Evening star., 1924-12-24
BIC BUSINESS RUNS
/. GERMAN POLITICS
Peoples Party, Though
Small, Generally Has Its
Way in Cabinet Affairs.
BY EDGAR ANSELL MOWRER.

Correspondence OF The Star and the Chicago
Daily News.
BERL1Ns Germany, November "a
The German Peoples party is not the
least interesting and is. in one sense,
the most influential party in Germany.
1t represents big business and stands
close to the industrial magnates, who
somehow succeed in obtaining their
own way in all important questions.
AS in other countries, the party of
big business has the support of a
great part of the little business peo-
pie, who make the mass of its voters.
No party in Germany has so amaz-
ingly bettered its position through
the war. nder the kaiser this group,
then known as the National Liberal
party, was looked upon with con-
tempt by the agrarian Conservatives.
Mere business men were not "hof
fahig'-they were not received at
least not until the kaiser's desire for
supremacy on the sea led him to as
sociate himself with WarburG and
Ballin of the big steamship COM
panies.
Since the revolution the owners of
that vast industrial machinery which
supports and sustains two-thrds of
Germany's 60,000.000 are the real
power. Until 1921 the party was
never actually included in the cabi-
nncrowned sovereign and it's leaders
were accused of having interfered
with every attempt of men like Err
berger. Rathenau and Wirth to pay
Preparations and come to terms with
France. as well as having been the
strongest supporters of the imitation
policy which ruined the German mid
die classes for the benefit of the
merchants and exporters.
to the front in the person of Herr
cuno. His untimatum of November.
1922, provoked the resistance against
French occupation of the Ruhr. The
Germans had exaggerated their
strength and misjudged the British.
When, nearly a year later, passive
resistance had to be abandoned and
Germany submitted to the French
terms. although the industriaiists in
sisted on the stabilization of the cur
rency and made their peace with
France and ceased to subsidize the va
rious armed bands of superpatriots,
the chancellorship passed from the
leader of the Peoples party, Gustav
Stresemann. to Wilhelm Marx of the
Catholic center
Likened to Lloyd George.
Stresemann is more ductile than
Lloyd George and equally resourceful.
AIlnouSn ne has made countless enc
mics, il is impossible to get rid of
him. He has been chancellor. and
minister for foreign affairs. There
was no chance Of replacing him un-
til he decided to leave. He is limit
1essly ambitious
His party Will not diminish in an
era of ever-eXpanding and developing
capitalism. and Is today an element
making. for peace.
The, Peoples party is the chief sup
porter of the Dawes plan in Germany
Led by DR.. Buecher of the National
Association OF German Industry, the
iRdustrialists have forced through the
acceptance of the Dawes scheme, oner-
GUS for Germany though it was, first
because it seemed to offer them a
way out OF an otherwise hopeless
mess. and second, because it gave
them an arm to use internally against
all so-called social legislation, such
as the. eight-hour day, which they
wish TO do away with. Today they
are even stronger, since every one
realizes that only German industry is
in position to carry the burden of
reparation payments.
Copyright, 1924, by Chicago Daily News Col