Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-04
BY FRANK sIMoNDS.

dominating interrogation, no
IL merely in Europe or America
but, in fact, all over a worlc
which perceiveS without understanding
the far-reaching change which has
taken place in the Reich This queS-
ton, too. does not arise from the single
fact of the results of the recent elec-
ton, which could have been interpreted
as the expression of discomfort. disap-
pointment and economic depression
not absent in the recent American ex'
perience Rather it comes from the
character of the German Fascist move
ment and the fact that every day the
movement gathers force, and that each
new local election shows great IN
crease Of strength since the general
election of September.
The world is, then, in the presence
Of the astounding spectacle of the most
orderly, reasonable and business minded
people on the European Continent en-
listing in ever-growing numbers In a
political army which combines the
watchwords of the French revolution
with those Of the Russian, which unites
the Communism Of Lentn With the
slrper-nationaliSm of Mussolini, which
urges economic heresies with all the
elouuence Of the late William Jennings
Bryan, and militaristic doctrines with
the phrases of Ludendorh. How, after
all, IS one to explain this amazing mar
rage between the doctrines Of old
Prussia and new Russia? How explain,
not the existence, but the ever-widen-
ing appeal, of these conceptions alike
among masses and classes?
Three Causes Given.
The answer to this question must be
found in three distinct cauSeS-a lost
war, an impossible political system, and
an economic depression which, although
worldwide, has, because of special Cir
ctlmstances, hit Germany harder than
any other country except Britain.
The loss of the World War. resulting
IN the treaty Of Versailles, stripped the
Germans in their own eyes OF practl-
cally everything that constituted ma
tional unity, security, prosperity and
pride The guilt clause established them
as a criminal people. The territorial
changes not only deprived them OF
many border provinces containing iron,
coal and the best food-producing re-
gions, but in the East, through the
Polish Corridor, abolished national
unity. The reparations provisions inn
posed q huge annual tribute over two
generations upon nation which in the
war and mutations crisis had lost its
entire working capital. The diSarma-
nnent clauses left Germany defenseless
and with unprotected frontiers in a
Europe once again armed to the teeth.
Against these treaty decisions the
German people have uninterruptedly
cried out for 10 years. There has de-
veloped q nationwide sense OF perSe-
cution, q unanimous conviction that
German existence, economic, political,
social and moral, Is impossible until
such times as q revision Of the treaty
Of Versailles restores to the German
people an irreducible minimum Of those
things all regard as essential to ma
tionRl existence.
II one Is to understand the present
German crisis at all, 1t is essential first
to appreciate, to reckon with this ma
tional state Of mind. The German sit
uation Is psychological, and even path
ological. before 1t Is political or eco
nonaic. And precisely here is the ex-
PLANTATION Of the success Of the cam
paigns Of Fascism and the spread Of
contemporary doctrines.
1913 Revolt Accidental
When one turns to the question Of
the political system it Is to perceive
At once that the German revolution Of
1918. unlike that of 1870 in France,
which threw up trained leaders and
was made by convinced republicans,
was accidental What happened was
that the old order suddenly went bank
r1pt, the Kaiser fed, the army crun-
bled, the Communists rushed forward
to repeat the Russian experiment. TINS
supreme disaster was barely averteo,
but, the danger exercised, there was
left no basis OF unity.
At Weimar a constitution, repubn-
can in form, was adopted through
combination Of organized labor, the
Roman Catholics and the Liberals. But
these parties, which were agreed upon
a republic, were divided on every ques-
ton affecting property, domestic pol
icy, business; and this combination OF
natural enemies was Immediately over
whelmed by having to assume respon-
gibility for the treaty of Versailles.
For the next five years these So
called Weimar parties stroVe to carry
on with ever diminishing maJorlties,
steadily mounting unpopularity and
daily growing differences. Then at last
came Stresemann with new concep-
ton. While inevitably accepting IN
foreign affairs the consequences OF a
lost war and boldly proclaiming his
policy Of Locarno, in home politics he
endeavored to bring about a union OF
the parties which were conservative In
domestic legislation. In a word, ne
tried to unite the Nationalist and Con-
servatiye Republicans by persuading the
former to drop their mOnarchial and
chauvinistic program and the latter
20 abandon their radical allies.
In this effort StreSemann failed, and
the effort ended by killing him. When
he died the slight degree Of system
which he established collapsed. The
Inevitable result was the complete
paralysis Of orderly administration and
legislation.
Germany Before War,
You must see the thing in the Ger
man light Before the war Germany
was. on the whole, in domestic affairs
the best governed country in the world
And now during more than a decade
the republican, the oft-replaced repub-
lean government, presents a spectacle
Of incapacity, helplessneSs II had been
alike a spectacle Of confusion born Of
lack Of authority at home and OF APP
parent surrender born Of cowardice
abroad.
Such was the background at the mo-
ment when suddenly Germany, like the
rest of the world, was assailed by tht
economic depression Of last year, broad
ening into the disaster Of the present
Unemployment mounted rapidly, wages
fell and prices increased, misery spread
and q parliamentary system which hac
neither anticipated nor prepared fol
this afiiction was now disclosed pow
erless 70 help and apparently incapable
Of effort.
When at last the government under
took q program Of relief 1t was con-
1ronted by the consequences Of year.
Of failure. A vast program Of econ
omy, salary reduction, new taxation
was inevitable If Germany were to ven.
ta1re 70 ask the world to consent TO 2
moratorium in reparations. But Sucf
q program inevitably struck at the spe'
cial interests Of each political group
and each group tried TO protect it
members from the general program o