The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31
WAR PREVENTED
 BY TIE KAISER Personal Force of Emperor
 Acted as Check THE METHODS OF TAO Book Just Published in Berlin Telling How Frederick the Great
 Handled High Cost of
 Living Problem
THE METHODS OF TAO
By MALCOLM cLARKE

By MALCOLM CLARKE Berlin, December 30.-(Special)- With a weaker man than the Kaiser at the helm of state In Germany there would probably have been war with England as a result of the recent mix up over Morocco. It was the tremen- dous personal force of his majesty which held the country in check for there is no denying the fact that war with England would have been tremendously popular with the ruling classes in Germany.
 It is of course not impossible that war will come between the two coun- tries in the reign of Wilhelm II, but not if he can possibly prevent it. It is no secret that the Kaiser would like, above all things, to bring about an alliance with England, for he Is convinced that such an alliance would be able to dominate the world. No possible combination could stand be- fore it on land or sea. It is one of his dreams to bring it about. Noth- ing would delight him more than to md a responsive lttliHS lO t'iAo "t' b.tion on the part of England.
 His majesty is extremely anxious to be at peace with England not mere ly on humanitarian or diplomatic grounds. People forget" he is re- ported to have said to an intimate friend on one occasion, that my friend ship for England is personal one. My relationship to the British royal family would alone suffice to make me wish that my people and the Eng fish people should be friends with one another"
 While he has this personal feeling he is too wise a ruler Tot to realize the necessity for being fully prepared to meet any eventualities. Hence the proposal to increase the German naval programme by the expenditure of some s9O, 900, 900 more within the next six years. He realizes fully, too. that the more strength he can bring to such an alliance he desires the more likely he is to bring it about.
 In view of the present high cost of living in Germany peculiar interest attaches to a book which has just been issued in Berlin which tells of the methods used by Frederick the Great to meet a similar condition in 1740.
 The first of the shortage took place in grain owing to a bad summer and the gigantic price of 1 thaler s gros- chen was paid for the bushel of rye. The royal granaries were thrown open and distribution was made at the low est possible rates, even on promise of reimbursement after the harvest. At the same time the King advised those in nth to fnd rob erro in, would be required to keep his subjects supplied with bread until the harvest time Even royal supplies gave out and Frederick the Great at once command ed that. without question and until fur tner orders, grain was to be brought into the country free of tax, and the frontier was to be thrown open This action of the autocrat. done without hesitation, saved his people from star vation. Prices went up again within four weeks, so that in the beginning of July, TAO. a bushel of rye cost in Berlin l thaler Is groschen. Another late harvest, after a cold summer, caused more disaster; the provision made in the capital was soon ex- hausted; and on November 1 of that year the bushel of rye was 1 thaler 2l groschen, the utmost sum touched within 40 years.
 Then an edict went forth that no bread was to be eaten except what was old baked, because it went further and if people were to eat new baked bread considerably more would be needed to provide a sufficient allowance for them The war chamber and the authorities of the community sat in council to see whether land owners would not make a deal with the government for the grain of the coming harvest. It was a very we'll known fact that the land owners were in the habit during such periods of trouble of keeping back the grain and selling it to the best advantage. The price at that moment was as high as it could be. So, by order of the gov ernment, no land owner, under the pen alty of prosecution, could keep back supplies either for his own consumption or for trade. All grain has to be put on the market at rates determined by those in power. Want and suffering desolated the land. and things only re- covered themselves after a good harvest in the next year.
 Meat went up in price as a natural consequence of the bad season. The im- perial command was sent forth that any butcher who sold the poorer cuts of meat ard scraps, usually disposed of at very low prices, as good meat, was to be severely punished by fine. The per- son who found out the delinquent was
 
 and if offense was repeated the penalty was to be doubled, while a third of fense would deprive the criminal of his trade license. Strict measures were taken against the Berlin butchers, who were trying to make q corner in meat and sell it at exorbitant prices. Outside tradesmen were allowed to supply meat to the capital, any one Was pcj mitted to offer meat for sale, provided he made the declaration that the animal had been clean and in good health. The remedy did not have any satisfactory results, for prices went higher, until in TAI the official tax on meat was reduced. The kaserin has had a visit from her eldest sister, Duchess Friedrich of Schleswig Holstein, who, after spending few days at the New Palace, went to the Villa Liegnitz to stay with her | daughter. Princess August Wilhelm of | Prussia. The young princess was nat urally delighted to have her mother with her, and the two ladies walked and no tored good deal together, coming over to Berlin on two occasions to do some shopping.
 1 IJar rnaiestv want to A Christmas dance