THE RHINELAND

Otago Witness, Issue 3886, 4 September 1928, Page 37

THE RHINELAND

GERMANY’S DEMAND. COMPLETE EVACUATION. LONDON, August 29. The Berlin Socialist Press Bureau acserts that Dr Mueller (Chancellor), at the League Assembly, will demand the complete evacuation of the Rhineland. The Zeitung Mittag has a long story on the Stresemann-Poiiicare interview, in which it declares that France has agl’Bf*d not to oppose evacuation before the Versailles date. THE DAWES PAYMENTS. LONDON, August 29. Next Saturday will mark the beginning of the fifth year of the Dawes payments. It has often been described as the critical fifth year. Added significance is the recently-mentioned desire of Germany to have the Rhineland evacuated, which M. Briand and Dr Stresemann were discussing for hour 3 in a private conversation prior to the Kellogg Pact signing. It was indicated that the Allies desired a very formidable quid pro quo before any consideration would be given to evacuation. Germany is now probably economically stronger than she was before the war. Her recovery has been almost unbroken, and has embraced all spheres—improving employment, rapidly increasing production, and a rapid and growing export trade. It i s pointed out that her capital depletion has not fully been made good, but Germany’s savings records, taken together with - the figures for new investments in industry, housing, and communications, prove that the reparations drain is relatively very small. The exports between 1923 and i 928 increased by over 85 per cent. 'They averaged 508.000.000 marks a month in 1923, and 945,000.000 marks in 1928. Indeed, if allowance is made for the rise in prices, the monthly average value for part of the first quartet of 1928 is about 37 per cent higher than in the last five pre-war years. Mr Robert Crozier, in an article in the Fortnightly Review, say s that the Dawes Plan has been followed by rapid rises in the standard of living and simultaneously a resumption of national saving on a pre-war scale. The Dawes Plan has not only, helped to make Germany sound, but it is still fostering her economic recovery.