Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-01-18
French Take Barge Cap
tains' Papers Con-
fscate Loads
FARLEY REFUSED
Versailles Treaty Viola
ton to be Protested
by Germany
rBv United Press.)

Essen. Jan. 1S.-The French
seized loaded German coal barges
on the Rhine and on the Rhine
heren canal near Duisberg today
The barges were held up and
the captains papers taken away
New clearance papers 1or
French destinations were tur-
nished and the barges were d.
rected to proceed to Strassburg'
instead of to the German destina-
tions 10 which their cargoes were
consigned.
M. Costa, chairman OF the
French engineering commission
announced today the first penal
ties will consist of eonhscation
of coal cars on the railroads and
coal barges on the canals. Ae SAID
the mines would not be conhscat-
ed.
The French general in command
here ordered Herr Thyssen and
five other prominent operators TO
come before him 'for advice" but
NOT for orders. The Germans re-
fused TO consider any further
conference, they announced ear
lier in the day.
Paris. Jan. 1S.-Germany is
preparing a protest to all sigma
tories of the Versailles treaty,
claiming that French troops eros
sed the fifty kilometer neutral
zone provided for in the treaty.
according to reliable informa-
tion here today. French troops,
the German protest will state,
have approached the neighborhood
of the nearest German garrison,
that of Muenster, where about =
600 reichswehr are stationed
Essen, January lS.-The secre-
taries of German industries, canal
and railroads that carried fuel
and steel from the heart of the
Ruhr to the rest of Germany,
were gripped by the French IN
vaders of the Rhineland today, as
additional punitive measure TO
enforce coal deliveries went INTO
effect. There is now no road out
of the Ruhr not controlled by
Frances armed forces.
Forests of the Rhineland are TO
be worked by the allies, as well
as coal mines if German miners
persist in their refusal to work
under French bayonets, and no
pains are to be spared, 1t Is
stated, to make the occupation
of the Ruhr success.
In the face of additional penal
ties, threats of court-martial for
the Ruhr's most prominent mine
owners, and further seizure OF
territory, the Germans renamed
adamant in stubborn opposition
to the will of the invaders.
The national coal commission
repeated it's prohibition against
deliveries of coal to France and
Belgium.
Frances punitive measures
were put into effect deliberately
here and there throughout the
Ruhr today.
French engineers, who had been
stationed at Essen, scattered
mysteriously to various sections
of the occupied area early this
morning. They refused informa-
ton regarding apparently new
sanctions.
French headquarters declared
the occupying forces are not going
into the mines themselves, but
hinted at confScation.
Some of the main offices of the
fuel companies are to be taken
over. but the French prefer to
proceed slowly with their new
measures.
The Germans met these moves
with the same passive resist
ance that characterized their at
titude towards the invasion, but
some big industrialists OF the
Ruhr fear hunger may defeat
plans of both French and Ger
mans. Food is scarce. Prices are
out pacing the crashing mark
Many miners, the best workers
now earning 1000 marks a week
are in desperate position.
AT the outside. but two months
supplies remain in the occupied
area, and with France holding
canals, highways and railroads
and the prospect of complete ees-
sation of work at many Of the
biggest mines and plants Of the
Ruhr, the situation is serious.