The Raymer enterprise., 1923-08-30
Chancellor Stresemann Of Ger
: many Suddenly Assumes Die.
tatoriaI Powers. +,
WILL FORCE RICH TO PAY
Polnearss sklIlful Reply to Britain
Shows France to Be Unyleldlne-
American Government Prepares
/. to Cope Wish Threatened An
n thraclte Miners Strike.
By EDWARD W. PlcKARp

BY EDWARD W. PlcKARo
- ERMANY Is virtually In the hands
. Of a dictator at last. Chancellor
resemann, disgusted with the condi-
on into which his country has de-
nerated and with the everlasting po-
lcal squabbles Of the factions In the
Ehstag. has taken matters into his
hands and determined to carry out
measures without consulting the
hstag and without regard to whom
1R hit He says he believes he can
H. lore financial and economic order
min four weeks, and that II he falls
Re Is no hope for Germany and all
s ost
2l3 rom quiet and conservative man
u Stresemann has become suddenly
3eader much like Mussollnl. Of swift
"a determined action and ready to
to any length. Laying his plans
fore his cabinet, he received its
tomise Of unqualified support, and
be leaders Of the parties in the reichs-
3ag also agreed to permit him to carry
Dut his measures without interference
Chereupon he announced that, first. he
must have about $l00,000,O00 Of the
huge sums which the Industrial mag
hates have accumulated and hidden In
Foreign banks This he expected as a
voluntary contribution" but said II
necessary he would confscate between
IL fourth and a third Of all foreign
moneys held by them. Everyone was
to be required to state under oath his
holdings of foreign currency and those
who falsified the returns would be Sc
verely punished. He Is prepared to
follow this order with another confis-
eating one-fourth to onethIrd Of all
private property In Germany. Accord
ing to President Ebert these DEGREES
will scarcely affect the working and
middle classes. as the utter collapse of
the mark has practically wiped out
private ownership by them. The up
per classes, including the Industrial
magnates, will have to do the paying,
and It Is presumed the latter. at least,
will not dare to resist.
For the present Stresemann's chief
eoncern is the Internal welfare Of Ger
many, and the first money he obtains
will be used for the purchase and i'm
portation Of fats and other foodstuffs
that the country lacks. Afterward he
nope to collect funds for reparations
payments and for restoring financial
and economic stability. The present
situation Is highly pleasing to the Com
munlsts. who are looking for a real
revolution next October or November.
when they will proclaim a Red regime.
Their hopes are bolstered By the tre-
nendous increase In prices and the
shortage Of food. the lack Of coal for
the winter and the great increase In
unemployment German coal Is selling
for SOS ton, though English coal can
be had for S12.
Tie monarchists also, especially
those Of Bavaria. are getting ready
10 try to Get up a military dictatorship.
Heir Stresemann went to Bavaria at
the end Of the week to study the stu.
alton there, though he was warned
that his life would be In danger on the
trip. Indeed. one need not be surprised
to read any day that the chancellor
has been assassInated. It is said an
attempt to kill him In bis Berlin resi-.
dence was frustrated a few days ago
and that the assasslns were members
Of the same monarchistic organization
that killed Erzberger and Rathenau.
"As LUMINOUS as the skies Of
"a France and as hard as Lor.
raine steel" 10 the way the Paris Matin
characterizes the reply Of Premier
Poincare to Lord Curzon's recent note.
The answer was handed to the British