HIDDEN HAND STILL AT WORK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18785, 19 May 1923, Page 11

HIDDEN HAND STILL AT WORK

HOW THE GERMAN BALANCESHEET IS COOKED TO DECEIVE BRITAIN. i(Ri JI. GEORGES PIDOUX, D.C.JI.) M. Georges Pidoux is wellknown in the business world of London. A Frenchman by birth, he lias for twenty-eight years resided in this country, which _ , he now regards as his home. In " the British Army—attached to tlie Royal Engineers—he won lhe D.C.M. in the war, and later rendered valuable service as an interpreter at GJLQ. All his life he has been a close student of international affairs at firsthand, and on this subject he is recognised as an authority. Yes. the hidden hand Is still at work. The British people do not realise the terrible oetopus-like hold rhe International financier has on | this country. There is so much German money over here that the Germans themselves scarcely know where to put it. German capital is contributing very largely to provide a cheap tank rate. ai*t the covert threat is that if Britain is unfriendly to Germany this capital will be withdrawn and sent elsewhere. According to German statistics, the amount of capital exported by ' Germany since the war to Britain,■ the Cnited States. South America, and other neutral countries is twenty . milliards of gold marks. (£l,OOO. 000,000 sterling.) The taxation ol Germany is one-twentieth part of the taxation in this country. Where the Britisher pays twenty pounds, the German pays one pound, and this disproportion is .jigrava’ed when you consider the enormous subsidies paid iff Germany towards railways, telegraphs, etc. Another proof that the Germans , have money is the fact that they )| .have been able to buy back from Britain such a number of the ships » hlch they surrendered under the Treaty of Versailles. PEACEFUL PENETRATION IN NEW GEISES. In the face of these facts, is it not heattbreaking that many honest Britishers, whose resources have been impoverished by the .war, should have to borrow money planked by the Germans in this country? Money taiks, they say, and there is no gainsaying its power when it is exploited for purely selfish purposes. The German policy of peaceful penetration is not dead; rather has it been revived under new guises. It is flbt confined to Great Britain by any means, but it is here if only those who have eyes to see would look round. But Britain has been lulled into security by the cunning propaganda of the German bosses, who, in reality, are the ruling power in Germany to-day. The Reichstag is but a figurehead. It is to smash these powerful industrialists that the Ftench are now in the Ruhr, and for the first time the financiers are showing signs of weakening. Ttheir insidious propaganda has had its effect in Britain. When at the end of the war the trade of the world lay at the feet of Britain, the hidden hand was there to rob her of her just dues. They saw their opportunity, and immediately set to L work to take the fullest advantage of/tt- Hours were lengthened ana wages cut, and British manufacturers were unable to face the stern fxirrt petition.

THE EXCHANGE MANIPULATED. The foreign exchange market was manipulated with the most diabolical skill and cunning. Many people fell into the trap. Marks were bought freely in this country. It was a gamble in which the dice was heavily loaded against us. Instead of improving, the mark depreciated more and more. Good money was thrown after bad. We awakened too late—when 300 millions of British money had been spent in buying worthless German marks. Well may it be said that the Germans only know how to deal in scraps of paper. This premeditated plot was a two edged sword. While we were buying bits of paper, the rate of exchange enabled the German industrialist to increase his exports tremendously. But he was cunning then as always. He refused to receive in payment for them the marks we had bought. He only accepted British money, and this was safely invested in this country. In this way enormous hidden resources have been built up, and it is this money which should be seized to pay for the promised Reparations. The rise in the mark suddenly became imperative to those International financiers. Why? Because for the first time, now that France has a stranglehold on the Ruhr, Germany must buy raw material from abroad. With a high rate of exchange this was difficult. The solution was simple. Improve the exchange. Within a few days it was done, and there are still people who are puzzled by it all. The German magnate thinks he can fool us alf along the line. That is the simple explanation. GERMANY RICHER THAN EVER. As a result of cunning machinations, Germauy is richer to-day than ever she has been before. Just look for one moment on the dividends paid out by her great industrial concerns. The group controlled by Stinnes have declared dividends of 100 per cent, on all their shares. In many cases titre: bonus shares have been given away for each share held. Those controlled by Herr Thyssen are equally prosperous. And yet it is declared that Germany is unable to pay Reparations. Is it logical? Herr Thyssen recently stated that Germany would be able to negotiate with France on the understanding of exchanging German coal for French or* Six months ago he stated that Germany would be unable to do so. Mby is it that he has suddenly [altered his opinion? For the simple I reason that he sees that France i means business. ' All the while German propaganda [is slowly but strrdy at work. Its I organisation is I erfect. It feels the pulse of every nation, and only those who have closely studied International politics realise the menace that it holds. “Deutschland über Alles'* is still the dominating cry. The dreams of world power have once more taken hold of the German imagination. A map of Europe shows no sign of a Teutonic Empire. In reality, it is as near existence as ever it has been. South America is almost completely controlled by German financiers. In that country they have sunk a vast amount of capital. In Russia it is the same. German gold is developing Russia’s tremendous resources, and it is in that country that Germany finds the means of evading the Treaty of Versailles. It is there that munitions are being made on a gigantic scale, and the Allies are helpless.

WHERE THE GREATEST PERIL LIES. But it is in Central Europe that the greatest peril of all will soon confront us. Austria Hungary was smashed up by the Allies after the war, and the new country of Czechoslovakia rose in its place. Slowly but surely the pendulum is swinging back again to the old combination. It is not realised here that the manipulation of the mark exchange has thrown the new State into the ' hands of Germany. For everything I they are dependent on Germany, so I completely have the deep-laid ' schemes succeeded. They are unable to get clear of the toils of the International financiers, and already they must obey the command of Berlin. Before long Germany will have gained complete control of Central Europe and Russia, and this combination will be the greatest and most powerful the world has ever seen. .ie greatsst sufferer of all will be the German worki an. Already the effects Oif the secret power in Germany has resulted in the wiping out of the middie classes. There now remain only the working people and the capitalists. The small capitalist has been ■ swallowed up by Stinnes and Company. The workmen do not realise their true position. They are being spoon fed at the present time. Soon tile velvet glove will fall off and reveal the mailed fist. GERMAN Y’S COOKED BALANCESHEET. The German national balancesheet is being cooked in order to deceive Britain. Tremendous deficiencies are shown, but the figures will not bear investigation. The working man in Germany does not pay his in come tax as is done in Britain. Instead his employer deducts a certain proportion of his wage every week, and this money never gets as far as the National Exchequer. It is sent abroad to swell the hidden resources, while many people believe that Germany is on the point of bankruptcy. People in Britain cannot understand the psychology of the German mind. They know that Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles, and believe with commendable simplicity that Germany will honour the undertakings made there. Britain has pledged herself to redeem the money owing to America, aud intends to do that, although she grumbles at the unfair burden placed upon her. But Britain makes a terrible blunder in judging Germany by her own standard. While the hidden hand is there, there is no intention of regarding the Treaty a s other than a scrap of paper.—Sunday Post.