GERMANY FROM WITHIN

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 267, 5 August 1920, Page 5

GERMANY FROM WITHIN

CRY FOR FOOD AND WORK. London, July 27. .Mr. E. R. Peacock (Special Commissioner of {lie "Sydney Sun"), in an interview. summed up his impressions gathered during nearly six months' tour of the cities and industrial centres in Germany, subsequent to a visit to the Spa Conference. _ He declared that there was difficulty in an entirely new form of Government, while the country wag still suffering a tremendous social and economic disturbance, which he explains is more tlmn outsiders realise. Germany's attitude towards the Treaty is the fundamental problem of tha whole situation, and is vitally affecting disarmament, Jhe restoration of industry, and flie satisfactory fulfilment of the pence obligations. Strong political, leadership, capable of holding a stable majority in the Reichstag, has apparently not yet been found. The existence of the Fehrenbach Government is precarious. The Communists and irreconcilable Socialists represent only 50 of the total electorates, but they aro tile best organised parties in tho country. They aro largely armed now, and are constantly receiving propagandist reinforcements from Russia. The great majority of tile )M>ople aro undoubtedly £fre<l or internal dissension, find will soon settle down if given sufficient food. Actual hunger is still seen in many parts of Germany, ana there is a liability in tlioso circumstances of a recurrence of revolutionary passion anu reclifessuess. Tho irreconciliables may detach a section of (jio Majority Socialists, and in thut event there would Tw «n immediate danger of Bolshevism sprca(ling over Hie country. Tho success of the Russians Against Poland is liable to contribute to that end. Air. Peacock believes that fears of aggression by tho militarist section of tho French arc genuinely entertained in Germany, and intensify the difficulties of disarmament, but the economic needs are tho most important of all. "Give us food, raw and work," is every wliere heard. Given "'these without' delay everything else will probably follow.