OCR Text |
Show iEIlS FEffl Officers Reported to Have Declared Buffer State is Needed for Protection SETTLE DOWN FOR PROTRACTED STAY London Considers Sixth Note from Paris on Occupation 'of Cities t l , BERLIN, April 13. A semi-official statement published here today quotes from what purports to bo a report of .a conference of French officers of high rank, recently held at Mayence, at which it wa3 said to havo been agreed that "tho line of the Rhino" was necessary for tho protection of France against the "revenge ideas of German military circles." It was therefore considered, adds tho report, that a buffer state must be created, which would include that part of the right bank of the Rhine comprising com-prising .the ucldprfj industrial district, dis-trict, tho Tluhr'rbgion and Frankfort and its neighborhood,. Every embarrassment of Germany should, the seporu.a-yH,. 4)6 exploltotl" , to-the best advantage. The statement continues: "The conference also agreed that It would bo best to divide Germany irto five or six states or republics in alliance alli-ance with Belgium. Frence could then, oji the basis of the various paragraphs para-graphs of thc peaco treaty, march inlo Germany and remain there. "This definite and clever pclky would put France within one "r two year in possession of what Marshal Foch wants, namely, a military Rhino1 frontier, with strong bridgeheads, without any serious opposition on the nnrt of lho .ill ins or ftwinnnv." I French "At Jloine." FRANKFORT, Appril 12. (By the Associated Pres3j After nearly a week's occupation, thc French, in the opinion of observant Gormans, appear to be settling down for a protracted stay. They have taken over numerous offices and aro fitting them up with requisitioned furniture, and have also taken over a handsome vllki. French officers aro complaining of the hotel accommodations and arc inspecting private houses. Tho Germans assert a French general gen-eral who is making his headquarters in a hotel protested to tho management manage-ment that the Persian rugs in his room wero not genuine. They also say that other officers went through the hotel, picking out tho best furniture furni-ture and pictures for their suites. Jteumln Long Time. "Tho French are telling tho people of Darmstadt," a German official asserted, as-serted, "that if the populace Is good the French will remain a long lime and give residents security from their Prussians." State and city officials of Darmstadt Darm-stadt and Frankfort have drawn up formal protest against tho occupation. Tho French at first stationed nboK ; U.OOO troops in Darmstadt, but many of these were withdrawn, especially .Moroccans, and sent to Frankfort. Note Is Discussed. LONDON, April 13. Verbal assurances assur-ances given by tho French government In answering tho sixth note of Great Britain relative ti the cc;up.itloti of German cities by thc French were discussed dis-cussed by thc cabinet council touay. They are expected to bo follov.cd by a formal note which will mean ,i satisfactory satis-factory solution of tho difficulty. Franco Is said to recognize '.hat- opposition op-position to its action was base 1 rather upon tho maintenance of an Important principle than upon themerlts of the1 immediate question Involved. Harts to Remain. Coblen, April 13. Tho American forces in Germany have been notified , by tho war department that Brigadier General William. Harts, chief of staff' of the army of occupation, will not return from the L'nitcd States to ro-sumo ro-sumo that post. General Harts left for tho United States to testify before tho houso of representatives war. investigation com-mitteo com-mitteo regarding tho charges of prison brutalities alleged to havo occurred In tho Paris district while ho was tho commander of thc American forces In tho French capital. |