Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-28
GERMANY At WORK,
HOPE IS REVIVED
Harden Says Nation Has
Found Place in Sun
Through Labors.
BY MAMMALIAN HARDEN.

By Radio to The Star.
BERLIN, December PA light
shining in the wilderness"-th
words of st. John, appropriate 10
Christmas season: 'rray Also apply to
the realm of social and economic val
ues True, only the faintest gleam
which the smallest breath might ex-
tinguish, shines in Germany, but. it
Iightens the darkness of an other
wise hopeless year.
In less sophisticated days the
Dawes committee men would have
been regarded as miracle workers.
for 1t Is almost a miracle that they
reawakened Germany's courage, en-
ergy and industry, even while they
burdened her with heavier duties than
even Premiers Poincare and Theunis
dared dream of.
People Are Working.
The German people are working
today as never before. They have
rid themselves of the illusion that
saliva ton can come from outside by
virtue of complaints or threats. or
from within. by Socialism or other
experiments.
The Communists, who in Paris
forced Premier Herriot to take to his
bed, cannot frighten adults in Ber-
lin. All that proletariat Germany is
| demanding today is increased wages.
The return to the belief that only
work can advance the individual or
the nation is perhaps the greatest
achievement of 1924. The clerk, who
| must work hard for his $40 a month
puts his whole energy into his badly
paid toll because he realizes that only
by each contributing his maximum
| can the condition of all be improved.
Results Now Apparent.
Already, in the year since the mark
| was stabilized. results are apparent
and people who formerly could buy
| only the barest necessities can now
| purchase wooden. clothing and sheets
! and underwear for the children, as
| well as pots for the kitchen. And this
| buying has brought further pros
| perity in its train. Business men
who did not believe, that capital
could be found for doing an in
creased business are getting more
| optimistic.
The chief lack in economic. Germany
| the past year has been capital credit
| luxurious rates Of interest, high stock
transfer taxes and high prices of raw
! stuffs have forced prices above the
| means Of the middle class and made
| =,
| in the world.
Is 1t not miraculous that. despite
all this, the Dawes agreement, while
| opening an era of tremendous repa.
| rations payments, should also have
revived courage, hope and confidence
in the future? The people felt ar
| unholy joy when the newly rich lost
the fortunes they had quickly wor
in speculation on the fall of the franc
| But the "leitmotiv" is always tn.
| same-exports! They made Germany
great before 1914, and they will make
her great again If the country's energy
Is directed that way.
Agreements Are Seen.
| Several commercial agreements ap.
pear on the horizon and there !.
| serious talk of an iron and stee
trust which would bring healthy
blood into Germany's tired industries
| To prevent dumping, those interested
have decided to pay wages which will
| enable the workers to come nearer tc
| an existence that Is worthy of human
| beings.
| So far, economy has not appeared
| among the upper 10,000-the taste fol
! travel and luxury are unchecked