The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-01-05

Leading German Financer Says Industry Of His People VIII
Construct New Foundation fer Prosperity While Other Coun
tries Tear Down
BY KARI n. voN wIEGAND.


by KARL III. Won wIEGAND.
Berlin, Jan. ST. am no optimist
in any Utopian sense, know what is
before us rand am not closing my
eyes to hard facts: but condictions
in Germany Saa the outlook fer Ger
many economically are perhaps more
! promising than in France or England.
yes even more 80 than In your own
country
That was the statement made to
me today by General Director Quit
tman OF the Dresdner bank, the
second largest banking Institution in
Germany. Guttman. since the retire.
ment OF Gwinncr from the Dcutschc
bank. is regarded as the yandcriip OF
Germany.
Let me explain what / mean by
THAT he continued. 'Gcrmany's old
state structure is in ruins. The pres
ont conditions may continue for some
time, but can hardly get much worse.
az we are already at the bottom. It
/ is more or less case OF clearing
away the debris and getting to work
again to build up new foundation.
Whatever we do sooner or later - Al
most certain to be in the direction OF
Reconstruction and upbuildinE both
economically and politically. the de-
sire to work and be industrious whteF
is so strong part of the German
| characters is returning.
/ I'm France. according to our re-
ports through financial channels.
there IL a strong Discrimination to
work. The French people do not yet
realize their true situation and that
they cannot live Oft Germany. In
that country popular unrest is only
4 just beginning and h certain to be lit
tcnsified when the people fully re-
alize the real conditions. They have
not yet begun destroying what is old.
According to the same reports the
inclination to work Is not much
greater in England than in France
It would seem that England is aase
moving in the direction Of a political
and economic crisis And II we may
lcredit the reports we get from finan-
cicrs in New York regarding the in
dustrial unrest, uncertainty. strikes
and high cost OF living, the situation
in your country in that respect is
even worse.
I'm brief. while the three countries
I have named are engaged in tearing
down and in conflicts between capt.
new REIMBURSEMENT OF those forces.
Germany ought to be moving forward
in upbuilding. l hope l make my
self clear
This talk with Germany's vanderiip
was one OF the most interesting and
frank interviews I have had with any
OF the numerous German leaders /
have met recently. l had asked him
fer his views OF the outlook for Ger
many financially and economically for
the coming year and he prefaced his
statement with:
4 1T am no prophet and doubt II
You will find any German financier
who has the courage to make predic-
tons In view OF existing conditions
and the uncertainty of the future.
Predictions are possible only when
one has certain suppoaitions or con-
d!tions as basis of promise"
What must those be?" l asked.
That America agree TO grant US
large credits and that we have no
boisheyists."
4 Then you consider the danger OF
bolshevism still great in Germany
mo, 1 do not, at least not from
Germany. That lies wholly in the
hands OF the allies II they desire
bolshevism in Germany we will get 1t.
7 said Cuttman with emphasis Their
indifference to conditions in Germany
or their direct oppressive acts against
the German people can bring it. The
Fa nh and ale of the German people
have enough OF bolshevism as they
have seen 1t In Russia. Budapest and
Munich. Only desperation born OF
despair would drive them to II. Even
then l believe II would be only a
transitory phase. The German peo-
pie want quiet and remunerative
work"
Guttman declared It not at All I'm
! probable thai February and March
might see renewed radical attempts
to regain control through hunger re-
volts or other Yorcible measures
There may even be street fighting"
he said but II is to be hoped that
such attempts will be short lived and
promptly put down.
He expressed the belief that the soil
Of Germany Is now less favorable 70
the growth Of bolshevism than that Of
France or even the United States.
War" he added, has been a tire
eHIendous lcvelier In Germany. What
/ war and unprecedented peace condi-
tions have failed to bring to common
level. Erxberxer with his taxes Is
| bringing down. There are no longer
any very rich or very poor in Ger
many and there are no such contrasts
between extreme wealth and extreme
poverty as In your American cities.
Favorable for the AGITATION of extreme
radicals. Socialixation or nationalist
! t!en can now take place In Germany
without anv violent readJustments or
con ficts The same can hardly be said
OF America or France whore the gov
eminent has not even dared to attempt
To pass an income tax measure"
| DESIRE TO WORK.
/ Touching upon Germany's national
wealth. I asked whether II could stand
Fthe drain Of ths reparation called for
by the Versailles treaty and the tre-
nnrdous taxes that would be necessary
ms a result,
| 1T is a mistake to consider a coun-
trv's wealth only on the basis Of Wis
ible material possessions" Guttman
replied The real wealth and capital
of = country should be guAgcd by Its
productive capacity. GarmAnY's4 great.
ert wealth and soundest capital ID the
work and industriousness Of her poo
pie and their productive capacity. The
desire to work and be Industrious 10
| born In the German. Not that no
wants to work to please hts boss. but
that the desire to work being inherent
In him. he finds Joy In It.
"Germany'a productive capacity Y
what will pun us through. II 10 worth
mere to her in this crisis than her ma
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