The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-03-26
Germany's Balancing Feat.


The sudden overthrow Of the Ebert
its equally sudden restoration to power
demonstrate clearly that Germany Is
in a state of exceedingly unstable
equilibrium. The present regime is bal
ancing delicately on a high fence. on
zone side is William Hohenzollern, with
the old traditions of world empire, and
on the other side Is Nikolai Lenine
with his hopes Of spreading revolution
throughout the world. Both are watch
ing Herr Ebert and his "moderates,"
ready to take advantage of any sign of
weakness or webbing.
The attempted monarchist coup,
though beaten, was not altogether
failure. AS the Pittsburgh Sun Dem.)
points out, 1t demonstrated that the
Ebert administration can be overthrown
with comparative impunity," and ere
ated mistrust among the German peo-
pie of the. stability OF a government
that can be forced from its capital
overnight" The Sun regrets that "Eb-
ert was not able to put down the Won
kapp coup with blood and iron," and
thinks his unconvinoing victory leaves
the door open for further intrigues."
But as Ebert was unable to GUST the
monarchists by force Of arms, he re-
sorted to general strike, which para
lyzed industry and Transportation. In
so doing the Idaho Statesman (Rep.)
declares that he was playing with
| fire" and the Salt Lake Tribune (Rep)
expands the same thought thus;
There is grave danger that the very
weapon invoked by the Ebert govern
ment to defeat the military conspira-
| tors in Prussia viii be used in other
directions. Already there are symp-
| toms of sinister movements in German
| industrial centers. Here and there a
| soviet has been proclaimed; Ebert and
| RanAr 10 oh
tarists in Prussia only to find that they
| must reckon with new and equally
| grave peril-that of a proletariat de-
| termined to make an end to all sys-
tens of government which do not III
| in with sovietism."
to repeat itself in Germany" observes
the Chicago Tribune Qnd. Rep, for
lit is plain the prestige of the Ebert
regime Is gravely shaken and the ex.
tremists have been stimulated TO re-
newed activity" while the Fort Worth
Star Telegram Und. Dem) believes thai
I'm invoking the general strike to fight
the reactionary movement Ebert has
set in motion forces which he and his
associates may find it difficult to con
troll
The man who invokes the strike al
a political weapon the tar-Telegran
continues, lis paving the way to Boil
shevism, no matter how good the pur
pose he intends to serve. German!
: may escape Bolshevism, TO be sure. bu
that 1t faces such a danger now is ap
} parent even to the reactionaries.
n Should the reds win control" tn
St. Louis Post Dispatch Ind,) point
out, their first fury would be directe,
against the persons and property o
the lawless pan Germans. VIII
could say that they would &c
more than they deserve? On tn
other hand, the Los Angeles Times Qnd
Rep.) thinks the stage setting is ar
ranged for test or strength between
the Fatherland party. supported by tn
army, and radical socialists using a
their weapon the general strike"
However, the Springfield Union Rep.
7 among Others does not take threat
of Bolshevlzed Germany seriously
It says:
THE soviet system is a Russia
product, suited to Russian psycholog
! and conditions, and hardly to the Ger
man social and political life. Lenin
r did not establish the soviets in Russia
/ according to the best accounts. The
were already there, and he simply too
advantage of their existence to develo
Y in them his communist ideas and meth
3 DDS. Though the German Sparta
cists may be imitators, it Is hardl
: probable that they could develop
} government of Germany on such a ba
olSp dHu lHelT SUCCESS WOuIu reQulr
1 what apparently they do not have
military backing"
Many see a greater danger from tn
militarist side, however, than from tn
: reds. mo one must assume" declare
. the New Orleans States (Dem) "tha
| the capitulation of Won Kapp mean
! the end Of conspiracies to put the oil
gang back in power. The Junk
i ers have only nominalIy called off thei
game. -. They still believe an
: will continue to believe that German
: must have the monarchy back, an
when the time seems propitious the
. will strike again" And 'if Williar
: II, his methods and his gang" say
b the El Paso Herald Gnd.), ARE to b
restored, then it is the whole world
q business" The San Francisco Chron
ice Qnd.) thinks that 1.-The allies woul
i at once occupy Germany should a. Hob
! enzollern be recalled" though it doubt
that this country would send anothe
= army overseas-or could get one b
\ voluntary enlistment If 1t tried" Like
Z wise the Portland Telegram Qnd. Rep