GERMANY UNGER DEFEAT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 1175, 19 February 1919, Page 5

GERMANY UNGER DEFEAT.

CONDITIONS IN FRANKFORT,

DISAPPEARANCE OP LUDENDORFF.

When I was last in Frankfort, at the end of March, noboriy believed in a speedy peace, writes a correspondent of the London Times. A tremendous longing for peace prevailed everywhere, but the view universally held was that the German offensive then just begun would develop into complete victory ana make Germany’s adversaries rjpa for peace. The middle classes and wide circles of the working classes believed that a real and permament peace could only be attained if their adversaries’ will was impaired, though the Pan-Germans alone thought that the smashing of the Entente was possible. Since then the picture has been essentially changed, though the external appearance jut the g streets is altered but little Yon see persons commissioned by the Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council running round the city wherever go. Frankfort looked better under the mTitary system. The people’s representatives, many of whom belong to the workers’ defence force, wear civilian clothing, often very ragged. The red cockade gives the *>nly uniform note. The population’s way of looking at things, however, has changed very much, the bourgeoisa being full of embitterment and feeling itself deceived by its former rulers. It expects little good from the Versailles Conference. HOHENZOLLERNSFORGOTTEN.

Hardly any interest whatever is now felt in Germany for the former dynasty. This indifference towards the dethroned is more powerful than hate or contempt It is remarkable how quickly the Hohenzollerns seem to nave been forgotten. The burning questions of the day are engrossing all minds, but the people believe the past will once more be brought up later and the guilty punished.

On the declaration of the armistice the troops from the lines of communication threw themselves without order on the trains going eastwards. For the moment the carriages were choked with knapsacks and kit-hags, so that no one could enter Those unable to get places were obliged to remain in the cold on the footboards outside, or travel on the roofs. No railway carnage in the regions affected by the demobilisation now possess a pane of glass. Among the returning soldiers there is relatively little Bolshevism They are coming home embittered and amazed at the proceedings in Berlin, and among these men circulates the characteristic saying that they gwant to return to a 'home and not to a pig-sty. The soldiers ask where the home army has remained and the great military reserves of which the Supreme Army Command and the news papers chattered.

CRIMINALS WITH RED RIBBONS Many rumours are circulating about Ludendorff, no one doubting any more that he has fled to a nental country. One very frequently hears that Ludendoff’s nerves ultimately collapsed and that be had recourse to drink.

The anxiety of the civilian population abont a proletarian dictatorship frequently affords an opportunity to criminals to utilise tt is alarm for their own purposes. They thus impose upon civilians, and, wearing the red ribbons of the Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council, commit robbery of luggage and other private property under the pretest of carrying out investigations. As the trains frequently are late, the engine-drivers endeavour by proceeding at terrific speed to make up lost time, hut the > shortage of lubricating oil is so much felt on the railways and in all mechanical works that material is still further used up, so that, screeching and creaking, the 'machinery and railway wheels and axles are being worn out until they become useless. It is remarkable that all specie suddenly disappeared. People, fearful of frightful taxes, attach no intrinsic value to shares “and options, and have sold the paper which in the course of one week has lost thousands of marks in value and hoard the bank-notes, which they have concealed at home. The consequence is that the banka are unable to pay out sums of thousands of marks owing to lack "of bank notes. Incredibly fantastic substitutes for currency are circulating as municipal district money, and there are now actually bank notes for a 1,000,000 marks, 200,000 marks, and 100,000 marks at one extreme and for 50 pfennigs (6d), to help j out small change, at the other.