Saturday, 8 March 1930

Germany:

Berlin:  Defense Minister Lieut. Gen. Wilhelm Groener issues a memorandum to military officers around the country to be extra watchful, as his office has received information indicating that communists believe the time is right in Germany for a communist revolution.  Meanwhile, Germany sends notice to the Soviet Union that it will blame that country for any future communist propaganda within German borders.  Most western governments consider it a “worst-kept secret” that COMINTERN is state sponsored by the Soviet Union.

Meanwhile, Wilhelm Marx, former Chancellor, pens an article which appears in newspapers outside of Germany, warning the world against the “insane bolshevist teachings” of soviet Russia.  “Bolshevism, which is regarded by all advanced peoples as utterly insane, is striving for world wide revolution, and has secured dominion over the Russian people.  Its aim is to shatter every state and human institution, and especially capitalism, in order to erect on the ruins a new order – to create indeed a new type of human beings.  The ideas embodied in this doctrine, so destructive to humanity, exercise a strong fascination especially on peoples little affected by general culture.  The Chinese empire, which had hardly been touched by world history for over a thousand years, was within an astonishingly short space of time menaced to its very existence to the highest degree by Bolshevik propaganda.  All this was finally counteracted, but perhaps only temporarily. 

But for Europe the menace of the East remains as a threatening storm cloud on the horizon.  Supported by incalculable natural resources and the tenacity of the Slavic race in its endurance of the greatest wretchedness, men in power in Russia are carrying on their propaganda with inexhaustible funds.  Naturally the neighboring states are the chief sufferers.  Perhaps the countries victorious in the world war will one day have to regret that in drawing up the Treaty of Versailles they concentrated all their efforts toward weakening Germany.  It is alone due to the healthy common sense of the German people and to their steadfast love for order that bolshevist agitation has hitherto been able to gain comparatively little ground.  But the bolshevist menace should serve also as a warning to other countries not to destroy Germany’s economic basis.  An impoverished people whose widest circles are doomed to want, is naturally the best culture medium for bolshevist agitation.  The very existence of states, the conservation and health of peoples and all social and economic order are menaced if these insane teachings of the bolshevist leaders should gain dominion over a still greater part of humanity.”

Meanwhile, the effects of the worldwide economic depression deepen:  Bankruptcies are up 43% over same month 1929.  In Cologne, the Social Democrat Association of Police announces that carnivals will be considered out of place at a time when 2.5 million people are receiving unemployment assistance.

Elsewhere: 

Washington:  The National Unemployment League appeals to President Herbert Hoover and Congress to enact immediate legislation starting a public works system to reduce unemployment. 

London:  The British government releases a white paper which it says reveals a decree issued in the Soviet Union earlier this year limiting religion.  The decree forbids meetings for prayer or Bible study, calls for religious buildings to be nationalized, and mandates that all confiscated church funds be turned over to the state.