The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-05
NEWS review Of
CURRENT EVENTS
Chancellor Stresemann of Ger
many Suddenly Assumes Die
tatoriaI Powers.
WILL FORCE RICH TO PAY
Polncare's Skillful Reply to Britain
Shows France to Be unyielding-
American Government Prepares
to Cope With Threatened An
thracite Miners Strike.
BY EDWARD w. PIckARD

~ ERMANY is virtually in the hands
" of a dictator at last. Chancellor
Stresemann disguised with the n
ton into which his country has de-
generated and with the everlasting po-
litical squabbles of the factions in the
reichstag, has taken matters into his
W hands and determined to carry out
his measures without consulting the
reichstag and without regard to whom
they hit. He says he believes he can
restore financial and economic
within four weeks, and that If he fails
there is no hope for Germany and all
is lost.
From a quiet and conservative man
Herr Stresemann has become suddenly
a leader much like Mussolini, of swift
and determined action and ready to
go to any length. Laying his plans
before his cabinet, he received its
promise of unqualified support, and
the leaders OF the parties In the reichs-
tag also agreed to permit him to carry
out his measures without interference.
Thereupon he announced that, first, he
must have about $1OO,000,00O of the
huge sums which the industrial mag
mates have accumulated and hidden in
foreign banks. This he expected as a
voluntary contribution" but said If
necessary he would confiscate between
q 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 falsifed the returns would be Sc
yerely punished. He is prepared to
follow this order with another confs-
eating one-fourth TO one-third 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
nagnates, will have 10 do the paying,
and it is presumed the latter, at least,
will not dare to resist.
For the present Stresemann's chief
concern 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
hopes to collect funds for ~reparations
payments and for restoring financial
and economic stability. The present
situation is highly pleasing to the Com
munists, who are looking for a real
revolution next October or November,
when they will proclaim a Red regime
Their hopes are bolstered by the ire
mendous 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 $25 a ton, though English coal al
be had for So.
The monarchists also, especially
those of Bavaria, are getting ready
to try to set up a military dictatorship.
Herr 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. 1t is said an
attempt TO kill him in his Berlin resi-
dence was frustrated a few days ago
and that the assassins were members
of the same mo~narchistic organization
that killed E~rzberger and Rathenau.
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