862.00/3187

The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Secretary of State

No. 496

Sir: I have the honor to report that notwithstanding an outward appearance of quiet, it is certain that decided discontent is prevalent in various portions of the German population. Although the open opposition in the Evangelical Church appears to have been broken, there can be little doubt that much bitterness continues to exist in this confession as well as among the Roman Catholics, while the recent outburst in Government circles of hostility to the monarchists indicates that the former are uneasy. The latest development in this connection is a communication addressed by General Goring, the Minister-President of Prussia, to Frick, the Federal Minister of the Interior, requesting the latter to cause the immediate dissolution of all royalist organizations. The importance of this step is emphasized by the reported pro-monarchist sympathies of Göring.

The efforts made by the Government to reduce unemployment and the new labor code are cited as achievements which will tend to revive business and bring contentment to the workingman. Nevertheless complaints are heard that much of this reduction has been brought about by forcing the employer to take on an entirely unnecessary amount of labor. That the workingman may not be satisfied with the situation is indicated by reliable information to the effect that only a short time ago a strike occurred in a bakery of Berlin in protest against a proposed lowering of wages. It should be remembered that the new labor law forbids strikes.

The other side of the picture is the apparent inability of any of the disgruntled groups to gather force sufficient to organize a revolt. The Government has an efficient secret police and to all appearances can count with confidence on the S.A. and S.S.,3 who number about [Page 217] 2,500,000 men. There are no signs of organized discontent in the Reichswehr.

The conclusion to be drawn from the foregoing is that the Federal Government is not menaced with any serious danger from the discontented elements. The lack of cohesion and organization among its enemies and the natural tendency of the German to submit passively to authority would indicate that for the present at least its position is secure.

Respectfully yours,

William E. Dodd
  1. Sturm-Abteilung and Schutz-Staffel.