Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-11-02
GERMANS PAY
FAMINE PRICES

BERLIN, Sept. 2S-Germans are
| now paying for all kinds of meat,
wheat, rye and several other necessar-
les of life prices higher than are paid
anywhere else in the world. Prices
| are still rising and the per capita con-
sumption Of virtually all foodstuffs is
falling Off The number of horses
slaughtered for meat in Berlin during
the first six months of the present
year reached 1924 and exceeded the
figures for the corresponding period
of 1911 by 1853. The Germans ate
1892 tons less of beef in the first
half of this year than in 1910, and
paid $8,750,000 more for the smaller
quantity.
Dressed swine are bringing more
than Is cents pound at the abat-
toirs, and more than half of all the
meat consumed in the empire is pork
Retail butchers have had to pay 22k
cents a pound for dressed beef, and
veal is higher Veal outlets bring
from 4S to So cents the pound Off,
cial statistics for the last week Of
August showed Mannheim paying
$3.50 more per ton of wheat than is
paid in the United States, and 81
more per ton for rye, the chief bread
stuff of the people, than is paid in
any other country. ~
Market days throughout the cities
and towns Of Silesia are being marked
by mad riots of people enraged over
the high prices exacted for: virtually
everything they must buy. The police
have had to guard the dealers in LEG
nitz, Glogauer, Jauer, Hirschberg and
half dozen towns more.
Faced by these conditionsi the gov
eminent finally, has admitted, through
the official NORTH German Gazette" =
the existence of almost famine prices
for virtually all necessaries, and es-
pecially for meat 1t still asserts,
however, that the period of high pri-
ces is only temporary, and that nor
NAL lower level must soon be reach
ed. Holding, as it does, such a point
of view, the government believes that
no legislative or other remedy is need
ed, and demands for such relief,
which are pouring in from every quar-
ter except from the Agrarians, are
met with the declaration that the eco
nomic policy of the nation cannot be
altered to meet a situation which will
soon pass.
Meanwhile there is a rapidly. grow
ing discomfort with the governments
policy which is so manifest that il
cannot be overlooked nor disregarded.
All over the Empire the Socialists,
who represent a good third of the to-
tai population, have been holding
meetings of protest, which have been
packed. TO the, doors. The Socialist
faction Of the Reichstag, the strong
est in that body, has petitioned con-
vocation of the Reichstag and speedy
legislation to open the borders to the
free importation of cattle, meat and
other necessaries. Scores of city coun.
ellis have discussed the situation and |
have either petitioned the : govern
ment for aid or have established mu-
nicipal markets, made agreements |
with butchers and taken other means |
to afford relief.
The Diet of the Kingdom of Bava- |
ria debated an Interpolation looking |
to a general lowering or abolition of |
the taritt rates on necessarieS of life. I
Herr Won SodenS Minister of the In
terror, answering the Interpolation,
declared that such action would have
no effect on prices, and furthermore,
that it could not be considered in any
event, since it would mark a depar-
ture of Germany from the establish
ed protective policy. The municipal
of Frankfort-oH-the Main
nave addressed a second petition to
he government asking relief from
conditions, which make it all but i'm
possible for the lower classes to get
enough to eat.