23 JUNE 1923, Page 10

GERMAN RESISTANCE IN THE RUHR. [To the Editor of the

SPECTATOR.] Sm,—Your leading article of June 16th says it is quite impos. sible for the German Government to stop passive resistance in the Ruhr. Is this proven ? I was of this opinion—before I spent last week in Paris and talked with eleven men of different shades of politics. Most said Germany could, and all agreed at least that the German Government should, try to stop it and to issue an appeal.

At present the Government is undoubtedly actively sup- porting resistance. I was shown a letter from a leading Hamburg shipyard to an English shipping company regretting its inability to continue a repair job, as the Government had so instructed it. Passive resistance may or may not be justified. But only a portion of it is spontaneous.—I am,