Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-25
GERMANY THINKS PEACE
RESTS In HANDS OF L. S.
Financial Interests Would Like to Join
With America to Change World
as BOlshevists Threaten.

to retrieve the defeat OF November, 1918.
What German business and finance
more or less generally think is that the
time has come when the exigencies of
the world situation should compel some
comprehensive American foreign policy,
based upon the perception that the
collapse OF Europe would mean a dis
aSter for American industry and agri-
culture and meaSurably a peril to
American domestic tranquility And it
feels that while America officially stays
out, thus paralyzing comprehensive ac-
ton, the possibility of European col
lapse cannot be completely ignored.
Italy Faces Difficulties.
For all present time German OBJ
servers believe the possibility of war
can be excluded from the European cal
culation. Not even the FascistS of Ger
many are thinking about war now.
The italian tone has moderated, and
Italy is face to face with economic and
political difficulties which make any
war not only impossible but suicidal.
The real danger lies in the gradual
spread of economic discomfort growing
out OF the continuance Of the economic
depression, the end of which is not
seen here with any clarity.
The United States can endure hard
times for a period of years without
running any great risks of social dis
order, much less revolution. But the
case is not the same in Europe, ana
while immediate revolution can be eX-
cluded, particularly in the German
case, two years of strain might easily
have very grave consequences. If the
leaders alike in politics and business in
the United States cannot see this and
act accordingly, then informed Germans
believe that in the end the resulting
losses to America may be grave.
From America I have been asked
about Germany's relations with her
neighbors, particularly with Italy and
Russia. Ever since the Fascist revolu-
ton in Italy Rome has been trying to
make a political bargain with Berlin
aimed against France. All of the pro-
poSals have fallen through because Ger
man statesmen do not trust Italy's sin
certify, German soldiers do not believe
In Italy'S military force as against
French, German finance is skeptical
concerning Italy'S financial status and
the mass of the German people nave
not forgotten 1915. Informed Germans
OF all classes are more fearful that, as
Ludendorff has forecast, a Franco
italian war would make Germany the
battle-ground than hopeful of any bene-
fits for Germany in such a conflict.
And all agree that the chief German
problem would be not to get into the
war as an opponent of France, but to
keep the war out of Germany.
Business Wants Conservatism.
The Russian detail is more obscure.
Germany is undoubtedly exporting GER
tain material to Russia which could
serve military as we'll as industrial pur-
poses, German officers have helped to
train Soviet troops and, finally, if Rus
STA attacked Poland, it would be very
hard to keep Germany from joining the
drive. Blu again, as in the Italian
case, the G. mans do not believe great
ly in Russ as military force for
some years. And while an alliance be-
tween Italy md the Soviets, such as
was rumored after Litvinov went to
Milan recently, might appear counter
polse to French influence, Germany is
not having any today.
Big business and high finance would
Ike to have a government in Germany
which was conservative-more conserva-
tive than any since 1918. It would like
to be able to exploit the "Nazi" move
ment to the extent of bringing about a
coalition of Conservatives which would
be strong enough at home to put q
limit to the socialistic enterprises in
volving vast expenses; which could deal
Summar1ly with communism: which
would be quite frankly reactionary in
the economic sense and even to a degree
in the political, but with all program
OF international conflict left out.
Unless there were a United States
present In European discussions, how
ever, such German government would
be powerleSS abroad because it would
arouse French, Polish and Little En-
tente fears. Apart from the business
and financial aspects there is also the
popular Germany, in her isolation, be-
lieveS that the possibility of orderly re-
construction in Europe, of economic
prosperity and of political peace turns
on the attitude and the policy of the
American administration.
Hope Reverts to America.
If it were not for the conviction that
a Hitler success would terrify American
finance and business and disgust public
opinion, am convinced the "Nazis"
would prevail before Spring. The effect
on the outside world, and particularly
upon American opinion of the Septem-
Der election, at least partly explains
the rally to the recent Bruening cabi-
net. Hope in American support has
not yet been dissipated even by Sena-
tor Reeds recent speech, but Just now
German opinion pretty generally feels,
20 4SN oi'4hioi OAd IA AoA y IlidC CIle
American decision would be all impor-
tant. In any event, German conditions
again illustrate the familiar paradox
that the more America seems to with
draw from European affairs the more
completely it turns out to be involved
in them. For today every German
voice echoes the sentence, THE key of
the world economic situation, as of
world peace, is in the United States"
(Copyright, 1917