New-York tribune., 1920-03-16
Conservative
Trend Favored
Kapp Program
Drift Away From Radical
ism Marked During the
Last Year; Many OPP
posed to General Strike
Tie.Up of transportation
is Feared by People, Who
Have Suffered Its Effect
Bv William c. Dreher
ss..,nf cnhlo to rhe Trihunc

Srrc1ci (G0ic 10 iHS lfloNHc
,r.rvr.sht. 1920. New York Tribune Inc.)
prPIIN. March 15.-Berlin is an
unfortunate point atthis moment from
ah;ch to gain an accurate view of con-
di,ions throughout the country or to
;rdye in how far the new government
< meeting with popular support. Re.
,orts from outside the city are meager
snd conflicting.
The indications are that Saxony and
,ll south Germany adhere to the old
government. There arc reports also
tsa. individual members of the two
,a.;onalist parties have declared them
scIves in favor of the Ebert govern
meut. but other information is that
.bese Darties as a whole are willing to
support Chancellor kapp. The Ma
,;nnalists have been emphasizing
steadily in their speeches in the AS
sembly that they are aiming to bring
about through constitutional means
some changes in the form of govern
mens and are opposed TO all forcible
measures.
Workmen Oppose Strike
majority of the workmen in Berlin
we're intensely opposed to a general
strike as they will hardly be in a
position to remain idle for a great
while. having exhausted their resources
in the walkouts last autumn.
Labor troubles threaten to cause
great hardshlps in Berlin and other
big cities where the food supply de-
pends on regular daily shipments. The
s.oppagc Of railway traffic even a few
days would add hunger pangs to the
miseries Of thousands. The strike al
ready has caused great discomfort here
with all the restaurants closed. Even
the big hotels are serving only for
e.gn missions and correspondents.
Views differ as to the prospects of
Chancellor kapp's government in the
country as whole. If conditions were
as they were a year ago. it would have
no prospect at all, but an enormous
drift toward conservatism and mon
archism has been in progress for
months This movement extends even
10 the working classes. where disii-
lusionment regarding socialistic expert
ments and further possibilities is open
ly confessed
Majority Believed Possible
Close observers say that Chancellor
Aapp already probably could obtain a
majority among the people. 1t was an
open secret that prior TO the revolution
the Socialists were engaged in a hur-
ned effort 10 obtain reconsideration Of
paragraph OF the constitution to pro-
vide for the election of the President
BY the people direct instead of by the
National Assembly. That effort was
sad to De designed only to prevent the
election Of Field Marshal Won Hinden-
ourg The present situation therefore
IS great.y obscured and the future is
yeiled in clouds.
The streets generally of the capital
are quiet. The population wanders
sooNt curlousiy, examining the barbed
Wlre defenses that surround public
buildings, admiring the revolutionary
troops with their field kitchens parked
IN the middle of the streets, and in
general making the revolution the oc
caslon for a holiday.
Inc only persons who showed anv
resistance to the revolutionaries were
TWO women typists in Chancellor
bauer's Office. When they refused to
eaVe their machines they were imme.
dlately arrested.
j., Inc population Is worried more about
me shortage OF food and the fact that
tne striHers have cut off the water sup
ply than what has become of the old
government. Every kind Of receptacle
a. the hotels was filled with water in
anticipation OF a long drouth.