I have just been reading a long private letter from
a young German whose mother was British. He paints an almost alarmingly sombre picture of certain aspects of life in Germany today not least of the alleged mistrust of the Federal Government at Bonn. In view of a recent report on the activities of " contact men " in this country it is of some interest to read: " Our representatives met a head of a firm who had just wangled a licence for export— at the cost of 24,000 D.M. and two fur coats for secretaries. In order to get results you must engage a ' lobbyist,' who then gets in touch with the relevant persons, members of the Bundestag com- mittee for food, civil servants, etc., and dines out with them first a few times in order to lubricate the further proceedings. Of course the secretaries, typists, etc., must have preliminary boxes of chocolates, or better still a piece-of jewellery." This must be taken for what it is worth, but there is little doubt the writer believes it to be true ; he would have no reason to coin false allegations in a private letter to a friend. His suggested remedy is surprising. " What we want," he says, " in my eyes at least, is a king. I envy you yours. A king, as someone above the parties and factions, an arbiter marlin:, who could exercise a social influence as your kings have done for four generations. Only a monarchy can ostracise socially- grafters, swindlers and all the shadier characters worming their way through political back-stairs influences." Interesting undeniably ; but it doesn't quite look like happening.
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