The Washington herald., 1922-07-27
The Trend in Europe.


i dered Foreign Minister Rathenau and after
wards killed themselves are buried with funeral
rites usually accorded national heroes. This illus
trates forcefully the difficulty of the position in
which the republican government is placed Chan
cellor Wirth and his entire cabinet know that they
themselves unpopular DR.. Rathenau
They know that in every shadow assassin turks
ready to deal them the fate befell their
colleague. And they know that in they
killed. the tickle public will accord to their sayers
the honors bestowed the coffins of these
misguided young officers who gave their lives for
false ideal.
Yet in spite of all this, they must continue
almost superhuman efforts to Germany from
outside attack. They walk guard before the
gate of the house where their murderers are
hiding and protect the inmates from harm. 1t can
be seen readily that an enormous amount of credit
belongs to these statesmen who continue calmly
about their business almost oblivious to the knives
pressed against their ribs the revolvers leveled
their hearts.
1t is to the interest OF Europe that these men
should stay in power They have, up to the pres
ent, made herculean efforts to comply with the
terms forced upon them and. by doing so have
sacrificed the support of their people. Yet the
allies do nothing to make their lot easier. The
former enemy nations deliberately plan to make
their only friends in Germany the victims of
assassins.
Is it for moment expected that the rank and
file OF the German people regard the punishment for
the just? Is it for a moment expected that
they will not do everything in their power to evade
payments demanded Of them? Is it for a moment
suspected that they will not hate any government
which tries to comply with the terms forced upon
the country?
The German government is ill-equipped to deal
diSSa fled ele
control the army, the courts, the higher official
world and, to large extent. the police. large
section of the populace is filled with the racial
frenzy OF pre-war days, not chastened but deeply
and bitterly intensified by defeat. With this con-
dition DIR. Wrth and his colleagues must deal.
1t would be a catastrophe for Germany and for
Europe if the Monarchists should come into power
and it behooves civilized governments to give what
support they can to the present government-which
is resisting them to the best of its inadequate means
No doubt, considering the mind of the powerful
classes ip Germany some such movement Of reac-
tion would have come about in any case. But a
movement on such scale, enjoying such degree
of impunity, does not flourish without the support
OF the public, and the sentiment which tolerates
these murders and puts revenge above everything
to be explained only by the humiliatons inflicted
upon Germany by the treaty. The unfortunate gov
ernment has been unable to move hand or foot for
the restoration of Germany's normal life and the
depreciation of the mark has brought the country
to the brink of financial disaster
The allied governments have cut down their
demands by successive stages, it is true but is of
no use to strip off condition if another remains
and the totals demanded still exceed the limit of
payment which any financial expert really believes
be within reach
But there is increasing evidence that the tragic
prospects in Germany bringing the rest of
Western Europe to of proper proportions
Even France lately has shown more tolerant atti-
tude towards her ancient enemy The only question
is whether the necessary steps will be taken before
it is too late-before the Wirth government falls
and is succeeded by general chaos