Evening star., 1922-11-19
GERMANY FACES BLACK
HOURS BEFORE DAWN
Chancellor Cuno Confronted With
Problem Which Yet May
So Wreck Nation.
With


regretful over the present situation.
for 1t plays into the hands of France.
fnasmuch as there are more and bet
ter reasons for carrying out long
known French desires of controlling
Rhineland and the Ruhr for an in
definite period.
May Trade With England.
1t Is believed In England that this
would have been accomplished long
ago had France not known that
Britain must be accounted to in case
1t was done. Further enforced sane
tions are 'persistently opposed by
Great Britain. The French govern
ment has not despaired. and it is
declared that France at the moment
Is trading upon England's necessities
In the near east in the hope of OBJ
tanning promises that England will
not interfere in the carrying out of
French plans in regard to the Rhine
land. Only time can tell how Poin-
care will succeed. The whole ques-
ton may not be settled until the
BRUSSELS conference is held and some
definite scheme of handling Ger
many,s chaotic financial position re-
Germany desires this financial con-
ference at the earliest possible date.
but the injection of near eastern prob
lens into the general European re-
construction situation has caused the
Brussels parley to sink into the back
ground. In fact. 1t is declared that
1t may never be held. and that France
Will go about handling "the German
reparations situation to her own ad-
vantage and to the disinterest of gen.
eral German reconstruction. though
even the French are ready for some
notifications in their German policy
in view of the critical situation within
Germany.
People May BE In Want.
Not ony are the German people
confronted with delicate and possibly
dangerous adjustments in so far as
other powers are concerned, but the.
ed with terrible hunger. if not actual
starvation. during the coming winter
The reparations commission itself Is
authority for the statement that many
million tons of grain are needed If
Germany exists during the cold
weather. Germany cannot buy this
under present conditions without
further reducing the value of the
is reached between Germany and out
side powers which will permit Ger
many to obtain necessary supplies
there will be a catastrophe east of
the Rhine.
Bad as the economic and financial
situations are. it nevertheless is a
fact the gravest menace to the Ger
mans rests within themselves in the
d1scontented elements. One group.
the monarchists. ever is a. potential
menace to settled order. The social
lists. who have controlled the gov
ernment through their preponderant
voting power in the reichstag, have
been making far-reaching demands in
MISREPRESENTATION mands which, if not
modihed. will keep them in constant
conflict with the industrialists. But
Germany's danger rests in still an
other source; and that is the organized
element which would overthrow the
republican government and establish
military dictatorship. This shcool
OF thought already has announced an
tasonism to the payment of repara-
tions and would pursue such a ma
tlonaiistic policy as to Immediately
bring 1t in conflict with other nations.
This element has taken the name Of
fascist from the Italians. and it is
declared has its stronghold in Ba-
varia. Ludendorn is declared to have
aided and abetted the new move
ment. which Is declared to be growing
in all sections. largely through in
filtration into the ranks of the social
lists themselves
AntaEOnism Must Pass.
II Germany is to prevent the loss of
the Rhineland and avoid further sane
tions on the part of the allies: If she
is to obtain outside loans of propor-
IN h~;
tion of her finances and gain a going
nation industrially speaking. there
must be no spirit Of antagonism to
outside interests. But the nationalis-
tic dreams of the malcontents may
break all bounds and prudence be
scattered to the winds
two interests that should be pulling
together. the industrialists. repre-
sented by SHINES. and the socialists,
who have had such great voice in
German after-the-war problems, are
farther apart than ever. Neither seems
live without the other. The indus
tralists or centrists can save So
cialistic Germany IL socialistic Ger
many. on the other hand. will give an
ear to certain industrialist pleas of
financial guarantees. With union. at
the two groups during the next three
years, Germany soon would emerge
from the slough of despond and once
more take her place as self-reliant,
going nation. but If the fight con-
tinues both centrists and socialists
will pave the way for malcontent
which eventually may
overthrow the government Yet, there
are some statesmen who declare Ger
mans understand nothing save. the
spirit of authority backed by a mailed
fist. and that Germany will not ad-
vance until the blood and iron ele-
ments of the nation move into Berlin
Upon the new chancellor falls a
heavy load. and though he may sue
coed in dealing with the allies. there
can be no assurance at the moment
that all Of his good works will not
fall into the discard by virtue of in
ternal upheavals of one kind or an
other.
Germany still confronts many dark
hours before the dawn.