New-York tribune., 1921-06-03
Press UpIlolds
Wirtll Plan to
Pay Indemnify
Indications Are Chancellor
Will Maintain Majority
i'll Reichstag and Present
Ca binet Will Survive
Peoples Party to Help
Application of Tax Program
Is Expected to Bring
About Real Contest
BIZ R7ircssss to The Tri5,iaas

Ccpyrght, 1871. New York Tribune Inc
BERLIN, June 1.-Virtually the en-
tire Berlin press, including the most
conservative papers, receive sympa-
thetically the government program out
lined IN the Reichstag yesterday by
Chancellor Wirth. The conservatives,
while refraining from direct comment,
particularly as far as the taxation fea-
lures OF the governments program are
concerned, review the whole pronounce
ment In an attitude Of watchful wait
ing.
The real attitude Of the various
parties toward Dr.. Wirth's program
will be disclosed at the forthcoming
party conventions, which will de-
termine whether the Chancellor's
Cabinet is 10 live or die. Thus far
the indications are that he will even
tually be able TO command majority
in the Reichstag A three-day dis
cussion of the Chancellor's speech be-
gan in the Reichstag this afternoon,
after the party leaders had held pre-
linlinary caucuses to discuss their
general point of view.
Coalition Support Assured
Chancellor Wirth can, of course,
count on the support of the coalition
parties, but they in them selves do not
have quite q majority and the govern
ment's problem is to find some support
from other parties, particularly from
the Peoples party and the Independent
Socialists. The Democrats already Lave
put out feelers to the Peoples party
in this regard. The Peoples party,
although it opposed the acceptance Of
the Allied reparations ultimatum. is
now IN favor of carrying out the terms
loyalty. The party put itself in bad
light by fighting the ultimatum and
does not relish being kept out of the
government now, because it is thus de-
prived of direct influence on the gov
ernment}s tax program, which concerns
the party's vital interest. There is a
strong likelihood, therefore, that the
Peoples party will be willing to meet
DIR. Wirth half way.
The attitude Of party leaders is ex-
pccted TO be brought out in the Reich
stag debate. The Independents prob
ably will join in expressing general
approval of Chancellor Wirth's pro-
gram.
A real contest is expected over the
practical application of the taxation
program when the general outlines OF
| the new tax measures designed to meet
! the reparaton demands come to be
translated into legislation. This pro-
gram consists of broader and more
| efficient utilization of present taxes,
| the collection of which, DIR. Wirth said,
| had vastly improved in the last two
months.
| Comment Offered by Press
~ Ii -
on the situation, says: ~n
| "The Chancellor's speech as a whole
! implies call to action and d readiness
/ to make Germany strong enough
! through hard work for generations.
! The question is, will the parties give
| him the necessary cooperation? There
! are people who do not predict long
/ life for the Cabinet Its debut was not
bad, but decisive action is still ahead
| of u.s."
Germania, the Chancellor's organ,
pleading for the cooperation of all
parties, addresses the Conservatives
| particularly: There is an inclination
to mock the idea that Germany must
make as high sacrifices for the re-
storation of her liberty and independ-
| ence as she did in the war itself under
| the iron pressure Of terrible neces-
/ sity. Then both life and property were
sacrifices. If those circles, which in
the war considered their great sacri-
! fees self-evident, are to-day inclined
to oppose them, they are out of tune
with the principles of consistency and
the spirit OF patriotism"
| Vorwarts says that the debates be
! ginning to-day will indicate more than
| the Chancellor's speech whether the
government is really in earnest in its
| desire to get results. 1t calls on the
| Independent Socialists to cooperate
with the majority party in protecting
| the masses against possible unequal
share in the forthcoming tax burden.
The Boersen zeitung praises the
spirit OF the Chancellor's speech and
urges the cooperation of all parties in
supporting it. The newspaper, how
ever, advises the Withholding of judg-
ment on the probability of the Chan