Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-07-29
The Volcano ~, Germany

authorities against the Alueu oe-
mand that their army be reduced to
a maximum of one hundred thousand men
may or may not be sufficient to support
the main contention; but they are exceed
ingly interesting as evidence Of the coun
try's internal condition.
II order is to be maintained, those
authorities argue (and without 1t, they
add, steady work and increased production
will not be possible) the Government must
have at its disposal at least two hundred
thousand troops, which is about the size Of
it's present army. This would seem to be
very large number Of soldiers for mere
ly keeping domestic peace. But the Ger
man spokesman go on to point out recent
occasions requiring military intervention. 1t
took forty-f1ve thousand men to restore
order in Berlin in March 1919, they say;
thirty-three thousand to bring Munich to
normal in April 1919; nineteen thousand
in Hamburg the following July; and for
ty thousand in the Ruhr district. Thus in
the space of few months upwards of one
hundred and thirty thousand troops were
called to emergency duty in divers parts
of the country, while vigilance against pos
sible outbreaks were needed in as many
other troubous centers. Were precautions
relaxed, it is insisted, disorders would flame
forth far and wide.
If conditions really are 80, then Ger
many is perilously unsettled-perilously for
Europe as we'll as for herself. DR.. Gessler,
Minister of War In the present Govern
ment, goes so far as to liken her to "a
mighty volcano that has by no means be-
come extinct" Declaring that certain
classes. among her people still hope for an
eruption that will either destroy the
suits Of the revolution or carry them fur
Their and establish Soviettsm, he goes on
to argue:
Those circles, who aim at the over
throw Of the present government and
the German ideal, are only awaiting
the moment when our army shall be
reduced to such an extent that they
may have reasonable hope Of success.
only the fear of a strong armed force
restraints them. Any considerable retire
ment of officers and men weakens
therefore not only the government in,
power but strengthens the opposition
forces. If Germany, and Herewith the
whole of Europe, is not to be thrown
into state of chaos, means must be
taken to prevent the fire of discon-
tent from bursting into an all-devour-
Ing flame. Our police force is not suf-
fc1ent for the solution of this prob
lem. The police stand first in keeping
order. But behind them must stand the
strong force of our army.
Besides these consideration, 1t is urged that
a further reduction of the army would add
portentously to the ranks of the unem-
ployed, who already are numerous to the
point of danger.
After due allowance for designed ex-
agerration, it seems evident that affairs in
Germany are still far from stable. The sea-
sons just ahead will be critical for the
swaddling republic and momentous for all
Europe and the world. BolsheVik propa-
ganda undoubtedly is at work in the late
empire of the Hohenzollerns; undoubtedly,
too, retainers of the fallen monarchy are
busted in its behalf While the devil of
Prussianism and the witch of Bolshevism
thus ply their arts to win the nations soul,
economic conditions make for grave unrest
Industries hampered by lack of raw mate
RIAL workin gmen worn by the strain of
war and reduced to the hardest Of living
conditions, taxpayers sweating and all but
breaking under the burdens which their
militarist' masters brought upon them--all
and social steadiness
More important, then, than the size Of
the German army is the capacity of the
German national character for going
through the whirlpools and quicksands of
this dark stage Of it's history. What will
be the outcome? A revolution more terri
BILE than that of Eighteenth century
France? Or coalition with the Russia of
Lenine? Or clinging to democracy and
constructive working out of the times
grim problems? Upon the answer which
events bring to pass in that quarter the
whole worlds peace and prosperity will
largely depend.