German Domestic Difficulties Despite the moratorium accorded to her, Germany
is still hard put to it to defend her currency from depreciating. Further measures have been taken to control the exchange. The departure from the gold standard has had the effect of cheapening English coal in German ports, and thus of increasing the troubles of the Ruhr coal industry. The Government before resigning reduced the miners' wages by 7 per cent. while waiving for a time their insurance payments, so as to help the industry. In Austria the Government has caused a rigorous Economy Bill to be enacted. Official salaries and pensions have been reduced and many new taxes have been imposed so that the Budget may balance. For the moment the Heimwehr, the armed Nationalist organiza- tion, has been cowed by the prompt suppression of its recent revolt in Styria.
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