The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-09-13
GERMANY
With the War Ended
WRITTEN SPECIALLY FOR THE
PLEASANTVILLE PRESS
BY Edward Percy Howard
Autocaster-New York Bureau

PLEASANTVILLE PRESS
BY Edward Percy Howard
Autocaster-New York Bureau
We have just passed the eighth an
niversary of the outbreak of the world
war.
And what results? A few new ma
tons in place of older nations, new
nations destined to bloodshed and suf-
fering to maintain and develop their
entity, old nations embittered to battle
for their reincarnation.
Of Germany a review indicates a
bankrupt nation, but n getting back
on it's feet. Financial ruin has little
meaning. So long as the world will
accept German paper money at some
price, so long will the printing presses
turn it out.
1t is difficult to get a proper per-
spective of Germany. Henri Lichten-
berger professor of the University of
Paris, in a twelve day visit to Berlin
a few weeks ago, dug out some very
interesting facts.
| Growth of National Party
shows trend of thought.
Lichtenberger points out that the
German National party has succeeded
the old Conservative party. This in
cludes the aristocrats, the proprietors
of large estates and high officials of
the old regime. The officials who
have lost their positions and who are
living from hand to mouth supply the
party with force, are always ready
for action, are energetic, eager for
battle and even anxious for a fight.
The university people, both faculty
and students, fed on the tradition of a
policy of force, feel keenly the humili-
alton of defeat, and have ranged them
selves solidly behind the idea of a res
toration of the German military pow
er. The peasants form the mass OF
the party.
The leaders have capitalized certain
elemental mental conditions for the
purpose of building strength, and or
ganization. They exploit the bitter
ness of the former privileged classes,
they play upon the resentment of the
disbanded army, they wave the fear
flag of Bolshevism, and excite the an
ti-Semite passion and the profound
misery caused by the attitude Of
France toward the conquered. Hence
they have linked to a common cause
the fanatics, the disconnected, and
the lovers of militarism.
The German newspapers, particular
ly the Deutsche Tagezeitung, aid in
driving the masses to despair. They
infuse them with the conviction that
they have nothing more to lose, no
matter what happens.
Even before the blood has coagu-
lated in the German wounds, there
has been established an almost uni
versa1 determination to reconquer the
lost provinces, particularly upper Sill
esia and ven Alsace-Lorraine. The
old German Imperialism is far from
dead.
Socialists want peace but
Peoples Party
AS against this attitude of the Ma
tional party there battle the Demo-
| cratic Snoialicfc ond idoa1icfc snh0
wan to purge the country of revenge,
and who dream of a lasting peace in
which the nations shall lie down to-
gether, the lions becoming almbs.
Plus this is found the Peoples party,
composed of many captains of indus
try, bold and resolute men who have
since the war, men who are making
huge profits from the revival of in
dustry and who are doing the best
they can to conceal every dollar they
make. While the Nationalist would
be happy with revenge, the Peoples
group would be content with revenue.
oiiCHy INC puullC mluu Is heQI III d
responsive condition by wise German
economists, ready to be excited in
whatever direction may be most USE
full. 1t must and will be moulded to
suit the emergency of the hour, and
that it will respond there can be no
doubt. The lion and the lamb may
lay down together, but sooner or later
there can be only one answer-more
graves, more suffering, more treach-
cry, and more sacrifice, thinks LIGHT
enberger.
There is no hurry about this thing,
of course. A renewal of physical war
is not probable in some time. The
first phase of a struggle usually is po-
litical and economic.