The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-12
French Consider Murder of
 Lieutenant Colonel Is Most Serious Affair Since Occu-
 patton Began-PenaIty Will Be Imposed on Town of Buer
TOWN OFFICIALS HELD AS MARK OF RETALIATION
German Secret Organizations Formed to Stir Up All Op- position Possib!e-French
 to Close Cafes, Shows and Prohibit All Demonstrations

RECKLINGHAUSEN March H. (By Associated Press)-Two French men. one an officer and the other civilian railroad man, were assas- slnated last night in the streets of the inning town of Buer, near Reck- Lnghausen.
 Each body when found had five bullet wounds in it. One of the yic- tins was Lieutenant Colonel Tiro of the Chasseurs and the other M. Jolly, chief of the Bier railroad station.
 Unrest and discontent among the population of the Recklnghausen district have been smouldering for several days. Today feeling was running high on both sides. The staying of the Frenchmen is consid- cred the most serious affair since the occupation of the region began. German Officials Arrested.
 General Laingelot, commanding the district, ordered the arrest of tho burgomaster of Buer. the assis- tant burgomaster, the chief of police and two other town officials. All of them are being held by the French as hostages.
 The French authorities asserted today that penalty of at least le0,000,0oO marks would be imposed upon the town of Buer; that all the cafes. moving picture shows and other public places would be closed, and that German civilians will not be permitted on the streets after o'clock m the evening until the excitement subsidies. No trace has been found of the slayers of the two Frenchmen.
 Indications of renewed active re- sistance among German individuals were reported by the French intel iigence officers during the past week. Several German secret or ganizatsons with headqdarters here are said to have been formed to op- pose the French in every way pos sible. One of these Is known as The Young Germans" Several Of its leaders have been arrested. Most of the members are declared to be young miners or factory workers.
 SHORTAGE OF FOOD
 BERLIN, March 11.-(By Associ- ated Press.)-Nine million persons in Germany are receiving govern ment aid, according to a statement made by Food Minister Luther before the budget committee of the Reich stag. Three million of these are without incomes worth mentioning, the minister said.
 According to Herr Luther the food situation is much more serious than prior to the war. not only on ac- count of the smaller production. but because of lower earnings of the workmen. The milk supply is es- pecially bad in the large cities and prices are prohibitively high for many persons.
 Regarding the occupied area. the foed minister said that the govern ment had taken steps to provide fats, bacon and lard.
 POlNCARE NEMEMBERS 1871
 PARIS, March il.--iFy Associated Press.)--Raymond Po,ncare, premier ol France, in 8 statement to the As stciated Press today declared that Germany's recent complaint that the Trench and Belgian occupation of the Ruhr is illegal and in violation of the iisn.s of mtn seemed strangely ili- founded wh,a the world recalled hat Germa',y was ready to do ill 1871 had France not paid her indem- nlty to Germany. The premier added that official documents proved that Germany wished to reinforce her army of occupation in Franco o q degree necessary to guarantee her rights. and that she was even ready to resume the war by mobilizing q half million men.
 The statement was made by the premier on the eve of his departure for Brussels for important confer. ences with the Belgian ministers in order to coordinate further common Franco Belgian action in the Ruhr
 The premier deviated from his usual custom when he consented to receive the correspondent for a brief period and discuss some aspects of the Ger man problem which Frenchmen gen erllly seem to feel some Americans do not fully understand from the French viewpoint.
 o o o
 pOincare Absorbed.
 Every day, from o'clock in the morning until midnight NJ. Poincare is absorbed. scarcely without inter. ruption in the giant German problem the goal of which. his friends declare is the saving of France and of Flu rope. Even the premier's meals arc SHOTleHcu pCSducC OA hAS OSNuPASiOii He is foreign minister, as we'll as premier, and he must receive ambas sadors and members of Parliament he must closely follow the delibera tions of the Chamber of Deputies ant the Senate; he insists on reading every telegram from Frances repre-. sentatives abroad, and all report. from French military and civil of ficials in the Ruhr-in word he is giving an impulse and concrete form to Frances internal and external pol. itcs.
 Poincare remains modest and unas suming in the midst of the great re- sponsibility thrust upon him: calm and convinced of the righteousness ol his country's cause-just a norma Frenchman carrying out what ht deems is right.
 Quotes Bismark.
 .I have a rule" NJ. Poincare begar his statement to the correspondent not to speak at present. even before ,.arliament, for the government hal 2 decided to answer no questions iron tn tribune concerning the Ruhr, how ever desirous l may be for being al agreeable colleague, for l also am journalist and cannot change m!
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