Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-02
German Politics Affected
By Communist Activity
BY DIR. GUSTAV STOLPER,
Noted German Editor and Economist.


BERLIN, February Political fer
mentation continues in Germany. The.
situation grows more. uncertain and
muddled day by day. The Young
plan must and will be accepted by
| the Reichstag within three weeks,
but all parties are arming for the par
liamentary battles that will follow.
The government is menaced on every
side and the gravest threat is that of
the Socialists. who form the strongest
party in the coalition. The Socialists
would like to return to the opposition.
from which they emerged in 1928. The
opposition Is comfortable and the So
cialists. have gained no laurels In the
Mueller cabinet /.
\ X X
The Young plan. which IS the sole
positive result of the great coalitions
rule, pleases nobody. The collapse of
the public finances and the deficits in,
the Reich and municipal treasures are
the fruits OF this government that make
the strongest impression on the general,
public. ~ 80
This condition cannot be remedied
by popular measures. Drastic con-
sumption taxes are required and the
Socialists would be glad to let other
parties carry the onus of imposing
them, for they see themselves menaced
from the Left. Communist agitation is
wilder than for some time. The pres
ence OF almost 100000 unemployed in
Germany gives ,Moscow's propaganda q
favorable field, and 1t is working UNI
Scrupulously. The unemployed are In
cited to acts of violence and when the
states might Is used to restore order
the Communists use this as new and
welcome propaganda material to picture
the Socialist government as starving the
workers.
The government is doubly helpless
against such methods, since the eco
nomic situation is so bad that no hope
OF q speedy return to prosperity can be
helo out TO, the masses, and drastic
measures against Moscow's propaganda
are rendered difficult by the fact that
the fiction of intimate friendship be-
tween Germany and Russia must be
maintained as long as possible
But the Socialists partisan egoiSrn
reVoltS against this. The other coali-
tion partners are endeavoring to keep
the Socialists in line for the period fol-
lowing the Young plans adoption. The
Catnolic Center has suddenly declared
lCS demands for clearing up the Reich's
financial situation before the Young
plan Is considered. The Center which
also contains many laborerS, and hence
is touchy about Socialist agitation. win
not get that demand fulfilled The So
cialists also are angry because their
onslaught against DR.. Schacht, presf-
dent OF the Reichbank, failed.
X y
On the political right, the parties are
In the course of reconstruction. Two
new parties came into existence the last
few days and issued proclamation to
the public. Twelve German national
deputies, who deserted the Nationalist
leader, Alfred Hugenberg, have formed
the "VolkskonServative Vereinigung'
Peoples Conservative Union). The So
called "Jungdeutscher Order" young
Germans ORDER, somewhat romantic
organization formed after the war and
devoted to revitalizing patriotism and
attacking plutocracy, has formed the
"Volksnationale Vereinigung' peoples
National Union)
(CopyriRht, 1901