The New York herald., 1921-06-12
GERMAN PEOPLE WORKING
HARD TO MEET TAX BURDEN

German families of war broken men
or the men who lose their jobs.
With work il is hard to live, with
out work the hunger wolf leaps with
hungry jaws. In the main streets of
Berlin one sees no sign Of that misery,
and the only thing that shocks one
with distress is the large number of
manned, blinded and shell shocked
men still in their tattered field gray
uniforms holding out palsied limbs
for charity from passersby.
Well, that's another side of the pic
ture which must not be left out of the
account But weighing all evidence
without sentiment or prejudice and
relying upon ones own observations
even more than on expert information,
it seems certain that the German
people as whole are recovering
steadily from war conditions and are
ready to face even the new and i'm
mense burden which now has been
laid on them by the treaty obligations
with some hope and even real opti-
mism regarding their industrial re-
covery.
They are prepared to give the world
the most colossal example of industrial
energy ever seen. | think they will,
and l am not at all sure that the world
will like it. In order to pay the in
IDENTITIES they will have to increase
their exports at least five times. Many
of them, including men like Philip
Scheidemann. with whom I had a long
talk, believe 1t is possible on two con-
ditions, namely, that their industrial
strongholds of Westphalia and Silesia
are not taken from them and that the
world in its own interest will aid them
with credits and encourage their in
dustrlal development.
An hour spent in big department
store like that of Wertheim is worth
more as an object lesson in German
industrial and commercial possibilities
than rolls of statistics. China, glass.
cutlery, fancy goods, all kinds OF
kitchen utensils and manufactured
goods for household and daily use are
not only admirable in quality-the
made in Germany myth must not be
exploded-but reckoned in foreign ex-
change for export purposes amazingly
cheap and beyond all competition in
the United States and Great Britain.
Goods Ready to BE Dumped.
With the low mark and low wages
these goods will invade all the worlds
markets. When they can make safety
razors Of excellent quality for 1s cents.
as they are doing, no tariff will keep
them out.
They are saving 1,So0,0O0,Oo0 gold
marks annually on their army and
navy That goes some way toward
wiping out their annual tribute Of
1000. 900, 900 gold marks this year and
next BY restriction of all imports
except raw materials and all luxuries
they will make great savings BY i'm
mensely increased activity and eff
cheney, organized by big trusts and
supported by trade unions. they will
be in a position to drive forward into
the world markets. with enormous
chances of commercial development in
Russia.
1t is not an easy game for Germany.
1t Is a policy of desperate endeavor
and Of heroic kind among the work
ing people. who must labor hard and
long to fulfil this hope. IT is merely
folly to believe that the German
| wealth is sufficiently great now to
meet her oblgatio- he must create
this wealth.
Everywhere ! find among German
people. high or low, a firm resolve to
pay what they have promised II It Is
humanity possible. All but the Junkers.
who are sulking in their castles, have
abandoned the militaristic philosophy.
Among the working classes it has dis
appeared, at least for the present gen.
Grafton, unless France goads them too
savagely, and notice that German
children never play soldier games as
they used to.
Germany Has New Spirit.
There is a new spirit in Germany.
1t Is economic enthusiasm, with peace
and labor as its conditions. They will
show the world what German genius
can do in industry.
One thing perplexes me. 1t is GER
tain that Germany can pay her in
IDENTITIES only by enormously in
creased exports, but IL they are in
c. eased to that extent won't they ruin
the commerce of other nations? II is
a devilish dilemma, for which as yet
/ can see no solution.
/ see another strange thing. see
a people braced and energized by de-
feat, whereas the victor nations like
England have slackened into list
lessness.