GERMANY RAMPANT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3149, 25 December 1922, Page 2

GERMANY RAMPANT.

How is Germany getting along? Reports that sharply contradict one another are continually being received. One observer brings back conclusive evidence to show that Germany is rapidly enriching herself by means of the depreciating mark. Promptly in his footsteps comes another to showthat owing to the depreciation of the mark Germany is being rapidly ruined. E. Surrey Dane has compiled a report upon the economic conditions prevailing in Germany, which gives an apparently perfectly fair account of post-bellum Germany. The conclusions at. which the competent observer arrived were: As an ex-empire Germany is in a position inferior to that which she held in 1914. Yet, viewed as a smaller nation, she is basically wealthy; and the national character is still as strong and capable as that which raised her to economic pre-eminence in Continental Europe before the war. By tbe policy of tbe depreciation of the mark, she has gained a firm hold on the world markets, and also she possesses large holdings of foreign currencies. There is little unemployment; there is strong co-operation between German firms; taxation is lax, and easily escaped. Tbe prophesied financial crash is likely only if the Government tries to get back to the gold standard. Germany has all the visible signs of prosperity; she is developing into a vast wealth-producing machine. She is able to produce and deliver goods when and where required, thus accumulating a vast reserve of real credit for use in future competition. "Hence, it cannot be doubted that, even allowing for possible trouble ahead, Germany is on the high road to prosperity as real as tbat of a decade ago."