The Daily News SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1932. THE CRISIS IN GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 November 1932, Page 6

The Daily News

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1932. THE CRISIS IN GERMANY.

• oracas: NEW PLYMOUTH, Currie Street. STRATFORD, Broadway. HAWERA, High Street.

The political crisis in. Germany is rapidly becoming considerably more than a domestic affair for the German nation to handle as ; best it can. When the Lausanne international conference decided to ease the burden of reparation payments for Germany it was hoped that better conditions would arise, that the German peoples would pull together and that with their recovery the prosperity of Europe might also be brought within sight. So far from this desirable result having been achieved Germany ever since the conference has been torn by political dissensions which are bitter •in the extreme. The only semblance.of stability has been in a Government appointed arbitrarily by the President, a Government which has twice sought support from the electorate and has twice had that support refused. Internally, Germany is now being administered by force of arms, for the Chancellor, Herr von Papen, though he holds his appointment by * the constitutional right of 1 President von Hindenburg to 1 make it, has made it perfectly 1 clear that if neoessary the de- < crees of the Government will be 1 supported by the armed forces of ) the Republic. That is a very seri- I ous position for any so-called de- < mocratic nation to accept, and the j

indications are that the acceptance will not last much longer. Either a return to full Parliamentaryrule is likely to be brought about, or Germany will be ruled by a Dictator, who is openly independ' ent of popular support. It is no wonder that while this political turmoil continues economic affairs in Germany have gone from bad to worse. Unemployment figures are appalling, and the winter that lies ahead in Europe is likely to prove the harshest the German people have ever known. With domestic affairs in this deplorable condition the German attitude to other countries in regard to disarmament is little short of amazing. Unable to pay her international debts, unable to select a Government which can [claim to represent a majority of the nation, she has chosen such conditions in which to make a claim for the right to re-arm, and has refused to join the international discussion upon disarmament until this right is formally admitted. Great Britain’s courteous . suggestion that before spending money upon armaments Germany might endeavour to pay her treaty debts was appropriate. It does not appear to have had much effect in official quarters, and here again the fact that the

1 German Government is purely bureaucratic makes it difficult to know how far its actions and speech reflect the opinions and desires of the German people. Their effect upon other countries is, only too manifest. Italy agrees with Great Britain that Germany’s claim to be equal in armaments with the other Great Powers should be admitted. Like England, Italy agrees that the equality should be reached by other countries reducing their armaments rather than by Germany increasing hers. France more or less subscribes to this theory, with the qualification that in her special circumstances she must be assured of national safety. Rusisia’s outlook and intentions are

more or less of an. enigma to the other nations, and Poland seems to take the view of France that national safety can only-be secured by military preparedness. What is an indisputable fact is that expenditure upbn European armaments is heavier than in pre-war days, and that so long as this con-' tinues economic recovery is almost impossible. Thak is the reason. why the German political crisis is of serious moment to other nations. That is the reason why any change which makes for J

stability will be welcomed by Great Britain and other Powers. It is for the German people to decide whether the change is to be towards democracy or autocracy, but for the sake of civilisation it is time the period of uncertainty was ended.