Evening star., 1923-03-04
BY HENRY ". BUM.
| HE following is q brief summary of the
most important news Of tho world for
the seven days ended March 3:

" HE following Is BRIEF summary OF the
most important news OF tho world for
the seven days ended March 3:
Occupied CermaAy.-One hears that more
and ever more that the smaller plants IN the
Ruhr basin are closing down, with result Of
great increasing Unemployment.
The case of witten is said to be an average
one; whore, II report is to be believed, out Of
a working population of 10000 about 1900
unemployed.
Tho mine directors Of the Ruhr basin held
an important meeting during the week. They
decided, 1t is said. to denounce their contracts
with neutral countries, hoping thereby to
raise a howl and perhaps provoke diplomatic
representations to France and Belgium Gin
deed such representations have been made by
Holland). They decided, goes the report, to
mine and load only enough coal for local
needs fearing that the French might requisi-
tion pled-up stocks.
The Ruhr exporters of manufactured and
semi manufactured products seem to be obey
ing the orders from Berlin not to pay the ex-
port tax, with result that nothing Is being e1-
In snd Sc sesan and
firms which have largo orders thus held up.
That Of course was Berlns idea. Accord
ing to q recent report the German government
into unoccupied Germany on which the French
tax has been paid. will publish the names of
the exporters as Of traitors, and will in due
On February %, the French advanced troops
into the intervals between the bridgeheads OF
heads have each a radius Of thirty kilometers.
The of occupation is a continuous
stretch of thirty kilometers east of the Rhine.
This action was taken, for the sake of con-
The occupying authorities have taken over all
the railroads in the occupied territory except
those within the British zone and are
ming them on a business basis. the technical
management being in the hands Of French and
Belgian civilians who. however. are answer
able to the military authorities The profits.
if any, will be credited to the owner of the
roads, to wit, the German government. A
reported. Earlier reports to the number
Of German railway men returning to work
upon the allied conditions seem to have been
greatly exaggerated 1t Is said that under
orders from Berlin. there is organized perse-
cution Of the Germans who working for
the French and Belgians. but that neverthe-
less Germans are trckling back to work.
The French explanation Of the shooting
affair at Bochum last week is that the crowd
had seized French Interpreter and
maltreating him. and that shots were fired
into the crowd to procure his release. 1t is
said that the mayors OF all the Ruhr cities and
towns. except Hamborn and Mulheim, have
been expelled or placed in arrest.
During the week ended February -, the
German paper mark sank in value from 5000
to 100000 per pound sterling. the preceding
appreciation having been from 100000. II is.
however, a mystery that the depreciation was
not greater, in view OF the fact that the in
set record. 1t should be noted that the
franc went up during that week. 1t should
also be noted in this connection that the Ger
man financial condition Is improved by sus-
count and of mark payments to German pro-
ducers in compensation for reparations de-
iveres in kind.
At Berlin they profess to believe that they