The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-25
ALLIED EYE IS
TURNED ON NEW
TEUT CABINET
Repdrafions VieuDs of
NelU Chancellor Are
AtDaited Eagerly.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright, 1921

Washington. Oct. 25.-Germany's
cabinet changes are purely politi-
cal and not economic.
Unless the new chancellor adopts
an attitude of hostility toward full
fillment of German obligations to
the allies. the new ministry will be
of no particular Importance exter-
nally.
This is the view taken in Wash
ington, where the approaching proc
lamation of peace between Ger
many and the United States is
counted upon to help any new min
istry in Germany provided that
ministry shows the same good faith
as did Chancellor Wirth in at
tempting to meet reparation pay
ments
The cabinet change in Germany
comes at a critical moment. The
next payment due the allies from
Germany is Nov. Is. Official re-
ports have indicated for some time
that Germany would pay the in
stallment due next month. though
there has been some doubt about
her ability to meet the next one in
March The feeling here, however,
has been that if the German cab
ine- were properly supported it
would be able to consolidate the
various elements in the situation
so as to get by the March payment,
too. Nothing. on the other hand.
would be regarded as more unfor-
tuna:e than d tendency on the part
of the new cabinet to assume a
naughty air toward German treaty
obligations. This. our people here
believe, would only give France
further excuse for the maintenance
of a large standing army and the
continued expenditure of money for
military establishments which
ought to be devoted to the indus
trial rehabilitation Of France if not
to the payment of her own war
debt.
American Commissioner Dresel is
on intimate terms with all the var
ious political leaders in Berlin and
such indications as he gives of the
impending changes would lead to
the conclusion that the new cab
met, particularly il controlled by
Herr Streseman of the Peoples
party, would be as sincere as was
Chancellor Wirth toward the al
lies.
Until the downfall of Herr Wirth
it was not realized generally what
a stabilizing force he was in the
councils of Europe For the first
time since the war the work of a
German chancellor was openly
commended in the French parlia-
ment by her premier. Lloyd George
did the same in the British parlia-
ment. and on one occasion here
Secretary Hughes took occasion to
show his faith in the good inten-
tions of Chancellor Wirth. Ger
tainly he was not lacking in moral
support from the allied and asso-
ciated powers 1t would set Eu-
rope back a whole year if the new
chancellor attempted to appease the
monarchists and conservatives by
defying the allies again. The first
expression of the new cabinet is
therefore awaited with keenest in
terest. Certainly as the representa-
tives OF the principal allied and as
sociated powers gather here next
month, evidence of a recalcitrant
instead OF an obedient Germany
would injure the chances for an
understanding on land armament.
Chancellor Wirth's downfall is
directly attributable to the decision
of the League of Nations councils
to divide Silesia. but basically he
was unpopular with the manufac-
turing interests because he favor
ed heavy taxation in order to raise
the money 10 pay reparations. Of
fetal Washington is waiting to see
how the new chancellor will han
die the fiscal situation. for upon it
depends whether Germany will be
able to meet the terms of her fnan-
cial ar-raar1aa with the allies