Evening star., 1921-08-28
BY MACMILLAN HARDEN,
Germany's Foremost Publicist.

By Cable to The Star.
BERLIN, August 27.-The official
signing of a treaty of peace with the
United States has coincided with
demonstration in Berlin for 1.-The next
war" and Ludendorff. the man VINO
brought misery to the German peo-
q pie, is the inspiration OF a host OF
marching "goose steppers."
The insane people who talk glibly
of the next war are finding willing
followers as the Wirth government
makes public it's new tax bills. fore
telling the heavy 1evies which will be
laid against the taxpayers to meet
the reparations bill of the allies and
to pay for the cost Of the armies oc-
cupying the Rhineland.
The German people must earn fifty
seven billion marks this year to pay
the allies. while they watch their
country's scientific, humane and edu-
!catior>l institutions fall into decay
for want of funds. Could interna-
tional hatred have a better breeding
place?
wirth ApprochinG Crisis.
There is every reason to believe
the Wirth government is fast ap-
preaching a crisis and the publishing
of the terms of the separate treaty
with the United States is not likely
to enhance it's popularity. The new
treaty is no better for Germany than
,fhe pact of Versailles. But our peo-
pie long since lost hope of obtaining
anything better from the Washing
ton government
struggle over the new tax burden is
beginning. The .comprehensiveness
of these taxes is a cause of Inisgiv-
ing. Capital, income, trade and every
conceivable business opportunity is
10 be burdened.
The nationalists are saying:
Our party voted against the ac-
ceptance of the London ultimatum
carrying the tremendous reparations
demand. 1t is not our business to
raise these sums. We will leave the
responsibility to those who think
Germany can pay"
II the present government in con-
sequence is overthrown and parlia-
ment dissolved the demagogues will
argue: 1t is not our fault that you
have to pay more. but the fault of
our opponents. Vote for US this time
Cannot Escape Taxes.
Needless to say. if the voters harken
to this appeal they will still have to
pay the increased taxes or submit to
a foreign administration of our
finances like old Turkey did But
undoubtedly the nationalists would
welcome such development, for it
would stir up white-hot hatred of
all foreigners.
If this question goes to the polls the
social democrats will be the opposition
side. although their representatives
now head the ministries of the treas
ury land domestic economy This
partt's oldest plank demands that the
capitalists shall pay and that Indirect
taxes shall not be levied. This cry is
d reaction to centuries of abuse when
all the burdens were heaped upon the
lower classes, with the privileged
escaping. Far into the nineteenth CEN
tury the idea prevailed. as expressed
by Freench archbishop when Cardi-
nal Richelieu demanded six million
francs from the church: "The church
gives its prayers. the nobility their
blood and the common people their
fortunes"
But can Germany obtain the i'm
mense sums needed from the small
capitalists This year. with forty
six billions of marks arrears on
reparations. DR.. Wirth asks for one
hundred and fifty billions. of which
one hundred billions are to come