GERMAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 October 1927, Page 3

GERMAN NEWS.

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.)

GERMAN MINISTERS’ HOPES. LONDON, Sept. 30. Colour is lent to the suggestions of a Franco-German coolness at Geneva, resulting from President Hindenburg’s Tannenburg war-guilt speech, and the Belgo-German controversy regarding the war atrocities inquiry, by an interview with Herr Stresemann (Ger man Foreign Minister), published in “Le Petit Parisian,” in which he admitted that , certain shadows still fall across Franco-German friendship, but { he said he is convinced that they soon will pass. Herr Stresemann said that Gcrjnany’s collaboration obviously cannot ,r produce a maximum result from the pacific standpoint until certain problems on which depend a lasting good understanding between the two .countries have been solved. He concluded with a wish soon to see the League of Nations, in which Germans and y- Frenchmen were able to unite, without any shadow. m The future of Europe, said Herr Stresemann, was only assured if the nations, instead of thinking exclusively of their own interests, had the courage to remember the interests of others.

GERMAN EXPLANATION. LONDON, Sept. 29. The French and Belgian press are most excited about the declaration of Doctor Ludwig Herz, the expert adviser to the German Parliamentary Commission investigating war guilt, that all the supposed atrocities of the Belgian people have accused the Germans were merely visions sustained by a collective hallucination. In other words, that the horrors did not exist, except in the imagination. The French scathingly comment that Doctor Herz is himself a victim of this disease, and that his individual hallucination passes the hounds of idiosyncracy and borders on idiocy. Meantime, Germany is preparing to celebrate. President Von Hindenburg’s eightieth birthday on Sunday, when another speech is inevitable. Ihe whole Presidential Palace will be decorated with flowers on Saturday night while tho President is sleeping.

POSITION IN GERMANY. BERLIN, ScpE. 29. The Daily News Berlin correspondent states: A lietter standard of living for the German middle classes is expected, owing to there being a twentyfive per cent, increase coming in the .salaries of veterans, pensioners and civil servants, it probably being operative on October Ist. This is described as “a shower of gold,” and it is regarded as the most popular and mast dangcrou measure since the revolution. The Reich, owing to the surplus from taxation, can foot the bill with sixteen million sterling available, but tbe States and Municipalities are aghast at the new burdens, whereof file workers fear higher charges for gas and electricity. Rents will bo increased ten per cent, on October Ist. largely swallowing up the increase in incomes.