862t.01/27: Telegram
The Commissioner at Berlin ( Dresel ) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 5—7:20 a.m.]
273. Supplementing my 270, April 4, 10 a.m.,24 and 272, April 4, 1 p.m. I learn here that Millerand acting as “French Minister for [Page 307] Foreign Affairs” yesterday presented sharp note to German Chargé d’Affaires in Paris calling attention to German admissions that letter of articles 43 and 44 of peace treaty have been violated by sending of certain German forces into Ruhr. Millerand quotes article 44 in which violation of neutral zone is described as act “calculated to disturb the peace of the world” and closes by stating “I shall inform you later of the decision of the Government of the Republic”.
I beg to call attention to indications in this note that French may contemplate separate action against Germany. As before emphasized such a move as French Army occupation of Frankfurt-am-Main or any other district, for example, would have most unfortunate consequences and would be a heavy penalty for the technical offense which Germany has admitted. Paris informed.
- Frederic Ebert, President of Germany.↩