The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-13
BY Judson GreneII,


copyrighted, 1904, by Judson Grinell.)
COLOGNE, Germany, Aug. Ills
Germany more an idustrial than an
agricultural nation? confess am
unable to decide from my own obser-
walton. Indeed, in the main, my time
has been spent in the country, for
there I found most that interested me.
But I have not neglected the cities
entirely. Conditions In the towns do
not vary from each other, and when
one or two have been seen 1t is not
difficult to predicate the situation else
where.
In this connection let me quote from
two lectures delivered by two pro-
fessors in Freiburg, talking to the
same students but representing two
entirely disinnilar schools of econ
ornics. Said Prof. Won Schulze Gaev-
ernitzy:
Germany Is becoming an industrial
nation. The future Of Germany lies
in it's factories Its increasing popu-
lation yearly of 100000 more births
than deaths indicates that we must
go outside the boundaries Of our own
nation for food. The three great
world powers are Russia, Great Brit
ain and the United States. Germany
and France are also industrial nations.
but IN minor degrees. Germany may
send her sons abroad or she can keep
them at home by developing her indus
tries. The most important work today
In Prussia Is for the government to
shift the power from the landlord. class
to the working class. Then the work.
ers will support the army and navy
for the sake of holding colonies and
finding market
Prof. Gaevernitz Is a. free trader. He
wants free imports Of food and raw
| material in order that manufacturers
may successfully compete with Eng
land in the markets of the world. He
| considers the German workman equal
to the English artisan, and looks for
| ward to the time when,( under equal
industrial conditions, Germany can
| manufacture and sell as cheaply as
| does England
| Prof. Fuchs, also Of the University
Of Freiburg, talks differently. Not
long ago he said:
1T is by no means settled that Ger
many has got to become an industrial
nation. Half Of her population is still
engaged in agriculture. We must,
through the operation Of a protective
tariff, conserve the interests Of those
who cultivate the soil, by keeping out
of the country the products of all conn.,
peting nations"
this is the position Of official Ger
many--this looking after the interests
OF the land-ho1ding class though at
the same time the kaiser is anxious to
| increase the strength of the army and
navy. 1t !is not an easy task to leg
islate< for both the landlord and the
manufacturing interests, and there is
great danger, that, strong and CEN
| tralfzed as Is the government. it will
| eventually fail.
| Living In Germany.
| Industrial conditions in Germany do
not vary very much from industrial
conditions in France. In recent let
ter told how Jean MAN," a BROTH
er worker to England's John Hand. "
lived The German prototype might
be called Johann Faust" as a. closed
hand is a fist, or FAUST
Johann arises at S o'clock in the
morning or Whereabouts, and gets to
work at or Z; but before he goes he
takes a bite Of bread and drinks a Gun
OF coffee. At 8: 80 he sends the appren-
tlce out for piece Of limburger
cheese, 2k cents, a hunk Of bread. y
OF a cent, and bottle Of beer, 4 cents
The breakfast eaten, he works from
y to IL and then goes home to dinner
Or, If municipal kitchen is handy he
goes there.
The one I ate at provided SOUP
boiled beef, potatoes, bread and saur-
kraut for cents if you help yourself
or 6 cents If your aristocratic tenden.
cles are su1cie1ltly developed to de-
mand a waiter. Johann begins work
again at 1, but at he knocks off fol
bit OF cheese and a bottle Of beer
This takes Is minutes; then work i
continued until 6, when the home SUP.
Per may consist Of noodles, fried po.
tatoes, beans, say. warmed over from
dinner, and coffee and bread.
In the evening Johann hikes for hi
favorite inn, or beer garden, where h,
makes glass or two of beer last hin
the whole evening while discussing tn,
political and industrial situation.
Government Supervision.
The German worxingnan is a. much.
|
espionage which follows him from tn,
cradle to the grave. II a. man is OF
the road, he is provided with a. bool
in which each employer for whom h,
works must make a record of the tim,
he Is employed. Any policeman ma,
demand sight Of this book, and +
there is no record for six weeks tn
man is arrested and Jailed, for it il
assumed that if one is not WORKING
one must be beggar, and begging i.
prohibited.
This is only one instance Of the wa,
the German government keeps it's citf
zens under inspection. Indeed, it 1
the common saying in Germany tina
If the police don't know where a. NAL
is, he Is surely dead.
A story was told me of peasan
girl who got small ham from he
parents in the country, innocently sen
in connection with some clothes. Nov
food sent to cities must pay duty
"a sort of tariff within a. tariff-ant
the police hearing Of basket IL
which was a ham that had not bee,