Evening star., 1924-12-07
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.
7 HAT runs in the minds of the Ger

w 7 HAT runs in the minds of the Ger
w This question, asked in all of
the chancellories of Europe, will
be answered in Rechstag elections to be held
today. And upon the answer depends the
foreign policies of all the larger nations of the
Old World.
Will the German peoples go to the polls and
register their support of those elements COM
mftted to peaceable adjustment of interna-
tfonal disputes by complete abandonment of
the old blood and thunder theory of main
tanning Germanic prestige, will there be
turned majority in the Reichstag which Will
endeavor to make a shambles of recent inter
national agreements designed to forever
move the reparations issue from the political
horizon, and at the same time strive diligently
for a return to the old order of things when
Hohenzollerns rode in state through Wilhelm
strasse and beckoned great empire hither
and yon at the behest of caprice, good or bad?
Will the great masses of working people in
Germany be protected from the demands Of
avoricious employers who not only would
duce their pay, but abandon the eight-hour
day for one of twelve?
Shall the landowners and industralsts of
the nation be permitted to erect tariff walls
about Germanic interests to such an extent
that prices of food supplies and other neces-
stiles of life will to unheard of
levels, thereby increasing the suffering OF
already greatly suffering common people?
Two Courses Ahead.
These are but a few of the trends that will
be determined in the balloting, but they pre-
dominate They vital For. if the German
people take the high road to peaceful settle
ment and international goodwill, then the
future of Germany, insofar as economic fnan-
cial and social advance is concerned is as
sured But If there should appear in the
Refchstag majority of delegates committed
to opposition toward international commit
ments and unrestrained warfare upon the pro-
ducing elements of the nation, not only must
there be far-reaching and dangerous changes
in Germany's internal life, but the graceful
consideration shown Germanys interests by
other nations may fade for a resumption of
policies of strict dealing and little considera-
tion and particularly may such change be ex-
pected in France, where Germany's good in
tent is taken with grain of salt, to say the
least.
In the main. though there are seven parties
in the field the issue is a clean-cut one be-
tween the Deutsche Nationals and the more
moderate elements of the country. The Deutsche
Nationals, generally known as the Ma
tionalists, had more seats in the last Reichstag
than any other party, namely 106 The Social
lists were next with 100. But through coali-
tion of the Centersts under the leadership of
Chancellor Marx. with the Volkspartie or Peo-
pies party and the Democrats, the conserva-
tive element pledged to the perpetuation of the
Weimar constitution has remained in power
Neither the Socialists Nationalists partici-
pated in the government, but it must be ex-
pected that if either should gain preponderent
influence through the elections today, there
will be complete change in the political
plexion of the government.
Confidence In Republic Grows.
During the tenure of Chancellor Marx con-
fdence in the Republican government has
grown, for, through It's negotiations the Ger
mans have gained opportunity of regaining the
Rhineland and the Ruhr and the reparation
issue, grave in its potentialities since
the treaty Of Versailles signed, has been
removed from the immediate horizon of inter-