Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-05-17

concentration upon the economic Stu
alton of Germany, with the necessary
establishment of foreign confidence,
shaken by the recent election returns?
or will the same spirit which led the
Nationalists to force the issue with
Hindenburg dominate their actions
hereafter and introduce new compli-
cations which must destroy the whole
program of the Luther StreSemann
cabinet?
Outcome Questionable.
That is the political problem of
Germany today. Moreover. the natu-
raj corollary is: What will the Peo-
ple's party, what will big business do,
if the extreme Nationalist, who are
as chauviniStic as they are stupid. as
violent as they are Shortsighted. un-
dertake new operations leading di-
rectlv TO the restoration of the mon
archy without regard to foreign
political and domestic economic con
sequences? Will the Peoples party
submit or fight, and il it fights VIII
1t give its support to the republic as
the necessary basis for some new com
hination with the republican parties?
And, after all, can big business Goa
lessee with the Socialist party?
1t is clear what is to be attempted.
The Luther Stresemann cabinet is
going 10 try and stay and resume It's
program; it is going to try to renew
its efforts TO obtain foreign confidence
and TO restrain domestic turbulence
on the Nationalist side. But the diff
culties are plainly enormous, difficult
ties coming from abroad and from
the home front Abroad it has to APP
proach France in the matter of the
evacuat ton of the Rhineland; at home
1t has 10 face the growing violence of
the Nationalists, if France, which has
now changed premiers and foreign
ministers, turns a deaf ear to German
proposals and makes its foreign policy
on the basis of its own Interpretation
of the Hindenburg election.
In the Reichstag the Luther cabinet
faces a. majority which is at least NOM
inally Republican, and with the Com
munists votes definitely anti-monarch-
ial But it's own main block of sup
porters belong to the Nationalist
party, which is now dominated by eX-
tIemists, inflated by its recent victory
and in no mood to make concessions
abroad or submit to moderate policies.
If the Luther government is to con-
tinue to survive it must live because
there exist within the ReichStag
enough moderateS, men of all parties,
TO furnish a ma jority without regard
to the issue of monarchy or republic,
enough conservatives in the non
political sense to oVerbalance the
radicals on economic issues and the
extremists on dynastic questions. But
does such a ma jority exist effectively?
Luther Powerful Figure.
Luther is a strong man, universally
respected abroad Stresemann is the
cIeverest German politician in many
years. Both have a hold on the
essentials of the German situation
II they have their way the linden
burg election will be without obvious
consequences. If they obtain the ear
of the new President they will have
chance. Then Germany will settle
down again under the republic, the
debate will be adjourned and foreign
negotiations looking to the security
pact for France and the evacuation
of the Rhineland for Germany will
he resumed. with the German pro-
posal to enter the League of Nations
also figuring.
But in these negotiations Strese-
mann will meet BRAND, not Herriot,
and Germany will confront a France
thoroughly alarmed over the linden
burg election. Moreover, the report
of the arms control commission means
new and perhapI drastic demands
upon Germany for compliance with
the arms provisions of the treaty, to-
gether with possible penalties for
established violations.
In what mood will the dangerously
inflated Nationalist face such de-
mands? In what mood will the whole
longation of the occupation of the
Cologne zone? Will the reaction be
favora ble-that is, will the German
people perceive that the new and I'M
fortunate turn of affairs is due to the
triumph of the Nationalists or will
they take the Nationalist view that
there is no possibility of real adjust
ment because France means to stay
on the Rhine and prevent real Ger
man recovery? All the immediate
tranquility of Europe turns on the
German answer to this Interrogation,
and no man can forecast it accurately.
Monarchy Spells Ruin.
A violent restoration of the mon
archy noW-and restoration would in
evita bly, be accompanied by some vio-
lence-would mean the ruin of Ger
man prospects abroad, and end Of for
eign loans, the loss Of foreign mar
kets; il would mean continuation If
not extension of occupation by French
armies. None sees this more clearly
than the leaders of big business, none
would work more eagerly to prevent
it than the leaders of the Peoples
y
clear that they may be helpless If
the Nationalists are able to fire popu-
lar feeling over an issue like that of
the non-eVacuation of the Rhine.
The basis of cooperation between
big business and the Monarchists-
that is, between the Peoples party and
the NationaliStS-is too great to pre-
vent any divergence over the issue
OF the form of government in the long
RIM RIlt the present need of the big
business elements for peace and for
good foreign relations is such that a
split is at least conceivable, IL the
NationaliStS refuse to play reason
able and waiting game and insist on
forcing the pace, to the utter ruin of
the prospects of big business abroad.
What we are now seeing and per-
haps shall see for a long time is a
battle, not between Republicans and
Monarchists, for the present the Re
publicans are relegated to the side
lines, but between big business and
the Monarchists, and the issue Is not
the form of government, but the time
when a restoration may be wisely ana
profitably undertaken. If the People S
party wins this fight, if Luther and
Stresemann impose their procrasti-
mating policy upon the Nationalists,
then in the end the republic may be
lost but this condition calls for pre-
csely the mental capacities which the
junker leadership has never shown.
Provided the Nationalists agree to
hold their hands in any overt way.
satisfy themselves with burroWlng
under and reorganiZing all the civil
service, putting only Monarchists on
guard in all important places, they
will have the consent of the Peoples
party and the process of eliminating
Republican influences will go forward