Germany, The Next Republic?

-Germany's economic barometer--had increased eight times. March and April of 1916 were the worst months in the year and a great many people had difficulty in getting e

Somme battles kept the people's minds centred upon military operations. While the scarcity of food became greater the Government, t

me practically a socialistic state and in this way the Government kept abreast of the growth of Socialism among the people. The most important step the Government took was to organise the Zentral Einkaufgesellschaft, popularly known as the "Z. E. G." The first object of this organisation was to purchase food in neutral countries. Previously German merchants had been going to Holland, Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries to buy supp

own pigs for their own use. They insisted upon eating the eggs their chickens laid, or, upon sending them through the mail to friends at high prices, thereby evading the egg card regulations. But the Government st

ve that by fall conditions would be greatly improved but instead of becoming more plentiful

the market. One day a carload of plums was shipped from Werder, the big fruit district near Berlin, to the capital. The "Z. E. G." confiscated it but did not sell the goods immediately to the merchants and the plums spoiled. Before this was found out, a crowd o

anning factories had to close and food which formerly was canned had to be eaten while fresh or it spoiled. Even the private Germ

t October I went through the Cologne food department with the director. The city has rented a number of large vacant factory buildings and made them into kitchens. Municipal

e up their potato, fat and meat cards to obtain it. In Berlin and all other large cities, the same

ould be many thousands of people who would starve because they could not buy and cook such nourishing food for the price the city asks. These food kitchens have been in use now al

with small wages, the poor who do not keep house and others with little means can obtain a meal for 10 cents, consisting of a stew and a dessert. But it is ver

ed another. He had been earning only $7 a week and had to support his wife. On this

war that the Germans were the biggest eaters in Europe--that they ate seven meals a day. The blockade has not made them l

a "meal" at any leading Berlin hotel at 1 o'clock in the afte

the poor were existing as best they could in food kitchens, wrote Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollwe

Batocki, of the Food Department, wealthy bankers, statesmen and army generals have country estates where they have store

, cake and meat. Being a government official he can get what he wants from the food department. So c

st, they enlisted the Berlin Socialists, and the report went around to people that the rich were going to Copenhagen and bringing back food while

ave had another. Batocki is reported as having announced that all

eople are starving. The head physician of the Kaiserin Augusta Victoria Hospital, in Berlin, stated that 80,000 children died in Berlin

cember the soldiers were not only well fed, but they had luxuries which their families at home did not have. Two years ago there was so much food at home the wom

. The German Government, I think, can make the people hold out until the coming harvest, unless there is a big military defeat. In their present undernourished condition the public could

I left, there were at least eighteen foodstuffs which could not be purchased anywhere, and there were twelve kinds of food which could be obtained o

ht luncheon of eggs or a sandwich, tea and fruit. Suppose for dinner you wanted a plain menu of soup, meat, vegetable

ple prefer nothing. For luncheon you may have an egg, but only one day during two weeks. Hotels still serve a weak, highly colored tea and apples or oranges. For dinner you may have sou

cientists as an instance. Members of this Church have organised a semi-official club. Members buy all the extra food poss

ned to make this butter last one year. Until a few weeks ago people with money could go to Switzerland, Holland and Denmark and bring back food with them, either wi

ctors. When I was in Düsseldorf, last October, I met the owner of a number of canal boats, who shipped coal and iron products from the Rhine Valley to Denmark. He

from Belgium. They did not get great quantities, of course, but the leakage was enou

istribution. Bread cards had been very successful, so the authorities figured that meat

s that seed potatoes had to be used to keep the people satisfied. Even then the supply was short; and the quantity to be sold on potato cards was cut to three

n the Government confiscate

asked to have it sent to my office immediately. When it came the price was $2.

a dozen other people will pay me that price. I

he Vossiche Zeitung, paid the price and o

nd fruit. It was explained that this food would be sold when the present supplies of other foods were

German Government can satisfy the vanity and stimulate the nerves of the peopl

p. But Germany fails to crumple. Instead of breaking up, she fights harder and more desperately. Why can she do this? The answer is simple: Because the Ger

rished, who is depressed, who is weighed down by colossal burdens, who is brooding over the loss of friends and relatives

m believe that if he would only "hold out" he would pass the crisis successfully. But no physician could say that his patient could stand it for

nd generals, long ago lost their patience. They are under-nourished. They are depressed, distressed, suffering and

den to publish them. There have been so many losses on the battlefields that every family has been affected not once, but two, three and four times. Dance halls have been closed. Cafes and

tory; their belief that they have won already. The Kaiser knows, too, that if the public mind is stimulated from day to day by new victories, by repo

and for two years he has been supported by a 12,000,000-man-power army and a larger army of wo

be stimulated without breaking down, so is it impossible for an observer

brought about one crisis. Von Falkenhayn's defeat at Verdun caused another. The Somme battle brought on a third. General Brusiloff's offensive against th

accept Germany's note in the Sussex case. The defeat at Verdun was explained as a tactical success. The Somme battle

during Brusiloff's attacks by reorganising the Dual Monarchy's army. The crisis which Rumania's entran

crisis was successfully passed by "stimulation." The

Is there a bottomless wel

t be asked: Why don't the German people think for

o President Wilson's peace note the Kaiser issued an appeal to the German people. One morning it was printed on the first pages of all new

S another letter. You know he n

losed doors and with lowered voices. I attended one night a secret meeting of three Socialist leaders of the Reichstag, an editor of a Berlin paper and several business men. What they said of the Kaiser

l always hold forth the vision of victory as the reward for German faithfulness. Today, for instance, in the United States we hear very little about the German submarine warfare. It is the policy o

ning and making reports. These reports are published and in a way to give the people the impression that the submarine war is a succes

is: What are the German people be

lieving that the victory they seek is getting nearer. The Government knows that the public favours ruthless torpedoing of all ships bound fo

nst Russia are. The Government will see to it that the press points regularly to the possibilities of

victory the people will take his judgment. But all German leaders know that the time is comi

on the Western line, the Chancellor again made peace proposals. The Socialists will force the Chancellor to do it sooner or later. They are

Hindenburg, the German god. It would put an end to the Kaiser's juggling with his people's nerves. But few people in G

cupied. Before the year is passed the Entente may need American troops as badly as France needed English assistance last yea

xcept that everything is uncertain, but one

lies, especially the French, appreciate this. As a high French off

was when England declared war to support us. The second was the brea

n't fear the United States. He said that, of course, for its effect upon the German people. The pe

s people's minds by helping the Allies defeat Germany. Only a big military defeat will shake the confidence of the Germans in the Kaiser,

old out?" is really answered by saying that Germany ca