Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-04
German Stability Needed
To Check Militant Russia
BY A. G. GARDINER

Englands Greatest LioerAl EoitoEs
LONDON, January S.-Both POLITICAL
ly and economically, the new year has
dawned cheerlessly on this side 09 the
Atlantic.
The declaration " Sir Charles Nd
dis, distinguished member cf tls Bank
for International Settlements, that I'M
less the central banks take drastic
measures to restore stability, the whole
financial fabric Of the world b "A peril
Of collapse, indicates the gravity Of the
outlook.
The internal situation IA Germany
is viewed here with deep dlsquiet rs
the most immediate danger point The
| statement of the minister Of defsnse
at President Won Hindenburgis rocep-
ton on New Year day that Germany's
ability to support the Young plan is
seriously in doubt-a statement which
Won Hindenburg 1ndorsed-foEeshadOwB
q crisis ahead.
The shadow Of the war debt cues
ton hangs like q curse over Western
| Europe; and until that curse Is lifted,
a recovery to normal conditions II inn
possible.
Opinion here fully realizes that the
stability Of Germany Is vital to pre-
serve Western civilization from diGtin-
tegration In the face Of the gathering
power of organized Russian despotism,
which deliberately aims at the over
throw Of that civilization. But the
mind Of French craftsmanship is still
obsesSed with issues which the ris0 Of
militarized Soviet Russia has made Sec
ondary, II not entirely obsolete. The
pressure Of Russian competition On the
basis Of drilled and forced labor has
already had q devastating effect on
economic conditions In Western Eu-
rope, and 1881 win inevitably witness
a vast development Of this enormously
disturbing factor.
The oVershadowing issue Of the new
year is whether the Western powers can
compose their differences in the face
Of this challenge to their existence, the
magnitude of which daily becomes more
palpable. But there Is little In the
present outlook to justify confidence
that saner counsels will prevail. Frances
main preoccupation Is still pegging
down disarmed Germany with bayonets,
as evidenced by the pitiful results Of
the Preparatory Disarmament Com
missions conference, while the plain
truth is that q revived and friendly
Germany is the only guarantee for
STA with her vast schemes for the uni
versal dominion Of sovietiSrn.
4
Behind these great clouds that darken
the horizon of the new year are others
more particularly affecting British pros
poets. The issue of the Indian Confer
ence is still in the balance. Excellent
progress was made up to q certain point,
but the conflict between the Hindus and
Moslems over the question Of separate.
or common celebrates Is still unsettled
Each side fears to yield lest the agree.
ment be repudiated In India. More
over, the supreme question Of q re-
sponsible central executive il still pend )
ing. It Is agreed that without this con.
cesSion the conference Is doomed 70
failure, and in view Of the fact that the z
conference must end this month, tina s
Macdonald government Is being urged;
to hasten declaration IN favor Of q re- 50
sponsible executive. rs
The delay is due 10 the fact That c
Premier Macdonald must carry the :
whole British delegation with him, and
the position Of the Conservative repre-
sentation Is still difficult to persuade, Z
not because 1t Is not convinced Of the
necessity Of the concession, but because
Of a fear Of being repudiated By the
Conservative party in Parliament.
Should the concession be made, a. this
correspondent has confident reason to
expect, the result Of the conferences IN
India cannot fan TO be favorable.
Domestically, the year has op@ned
with most ominous events. The unena-
ployment figures for the closing week
Of 1890 created q new record and New
Year day witnessed the beginning Of a
strike OF the miners In South Wales.
With every prospect Of an extension to
Scotland. which would involve synipa-
thetic strikes in all the coal fields.
Meanwhile cut in railroad wages pro-
posed by the companies Is still under
consideration by the workers, with q
strong probability of rejection and the
likelihood Of Q national strike IA the
transport services,
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