
problem must first be solved, the pre-
mier intimates. II this Is true. 1t dis.
proves at last the charge Of many OF
his critics that he is dominated by
the comite des forges (French Iron
Manufacturers Association), proves
that he does not place the interests
of these industrialists above those OF
the other elements of the population
of France.
AnJUST MIME DISPUTE.