Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-03
FRENCH FEAR
GIVES BERLIN =,
NEEDED TONIC
Morale of Germans Comes
Back With Allied Tales of
Teuton Strength.
PAPERS REPRINT STORIES
BY FRANK MASON,
International News Service STAFF COrre-
spOndent.

BY FRANK MASON,
International News Service staff COrre-
spODdent.
BERLIN, Jan. 3.--France's fear is
Ssazmany's tonic Every time France
gives a new SILVER of anxiety concerning
q possible revival of the German mill.
tary machine, or proposes new plans for
hObbling or crippling German recon-
struction, the mercury mounts in the
thermometer of Germany'S morale. Aftel
the armistice, morale was the lowest
thing in Germany. AS the German looked
around and saw no food, 10 heat no
work dirty streets. tattered and uncis-
between civil political parties, he con-
cluded with a groan that Germany was
the weakest and most disorgenized coun-
try on the face of the earth.
When the allied press began to print
stories that bolshevism was i camoufage
to fool their enemies controlled by the
German imperialists who let loose their
forces in Russia; when they began to
print stories about great army which,
following the Bryan program, would
spring to arms over night and attack the
allies, the Germans laughed and called
the allies fools to become So excited over
what they themselves considered PEE
posterous 1mpossibilities.
TALES STRENGTHEN
GERMAN HOPES.
But sdch tales have been circulated day
after day for a year. German editors
eagerly clip them from allied newspapers
and reprint them. The allies persistent
advertising OF Germany's strength and
power is beginning to convince the Ger
man himself
''These people fear US so sincerely that
there must be some cause for it," the
German reasons to himself Perhaps
We are not so far down and out as we
think we are. Things look pretty dark,
but perhaps we have been too pes
simistic."
And so the German has begun to take
heart.
A year ago Germany was broken; its
national spirit was crushed. The father
land was spoken of only in the past
tense. But the uninterested observer In
Berlin believes he can not blame the
Germans for taking heart after listening
Tor year to the propaganda of allied
orators and newspapers that are insist
ing that Germany is still q power to
be reckoned with; is still resourceful.
efficient and miIitaristic, and is still a
force Of danger to the world. Germany
has begun to believe that she has taken
her defeat too seriously and really
amounts to something after all
FRENCH FEAR
ABUSES GERMANY.
The German talks little of revenge on
the French, but he tnlks much of the
frightened French, who, he believes. Is
running with no one pursuing. If a
few Germans are talking about clearing
the left bank of the Rhine before fifteen
years have elapsed, the French are be-
lived to have their own desperate but
widely advertised Eve can not protect
ourselves policy to thank for it.
The apparent fear of the French has
impressed the Germans. They are be-
ginning TO believe that, like Joshua at
Jericho, they have only to shout to cause
their enemies to fall over.
The degree to which the French have
carried their hobbling of Germany's policy
amuses, but at the same time it frritates
some Germans. The closing of Turn
vereins, the forbidding of calisthenics,
the punishment of school teachers who
allow their pupils to march in drill ex-
ercises all furnish grist to the propa-
ganda min which is reawakening the
national consciousness
Whether or not the allies are becoming
aware Of the change of spirit in Ger
many is not plain But any student Of
conditions in this country can see the
effect. The intelligence departments of
the allied governments in Berlin are
sending out reports that 1t is believed no
special emphasis is being laid upon the
awakening of the German belief in Ger
man power.