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108 Annals Am. Acad. Pol. & Soc. Sci. 1 (1923)

handle is hein.cow/anamacp0108 and id is 1 raw text is: Germany as It Is Today By MR. FR. NEUERBOURG Of the Commerz-und Privat-Bank, Berlin, Hamburg B ANKERS are by nature no diplo- mats. Speech may have been given to men to conceal their thoughts as Talleyrand avers, but we bankers generally say what we think and some- times rather forcefully. So if some of my remarks seem blunt, kindly lay it to what the disciples of Freud would call my occupational complex. Two years ago Germany, appealing through your new Secretary of State to the American people, offered to pay in reparation whatever sum the Presi- dent of the United States should after investigation determine as just and within our capabilities. We have like- wise and without reservations declared our willingness to abide by the decision of an impartial tribunal as proposed recently by your Government. Both of these offers, however, unprece- dented as they were in the history of the world, have been rejected. At the request of the Foreign Secre- tary of Great Britain and also guided by the counsel that came from your country, we thereupon submitted on the second day of May to the Allied and Associated Governments a definite offer stating what we sincerely believe is the present maximum that Germany is able to pay for reparations. If the sum total does not seem suffi- cient to you, there remains our offer to accept the judgment of experts. If our guarantees are considered unsatisfac- tory, I must reply: What more can we give than our Rhineland, all the posses- sions and sources of revenue of the Reich and the Federal States in any form the reparation commission or a loan-syndicate may determine, and in addition the solemn promise to take what- 2 ever legislative steps shall be considered necessary by our adversaries to assure the full cobperation of German industry and the prompt meeting of all our obligations. EvACUATION OF THE RUHR Could we go any farther? France answers-Yes, and calls our request for an early evacuation of the Ruhr in- sulting. But are you aware, as I, coming from the Rhineland and know- ing the Ruhr, am aware, that even the Imperial Germany of pre-war days never dared to place garrisons in this district, fearing the sullen hostility towards force of the miners and factory workers? And can you imagine these men, revolting against their own sol- diery, working willingly at the command of a foreign army? No, the request for evacuation is with us not a question of prestige-in that we concede the victor the right of way-but a question of common sense. If you want us to work you must permit us to work un- molested. Have as many Allied civilian control commissions as you want any- where, although their expenses are sap- ping our strength for reparations. But soldiers: no-unless you want to incite sabotage, bloodshed and open rebellion. German industry is ready for sacri- fices to the utmost of its ability, pledg- ing its physical assets as a guarantee of good faith. Finance and trade are willing, and labor, I know, will waive what it considers its most precious right gained during the revolution- the eight-hour day. But at the end of the long and dark road which you expect us to travel, we must be able to distinguish a faint glimmer of light; 1

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