Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-02-01
GERMANY IS ON /. ROCKS
MARK.AT BERLIN WORTH
CENT AND LESS IN COLOGNE
icutons Themselves Lose Copnd.,n,
nnd Sec Only bankruptcy
Ahcnu,
ny Karl II. WOW w1Ec.Nn


BERLIN. Jan. 3l.-Germanv I. h,,
ancing on the worry edge OF n preoin,cc
ABOVE tho abyss OF national, economic
ana hnancial collapse. which Is certain
to be followed by far-rcachinp inter
national rcvcrberations in tho financial,
world.
Tho next thirty days-posybly the
coming week-may determine wheth,r
tho war. which was won by America
a an,n ne ,a, allies In hve years. Will ne
months in tho sixth year
That Is the upescapable Impression
one ,r.,, H.,s here in ths : vortex OF the Cen
Versailles treaty revenging itsolf unon
IT'S makers with n rapidity that even
the most vcngeful German at!onaiista
hardly anticipated.
0Inrk Almost ynIucies..
The MOST portcntuous shadow com
ng events have cast before them is
the new drop Of tho German mark,
which touched ] cent here and went
even lower in Cologne and In Holland
where 1t dropped TO seven-elghths OF
Il cent.
For the first time the confidence OF
the Germans themselves in their own
money Is beginning to disappear as
is shown by the villa scramble for for
American. Swiss. Dutch. Danish and
Swedish.
many days 1t Will be before national
bankruptcy is admitted.
The government Is hclplessly drift
IT'S control. Unless outside help comes
and comes at oncc--the conclusion Is
inevitable that II Viii be only mat,
ter of weeks before the government
hits the rocks and breaks UP.
Government In Apathctic.
With the realization that Il cannot
or itself alter the course OF impending
b. sonnet hins OF the apathy OF last
spring. The tooogann!ns OF tho ex-
change has cut OF all importations
with hs elesp ne% Of sma
quantities In individual packages.
Reports from unofficial Bources con
t!nuc IN emphasize that tho food aitu-
alton is nearing a catastrophal crisis
The government. however. appears to
have adopted tho policy OF the old re-
gimo Of not taking the people into It's
confidence. hut keeping them In tho
dark. aB did Ludcndorn during the war.
for much the Same reasons, namely,
weakened and shattered by n pessimis-
tic outlook. however true.
sort of grim consolation Is found
and the decline OF the French franc Ak
compared with the dollar. This, indeed,
~ taken Az proof positive that the Ger
units OF the European economic COM
pick.
Think IL Would Defeat vfetora.
In come quarters national bankrupt
cy is no. eonsldered tho worst evil for
Germany. Those who profess that
View declare that II would spell utter
defeat FOR tho vlctors and force re-
vision OF the Versailles treaty moro
quickly than anything else could.
Both the Radicals and the National
lists have AN additional mental angle.
which il that bankruptcy would also
sweep away the present German gov
ernmcnt.
The government appears to have
sim lingering hone that the situation
i ran!dly nehr!ns ,hS point whnrc the
mosi,.es and get together In an en-
ueavor 70 save all through concerted
efforts.
high government official summed
UP the situation this afternoon In those
words: ~
Unless We get credits for food and
raw materials. IL T. only puest.on or
time when our collapse will DO iRevi-
table. We longer can save our
selves"