RICH GERMANY.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1924, Page 4

RICH GERMANY.

LESS POVERTY THAN IN ENGLAND.

LONDON, Jan. 1

Englishmen who are still prepared to weep over the plight ol stricken Germany, to forgive that country what she owes Britain in reparations, ami to send gifts of food to those who aro supposed to be starving should be compelled to spend six weeks of exile in Germany that they might be cured of their illusions.

1 have just completed such an exile, writes a correspondent m the "Daily Mail.” I have journeyed from the western to the eastern frontier of Germany, visited Baden and Bavaria, investigated- the conditions in the chief cities and in the Ruhr. I went there believing that Germany was in as hapless a plight as 1 had read, but I found that there is far more distress in Lancashire to-day than there is in the whole of Germanv, even including the Ruhr. For indeed, Germany is enjoying an economic prosperity that makes England seem like a stricken country, and it is certain that a man from Mars, after visiting both of the countries. would refuse to believe that Germanv lost the war and England

won it. Wherever one walked in the streets of Berlin and other cities ol Germany in the days immediattly preceding Christmas one saw the shop windows crowded with Christmas fare. There were turkeys, gee-o, chicken-'. and Ddc* of veal and beef. Milk. eggs, ami even butter, imobl reliable a lew week-- ago, weii' abundnni . The large store- on the l.eip/.igcr Sira-se- the Oxford-street of Berlin--were arrayed with Christinas gifts that uul rivalled anything I have yet -ecu in London, while in Radon I saw whole Iraiuload- ol Christmas trees being hipped i• ■ ihe principal cities of the country. Thi- pro-peri I y i- not the privilege |of the rich. Wages are high iu accordance wiili the cost of living, and a tour of the poor districts of cities afar apart as Cologne and Berlin and I Breslau reveals far loss poverty (lutii ! there i- to he seen in, -ay. pails of I Islington. ! The children arc well shod. Their I clnLhe.s are thick and warm, ami ihcy appear happy and contented. | In the country districts it is Trank|ly admitted that the people aro fail | better fed and clothed than before the war. and (he appearance of the people and ihe popularity of the small cates emphasise this truth. In clot I ling, 100, the Germans are j far bettor provided than Engli-hinoti. j Fur routs are abundant, and the material of -uit s is of thick quality, while the women do not so.-m in have -utfered any deprivation of i.lieir ugly adoinimuil owing to tin- -opposed plight of Germany. Their out) :-uttering is tin entire ab-onco ol good taste. Of ionr.se. the rest aura lit- and cabarets, tin* beer hulls and theatres are nourishing. ll is. indeed, necessary to hook several days ahead to gel. a seat at any theatre. if there are Englishmen, however, who have any .■ wnpnlhv lor Germany, the\ can he s-'iired ilmt tlcre i - litGc sympalliy lor the lon-igue;- in Germany. At every turn ill" Germans seek to gel lilolr pound of I’o'll OUI o I the Uligli-hmun or American. If you siay in an hotel you pay a tax of Mi pi-r , mu. Telegrams lo England cost nearly double wltaL they do Irom London; ib postage on let- • ers : ' ! "i pu loard- ; murl: higher : you hue- to ;g>y s .• peek;l lax at the thee! re for ! cm;.-, a foreigner; and hoiel-, reataurants. maid-, and -hep-} keepers, s 'ciu engaged in a gigantii ] con-piracy to mb ilu man who is not. | a German. j