Der Fuehrer - Hitler's Rise to Power (1944) - Heiden

666 DER FUEHRERif not induced, by state intervention. The great world revival from whichHitler profited did indeed result from a general political exertion, fromstate intervention in economic life. And that conservative country inwhich the state hesitated to intervene suffered the consequences. InFrance, employment had fallen more slowly during the great crisis thanin Germany, from 100 in 1930 to 80.9 in 1932; but while in Germany,England, America, and the world in general employment then began torise, the French index continued to fall to 73.5 in 1935.All over the world attempts to create separate national spheres ofprosperity were in progress. The German developments were merely apart of this picture, though indeed the Germans were more methodicalthan anyone else in their international efforts. No other country was soadept at co-ordinating economic policy, diplomacy, and propaganda.The outside world, doubting more and more the wisdom of its pastpolicy, was more receptive than before to German complaints. AlreadySchleicher had blamed — not entirely without justification — thedecisions of Ottawa for the special distress of German agriculture; nowHjalmar Schacht began to complain of the foreign tariffs which forcedGermany — so he said — to defend herself with the harshest and indeedmost unscrupulous means.From time to time in former years, the condition of German foreigntrade had been disquieting; often imports had been billions in excess ofexports; or, to speak in the language of private business, more had beenbought than could actually be paid for. But in those days the wholeworld had been glad to lend Germany money and had not pressed forrepayment. In 1928, German imports had amounted to 14,000,000,000marks, while exports had been only 12300,000,000; but the differencehad been almost made good by foreign long-term loans to the amount of1,460,000,000 marks, not to mention short and medium-term loans andstock flotations. But after 1930, no further long-term loans were offered,and where possible the short-term loans were called in; the mass ofinternational trade decreased throughout the world, and prices keptfalling. In 1932, Germany exported goods valued at only 5,700,000,000marks, but imported only 4,700,000,000 — a complete upset of thetrade