Evening star., 1923-10-21
Rul1r Production Apt to Halt
For Years, Due to French Delay
French Leader Takes Pessimistic Vie,v
of Situation, With Conditions
Growing Worse Daily.

problems of refrigeration of those
VINO have been expelled, control of
the occupied area and future organ
ization of exploitation. Consequent
palace of the sleeping beauty. The
only difference Is that the sleepers
in the fairy tale were not hungry.
Obviously, the German government
Is responsible for the, ruin. 1t pre-
ferred suicide to paying. and deserves
the fate 1T has brought on itself. But
moral judgment is not political solu-
ton. 4 formidable enterprise is
opening before the occupying pow
crS. They hesitated In January to
use limited measures which would
have insured continuation of work
Now they may be condemned to keep
the Ruhr alive-not Ruhr intact,
as in 1922, but a Ruhr devastated by
unemployment imposed by Berlin and
not prevented by the allies.
Cool Judgment Needed.
1t IS a future laden with RESPONSE
bilities. If Paris and Brussels are
to have the last word and bring the
debtors to life again. they must re-
gard the problem coolly and prepare
the financial and economic methods
which the situation requires. This
is necessary If their purpose is to be
attained. And It must be attained.
Chancellor Stresemann has obtain
cd full power in Germany. But there
IS something more powerful than full
nower. That is the force of events
Force of events now is Furnishing
mans blunders. The mark. already
deprecated to such an extent that
another fall seemed impossible, con-
t'nues to fall. Likewise living. costs
bounds. A friend. lunching recently
in Berlin, was approached by the
head waiter after the fist course haf
been consumed and informed polite
y that the price of the second course
had increased $4,000 900 marks since
his order had been given.
Higher Living Costs.
This increase in living costs has
totally upset first calculations. There
was a time when Germany, with a
very low mark. tried to develop her
exports and. for some months, sue
ceeded. Today asia consequence of
high salaries and mad prices. every
thing is dearer in Germany than else
where. Persons counting on German
exports paying for reparatious will be
disappointed.
Millions of men do not know this
morning how they will eat this even
ing. This Is the result, alas! Of the
catastrophe policies Of "Wirth and
Cuno. favored by the attitude of
countries encouraging Germany in
this policy.
France. which in some quarters is
victim. For the seized pledges which
she neglected to exploit when it was
possible now threaten to become un-
productive for years In January 1t
would have been sufficient TO declare
real authority in the Ruhr, introduce
sane money and cut Berlin off from
communication, and work would have
continued. Now II is proclaimed in
vain that passive resistance has
stopped. Work is not resumed be-
cause ten monthstof passive resistance
and an occupation. alas! no less pas
sive, have created an inextricable
situation.
! We have just noted that West
phalian coal is twice as dear as Eng
lish coal. Therefore export is inpos-
sible. How, then, to pay the workers?
large part of the reserves have
been used up since January. especially
those of the smaller businesses.
Credit does not exist. The reich
declares itself impotent to supply IT.
After another week the workers will
receive no subsidy from Berlin. But
their needs will continue to increase
because of the tremendous food prices.
Copyright. 1921