862t.01/18: Telegram

The Commissioner at Berlin (Dresel) to the Secretary of State

253. Haniel, Under Secretary of State, sent for me today to inform me of situation in Ruhr district which he considers as more serious. The Central Workmen’s Committee in the district declared last night a general strike applicable to the whole of Germany though it is evident that this order will be obeyed only locally. The Communists, so the Government is informed by delegations from the Rhineland, have opened the prisons which has filled the ranks of revolutionaries with criminals. Haniel states that the Government troops are not strong enough without reenforcements to crush the revolt but can only just hold their own.

The German Government considers the French proposal to allow reenforcements only if Allied troops are permitted to occupy Frankfort, Hanau, Darmstadt and Homburg as unacceptable and has so informed Paris. The Germans have just despatched a counter proposal to the effect that should the occupation of the Ruhr district by German troops be continued beyond four weeks, the French should at the end of that time, but not until then, have the right to occupy the Frankfort district mentioned. I consider that German proposals are reasonable and as I understand they will have British support. Paris and London informed.

Dresel