New-York tribune., 1919-01-05
Triumph at Polls Is Be-
lieved TO Forecast Levy
ing of Heavy Penalties
Loss of Jewels Feared
Teuton Economist Says Only
a Prosperous Country
Can Pay War 1ndemnities
By ]. c. segruc
Nelo York Tribune
Special Cable Seruice

Copyright. 1919. New York Tribune Inc.)
MUNICH, Jan. 1.-The New Year in
Germany was ushered in boisterously
in the streets and in the restaurants
and hotels, and in subdued and chast-
cned spirit in the churches. When
many clocks chimed the idnight hour
crackers were exploded in the streets
and the preachers in the churches
dwelt on the grave problems of the
hour and summoned the people to be-
gin in earnest the task of reconstruc-
tion.
The contrast indicated anew the ex-
istence of two Germanys; one indiffer-
cnt to the past, careless of the future;
the other deeply conscious of it's pres
ent humiliation and eager to begin re-
building. In the larger restaurants
linen was substituted for paper and the
guests had the novel experience of
eating dinner off tables covered with
real tabecloths.
The dances, music and champagne in
the restaurants hardly harmonized with
the real facts of Germany's tragic sit
uation. Forgetting the English in
Cologne, fair-haired frauleins fox
trotted. The German people manifest
TO an astonishing degree a very human
facility for forgetting their tribal sor-
rows. They have already forgotten all
about the Hohenzollern military catas-
rrophe, the revolution and last week S
Bolshevik outbreak in Berlin
Contrast Causes Comment
The explanation is quite simple. An
empire in ruins, after all, causes less
personal suffering to the individual
than an acute toothache. The contrast
between grave and gay was widely.
commented upon by the newspapers.
A journal published in Dresden, where
numerous girls high schools still flour
sh, says: "The New Years celebra-
tion in German provincial towns was
as grave a symptom of the future of
the Fatherland as the Bolshevik move
ment in Berlin"
Eowdy jewellers, however, form a
mass of the people are sober and chast-
ened. The chief topic of conversation
yesterday evening and to-day in the
crowded cafes certainly was the re-
suits of the British elections, which
occasioned something like a sentiment
of CONSERVATION in Germany.
An elderly German at hotel ball
Yesterday said: II suppose the results
mean that the English arc going to
5 impose heavy indemnities. If they want
gold they will have to come and take
our watches and the jewelry of our
women"
Point was added to the remark
because at yesterday evenings festvi-
ties, for the first time since the revo-
luton frightened society, many Ger
man women wore their jewelry in
public. The prospect of being called
upon to pay crushing indemnities be
ing, in effect, the skeleton at the feast
Of the German bourgeoisic. l sought
an opinion on the subject from Pro-
lessor Brenetano, one of the greatest
living German political economists.
Doubts Heavy Indemnity Levy
The professor laughed at the sugges-
tion that many people in the Entente
countries expected Germany TO pay an
w II WUCliuluB CASH IuutlHLlLN. uC
idea is sheer nonsense" he said, "and
must appear as ludicrous to English
economists and fnancicrs as it does to
me. Theye is no money in Germany
with which to pay cash. I speak rca-
lively, of course, because if the Entente
sent an enemy force to look for gold
It would doubtless find few hundred
million marks in certain towns such
as Dresden, where so-caled treasure
rooms exist. But the contents would
have no influence or point"
As to the vast hoard of jewelry VIII ich
German women are supposed to have
accumulated, asked the professor and
ne replied: Even if these boards ey-
isted the value Of the Sewelry IS in
significant compared to the indemni-
ties suggested; but, as a matter Of
fact, very little iewelry is left in Ger
many. Almost all Of it was given up to
the authorities early in the war"
| pressed the professor for an opin-
ION as 70 how Germany could pay and
ne replied:
Adam Smith answered when he
said. "A people livcs by the yearly
product of its labor We can only pay
'ndemnities according to what we re-
ceiYe from those communities In other
words, only an ustrious and pros
Dcfous Germany can pay indcmnitcs.
Believe thern no o4bor