GERMANY FROM WITHIN

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160723, 9 August 1920, Page 5

GERMANY FROM WITHIN

JOURNALIST'S IMPRESSIONS. CRY FOE POOD AND WORK. LONDON, July 23. Mr E. R. Peacock, an Australian journalist, in an interview, slimmed up his impressions gathered during nearly six months’ tour o: the cities and industrial centres in Germany, subsequent to a visit to the Spa Conference. He declared that there was difficulty in establishing an entirely new form of Government while the country was still suffering a tremendous social and economic disturbance, which lie explains is more than outsiders realise. Germany’s attitude towards the Treaty is the fundamental problem of the whole situation, and is vitally affecting disarmament, the restoration of industry, and the satisfactory fulfilment of the peace obligations. Strong political leadership, capable of holding a stable majority in the Reichstag, has apparently not yet been found. The existence of the Fehrenbach Government is precarious. The Commounists and irreconcilable Socialists represent only oO of the total electorate, but they are the best organised parties in the country. They are largely armed now, and are constantly receiving propagandist reinforcements from Russia. The great majority of the people are undoubtedly tifed of 'internal dissension, and will soon settle down if given sufficient food. Actual hunger is still scon in many parts of Germany, and there is a liability in these circumstances of a recurrence of revolutionary passion and recklessness. The ifreconcilables may detach a section of the Majority Socialists, and in that event there would be an,immediate danger of - Bolshevism spreading over the country. The success of the Russians against Poland is liable to contribute to that end. Mr Peacock believes that fears of aggression by the militarist section of the French are genuinely entertained in Germany, and intensify the difficulties of disarmament, bnt the economic needs are the most important of all. ■'Give us food, raw materials, and work,” is everywhere heard. Given these without delay everything else will probably follow.”