Evening star., 1923-10-16
a Brighter Prospect in Germany.

German political conditions are de-
cidedly improved, and in consequence
there is present prospect of rea-
sonably satisfactory adjustment of the
reparations question, which has kept
:. Europe in suspense and on point of
disruption for many months. Strese-
mann. the German chancellor. has
been granted--in effect has assumed
dictatorial powers. He Is still, OF
course, subject TO disloCation by the.
sudden development of the n1onarchi-
Il cal or the radical sentiment. but for
the present it would appear that he is
IT a position to advance plans for eco
nomic reforms that will stabilize the
German currency and measurabiy
restore Industrial peace.
y decided advance toward allied
unity in the matter of reparations is
effected by the acceptance by Great
. Britain of the Belgian plan for repara-
ton. This plan has the full approval
of France, and has been accepted also
by Italy. So the four powers now again
stand together. The Belgian proposal
will be submitted to the interallied
reparations committee as the basis OF
: concrete plan in the impending
negotiations for reparations settle
iment Broadly stated, it is understood
to involve a minimum of $4,000, ,000. 900
gold marks as Germanys indemnity.
10 which is to he added $4,000. .000, 900
marks in bonds; il estimates that
1900, ,0eO, 900 gold marks is the amount
in yearly payments that Germany can
pay.
= A report from Berlin states that the
.Stresemann cabinet has approved the
= draft of bill concerning the hours
Of labor, which under normal condi-
tons will be eight hours, and in ex-
ceptional cases ten hours. This may
be concession to the industrial lead
..fers, notably SHINES, who have de-
=; nlanded the longer DAY. through the
provision for exceptional cases" but
saon the surface it would appear to be
a denial of their broad demand for the
:; ;flonger working day. Obviously Strese-
:, mann, who. though dictator in meas
q ure, is still subject to reichstag sup
-, port, cannot afford to ALLEVIATE the So
cialists, who are strongly opposed to
the ten-hour day.
-aa On the other hand, Berlin has
= ordered the railway men in the occu-
:. pied territory to go to work for the
= sFranco-Belgian railway administra-
ton, and to take the required cath.
which has only disciplinary signifl-
i1,yy no
tion of German sovereignty. Strese-
ranlaRn has written to SHINES saying
g that the government cannot under
j a:take to guarantee the payment of the
industrialsts for deliveries in kind
they agree to make to the allies. Some
of the Ruhr firms have made agree
Tf1ents for the resumption Of deliveries
without discussion of the question OF
pa yments. Thus it would seem that
the Belgian occupation of the
Ruhr has after many months begun
to be effective.
. Short of successful reaction in
Germany, with either the monarchists
or the radicals upsetting the reich
government, il would appear that
: Germany. is on the way, slowly and
. painfully and reluctantly, to a meet
ling, Of her obligations under the Yer.
SailIes treaty. But Paris does not eX-
pect much from her in the way Of
c. actual cash. France, indeed. is still
.-skeptical of the German good faith,
and it is evident that. the French
go policy. founded upon this lack Of con.
.fidence. is to keep the German govern
o$ment and people under constant pres.
sure.