LETTERS TO THE EDITOR • FRANCE AND THE RUHR.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sin,—The writer of an article in your issue of January 27th upon the Ruhr situation, referring to a rumour that France intends to remain in that district, adds : "We shall not accept this rumour till we have very much stronger evidence for it."
Surely the best evidence that such a policy has at least been considered by France is that the " rumour " is, of course, founded on the Dariac Report, furnished by the President of the Finance Committee of the Senate to his Government. Why this Report has received, so far as I am aware, scarcely any attention in the English Press (except by the paper that published it) is difficult to understand, unless it is that the public has little interest in entering into the serious aspects of this question.
But are those persons who applaud France for "getting back some of her own from Germany" prepared to offer any legal justification for her action from the Treaty of Versailles ; and, if not, do they realize that otherwise the Treaty has now been definitely set aside by the Power which has hitherto most insisted on its observance, and that the lawlessness of this action is not different in kind from that of any other forcible entry into a peaceful country Further, it may be asked, on economic grounds, whether this country can really afford to remain a passive spectator of these proceedings ? In the words of a responsible politician upon the occupation : "As business men it is the last thing we should desire." Are we to conclude, therefore, that the business aspect is negligible, and that the evils of unemploy- ment in this country have been greatly exaggerated ?— I am, Sir, &c.,
A RECENT RESIDENT IN THE RHINELAND.
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