Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-07-06
BOLSHEWS|M FEAR
IN GERMANY SMALL
BY HIRAM X. MODERWELL

Especial Cable to The Atlanta Journal ant
Chicago Cai1y Ncws-Copyright. 1929
BERLIN, Germany,-Is there q
danger that Germany will go bolshe-
VVik?
The question is not merely aca-
demic. There is a widespread fear,
not wholly unjustified, that Germany
might go bolshevik in an attempt to
defy the treaty Of Versailles. Strange
ly enough, this plan is cherished pre-
cisely by the most reactionary of the
militaristS.
According to this scheme, the repa-
rations burdens would drive the Ger
man working class to revolt and to
seize political power. The reaction
airy officers of the reichsWehr, 1t is
believed, would permit this, with only
show of resistance. The new boil
shevik government would then or
ganize huge red army. This would
receive supplies from soviet Russia
and would stimulate bolshevist rev.
olutions in other European countries,
especially in Austria and the Bal
kans. Most important, it would stim-
uIate bolshevism in France and in
the French army, which would re-
fuse to advance against Germany.
The militarists would lend their SER
vices to the new red army, as many
members Of the Russian military
caste, like General Brussilov, have
lent theirs to the soviet army, on
nationaliStic grounds. Eventually
these officers would split the red
army and by coupe regain supreme
power.
This plan, however exaggerated, is
not made of moonshine. Each ele-
ment in it is a reality. And there is
a section of the German communists
which has seriously entertained the
scheme, under the conviction that
communism could eventually come
out on top. The root idea Of the the
Dry is that bolshevism could liberate
vast social forces which patriotism
cannot evoke.
Workers Cannot Agree
There is not the slightest danger of
any such scheme being put into oper-
alton under present conditions. The
various labor parties in Germany can
sometimes agree on what they do not
want, but never on what they do
want. The social democrats in the
government can agree with the bank
ers of the democratic party on a tax
alton program much more easily
| xxyifh In
munists on the naturalization Of the
coal mines. There are at least four
distinct socialist of communist
groups in politics that expend most
Of their energy fighting one anoth-
err. All appear puzzled and vague
as to tactics. No working-class lead
er of dominating personality has APP
peared since the death of Liebknecht.
The idea of a bolshevist revolution
in Germany is the near future is as
fantastic as the idea Of an organized
military resistance against France.
But although there is not much
bolshevism in Geormany today, and
very little bolshevik plotting, there
are conditions which might lead to
bolshevism in case Of an economic
crash, for the middle class, which
the two extremes, has disappeared
as an economic and social force in
Germany. Its investments ! have
practically disappeared with the fall
of the mark; it has nothing to lose
with social overturn. 1t suffers
under the present order much more
than does the working class. Every
revolution in modern history has be-
gun with the revolt of the oppressed
or indignant middle class. 1t was
the middle class which made and
first guided the French revolution
Of 1889 and 1870 and the Russian
revolution of 1917. The turn of the
working class as a Conscious, in
dependent factor came later.
Situation Predicted by Mars
In Germany today there are for
the first time in history the con-
dition predicted by Karl Marx for a
successful socialist revolution-a
highly trustified industry dominated
by a comparatively small employing
class, facing a highly ORGANIZED and
disconnected working class, with the
middle class crushed between the
two and practically sharing the eco
nomic lot Of the workers.
If an industrial crash came, as
many serious students predict. and
the present order of society in Ger
many were unable to give even the
present food rat to the working
AID middle classes, there might we'll
fol\>w a social overturn that would
upset 9ll Europe.