The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-07-24
PLUTocRATIc GERMANY.
Social Unrest is Decreasing and PEG
pie Are Going to Work

One Of the clearest impressions /
derived from my trip into Germany
occupied and unoccupiedl is that So
cial unrest Is decreasing. This does
not, Of course, mean that there will be
no further internal disorders; on the
contrary, I am inclined to believe that
the extremist minority will take an
early opportunity Of trying its
strength, possibly by a widespread
strike in connection with the leyying
OF an income tax from the previously
exempt working classes Nevertheless,
little by little, Germany is resuming
her old habits of discipline, order and
work.
The atmosphere is quite different
from what it was six months ago, and
public opinion, always largely nodded
BY external agencies. seems TO have
crystalized along traditional lines. Both
the extreme nationalists and the ex-
treme socialists are without any real
influence. There is everywhere a return
to saner political conceptions. While os-
tensibly adhering 10 monarchial prin-
ciples, the peoples party itself does not
seek the rehabilitation Of the Hohen-
zollerns, as demanded by the national
lists although / did detect quite a good
deal of sympathy for the crown prince,
which is quite different from the feel
ing that existed a year ago..
Although not likely to obtain control
Of the government This time, the peo-
Piles party seem TO have more execu-
tive ability and more constructive i'm
agination than all the other parties
put together. They certainly have
plenty Of money and brains.
Unless / am very much mistaken
Germany is going TO develop into a
highly organized plutocracy, possibly
with a certain amount Of socialistic
window dressing. Bismarek's state in
surance schemes, old age pensions,
etc. were at one time the furbelows of
military autocracy To veil the inhu-
mainly Of mans greed. the plutocracy
of tomorrow will doubtless seek TO
gid the letters Of labor by minimum
wage agreements, state control of food
prices, etc. but Germany will be gov
erned by few rich men who have the
vision to see that their own prosperity
is dependent upon the eontentment and
prosperity Of the people they govern.
The Germany Of the next few years
will, in many respects. bear a striking
likeness to what the United SITES was
under the Republican regimS( from 1895
to 1919, when Wall street and the
great interests controlled to such a
large extent the policy of the govern
ment. labor was kept happy with
"full dinner pail the trusts waxed
rich. and the consumer paid the bill
People got high wages. but their net
increment at the end Of the year was
less than in other and apparently less
prosperous countries.
OF one thing | am well convinced,
and that il. that there is no danger
OF bolsheyism in Germany. Nearly 20
months have elapsed since the reyolu-
tionarv movement. which overthrew
the older order Of things. Germany has
had the sporadic outbreaks Of extrem-
lists, and she viii have them again, but
disorder j. utterly repugnant TO the
German mind, and the majority, the
great majority. Of Germans cling to the
things that were best ia the lives Of
their fathers
Germany has cast of military i'm
perialism. but she is unable TO govern
herself 4 few men % Rction. business
men and finaneiers, are going to gov
ern her. and she viii welcome their
guidance and do their bidding. In or
der TO obtain from the allies some re
taxation in the terms imposed upon
Germany. Der new masters viii from
time 20 time brandish the bogey %
bolshevism. but It viii Be . bogsy-
nothing neutrality-suspicious. Of Lon
don IEweE.