The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-30
Misery and Despair Make
Recruits for FaSciSts,
Communists.
VIOLENCE THEIR ALLY
JohIeSs PiIIage Foodshops;
1000 Take Own Lives in
Berlin This Year.
This Is the second Of series by Fred
eriek Kuh. United Press manager in Ber-
linn on Germany's present economic
situation.
BY FREDERICK KUN
United Press stan Correspondent
iCopYriZht. 1891. BY United Pressl

OnAbcu FTeSS stan CorreSponden6
Copyright. 1881. BY United Press
BERLIN, June 30.-Fascism and
Communism, the two extremes of
political action threatening the life
OF Germany as republic, have
grown to almost unbelievable pro-
portions out Of the economic de-
bacle Of the last two years.
With each rides a twin brother
violence.
The signs Of poverty and dis
content through the nation explain
the stampede of hungry workmen,
the demoralized section Of the
middle-class white collar" workers,
and mortgage-ridden farmers into
the two camps Of extremism.
On the other hand is the former
painter and decorator, Adolph
Hitler, leader of the brown shirt
Fascists, known as the national
socialists. This pied piper of
Munich has increased his meager
following of 100000 followers in 1928
to a vast army estimated at 10000
600 today, all following his militant
fascist bagpipes, his siren song of
how we will come to power, re-
pudiate the "war guilt lie" and all
war debts, and lead Germany on to
the place she once held in the sun
as a strong military power.
Threaten World Peace
On the other hand are the Com
munists, threatening to make of
Germany duplicate replica of red
Russia, with the natural repudia-
ton Of all debts and war on the
capitalist system. The Communists
are estimated to have a strength Of
100000.
1t is obvious to the outside world
that if either of these factions be-
comes dominant, the family of ma
tions has much to fear from a Ger
many that would no longer play
ball." but might add further to the
worlds financial and political
troubles.
With Fascism and Communism
controlling nearly half the total
German electorate, one Of the i'm
mediate results of this expression
Of economic despair and chauvin-
ism has been political violence,
leading to a toll estimated at 300
dead and many thousands wounded
since the first of the year.
Violence on Increase
Newspapers nowadays refer to a
state of guerilla civil war" in Ger
many, and although President Hin
denburg's March % decree ordered
ruthless suppression of the disturb
ances by police, the violence has
increased since then. A high reichS-
wehr officer told the writer that If
the police are unable to cope with
the outbreaks, the army might be
assigned to the task this summer
and winter.
The spectacle of troops patrolling
the German cities to keep order and
put down strikes and food riots
would be disturbing to the saner
element in Germany and would pro-
munist and Fascist agitatorS.
Both Communists and FasciSts
have been denouncing the Hoover
debt proposal as a snare and a de-
fusion. They contend that if it is
enforced, it will merely delay the
day of reckoning by the forces of
revolution and conference.-the
but If it fails, it will hasten that
day.
FoodShOpS Pillaged
In recent weeks, because Of the
reduction of the dole, communists
have organized unemployed raids
on town halls in various districts,
notably Westphalia and Saxony,
where they forced the burgomasters
to hand out uncurtailed doles.
Meantime. the famished unem-
ployed in Berlin, Cologne, Frank
fort and elsewhere have almost
daily been pillaging foodshopS,
Snatching sausages or bread and
fleeing before the police arrive.
Even the elaborate municipal relief
organizations have been helpless to
stem the rising tide Of distress.
Even the children of the poor In
the Berlin schools, who had been
getting wholesome free meals, now
are given only a roll and cocoa.
However, like other cities, Berlin
runs about forty soup kitchens, be-
sides distributing cheap clothes to
the poor.
Army of Peddlers
Windows Ct the larger five TO
eight-room apartments everywhere
are plastered with gu vermieten"
Gor rent signs, because the occu-
pants are unable to pay the land
lord.
Doorbells in the residential dis
tricts ring all day long as a stream
Of beggars, unemployed laborers and
even former merchants or brain
workers come beseeching the house
wives for food and aims.
The cities and villages are mum
dated by peddlerS, many Of them
for the first time women, selling
everything from pretzels to neckties.
Among the most popular are those
operating stands on street corners,
where, for so pfennings (about IL
cents customers may have Iurid
horoscopes read to them.
1nnumerable shrewd persons, as
well as regular clairvoyantS, sud-
denly appeared aware of the lure
OF fortune telling. especially to the
needy, because poverty breeds super
stition and many of those in despair
seek the feeble narcotic Of promise
OF better things ahead.
Suicide Toll Mounts
The neddlers and tba forf,,y,o