The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-10-05
Hard Working Tendencies
of the People Make Good
Conditions Everywhere
SAYS PRES. M'vEY
Who Addressed Students a,
|. State University Convo-
cation This Morning.

That there is an absence of poverty
IN Germany because the people Of that
country are honest. hard workers was
an interesting fact brought out in the
ADDRESS OF President McVey at the
conVocatton exercises al the state uni.
versity this morning. His theme was
Germany Today" and he said in part:
Germany is a land Of contrasts,
concerning which 1t is difficult and I'M
wise to make generalizations. This
statement is true not only Of the
climate. but of the industry. the popu-
'ation n the culture. 1t Is the home
of the greatest men of the nineteenth
century. In 1t exists a philosophy Of
peace. while on the other hand it is
the country in which the most ardent
preparations for war are being made.
High ideals Of art. literature and edu-
cation prevail. though contrasted with
numerous examples Of risque litera-
ture to he found on the newstands.
The Rhine. while picturesque with its
numerous castles of ancient story, car
ries on its bosom. an immense colume
Of commerce and trade. In many
cities the sky is darkened with the
smoke of furnaces and the air filed
with the noise of many machines. At
Wetmar and Jena the old traditions of
one hundred years ago prevail in the
field Of intellect. Germany is now
really an empire. though she has had
a long history as a more or less CO.
ordinate state. Completely dismem-
bered by Napoleon in 1904, thrown in
to the most abject poverty as a con-
sequence of IL series Of wars. yet
through the League of States in 1915,
the Tariff Union in 1883. the revolu-
ton of 1913. and the trilogy of wars
in 1862. 1866 and 1870, she has be-
come a modern state and a great EN-.
pire.
Enters Socialism.
Germany today Is dominated by the
ut Of force; which has passed into
the life and the work of the people, as
represented in the monuments. build
ings and arts. The founder of this
view was Bismarck. Germany is seek
ing. as a consequence. mastery in the
realm of matter and political ascend
ancy among the nations. Recognizing
the density of population. the necessity
of efficient government, and the need
OF conserving all her resources. she
has entered into the field of state
socialism in a marked degree. The
railroads are owned and operated by
the German states, canals have been
quilt extensively everywhere. Mines
are operated and business conducted
by the various divisions of the German
empire. She has come to recognize
that the future Of Germany must be
on the seas. that she must have mar.
kets for her products, and that this
VIII require the building of fleets and
the maintenance of a great navy. In
an area Of eos. 900 square miles, a ter
ritory not as large as the two Dakotas
and Minnesota, Germany has brought
together a population of nearly seven.
" millions of people, who are increas-
ing at the rate of 100000 annually.
"A brief survey of the economic or
ganization of Germany will give a
somewhat better idea of the basis Of
her development. In land tenure
farms are owned in the main in small
acreage. except that in the east there
are many large estates and a prevail
ence Of the manor system. The cult
vation of these small areas is thor
oughly done and the product Weld is
large, although the old types Of agri-
cultural machinery are to be seen in
many places in Germany. The Ger
mans. however. have esta blished agri-
cultural cooperative societies, especi-
ally credit associations. and through
the medium of these they are able to
secure the necessary funds as we'll as
acceptable markets for their products.
Their railroads furnish transportation
under the management of the state
and these bring in receipts to the en-
tent of 0 than two hundred mil
lions of dollars yer and above expen.
ditures. The canal system has been
utilized for the purpose Of carrying
products into the interior of Germany.
Many towns like Berlin. Frankfort
Mannheim. Hamberg and Brennan are
not only great seaports. but in
ports in which are received
numbers of canal boats and
barges. On both railroad and canal
the rates are adjusted to move the
largest quantity of goods. although the
tendency is to look at these instru-
ments of transportation as a means Of
earning a surplus and Of keeping down
England the Teacher.
Germany learned to manufacture
from England. She secured her ma
chinery from that country in the first
place. but so getting it has developed
it still more extensively. Applying
scientific methods to industry, she has
the foremost electrical and
mechanical manufactures in the
Meantime, the old handicrafts
declined and a marked change
has taken place in the labor and in
dustrial situation.
THE traveller in Germany is i'm
pressed with the absence of poverty.
This Is in the main due to the char
acter of the people. whose frugality,
honesty and Woodworking tendencies
bring results that r not to be found
in other lands. The government,
Its ownership of the railroads.
IF municipal utilities, and direction Of