The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1914-12-10

and Problems Of Reconstruction Are
piseussed-Foresisht and Great Es.
penditurss Needed TO Restore Trade
10 Normal Footing.
Copenhagen.-IThe Berlin vossische
Zeitung discusses the extent to which
German industry already has been hit
by the war. DIR. Emil Lederer. the
writer. says that the removal Of all
men capable OF bearing arms has
"smnshed industry to atoms" All
links uniting various trades have been
broken. The crisis with regard 10
money md credit which occurred In
the first instance was accentuuted by
the necessity of financing the war by
q single stroke. The attempts made
10 meet the crisis by liquidating assets
only made matters worse. The un.
fortunate thing. he says. In thnt this
liquidation. which In customary at all
crises. does not In the present Instance
affect merely small body OF specu-
htors, but expresses the fact that Ger.
mnn industry aud It's production are
On u fictitious bnsls.
Complete transformation. DIR. Lcder.
or says. IL necessary In order 10 cope
with the new conditions brought about
by the war. At present there IL little
sign Of this. We see the apparent par.
adox. says DR. Lcdcrer. thnt In spite
OF increasing absorption for military
purposes OF men capable Of working
there In an Increase Of unemployment
among those that remain behind. Even
the much sought after labor OF women
cannot ind employment Day after
day undertakings shut down or their
output IN diminished. Those, indeed,
which continue nc work nre working
with aimlcss oyerprcssure because OF
uncertainty. no the net output ls dlmin'
ished.
What. asks DIR. Lcdercr. are the de-
eisive economic factsf Does the com.
plcte breakup OF industry which threat.
ems Germany involve u disruption also
OF agriculture and th. supply Of neccs'
sariesf The war means for Germany.
nrst. the prevention of exports. cspe-
cinlly articles OF luxury; second. pre-
ventlon OF imports or means OF sub
sistence. especially raw materials such
M cotton and copper; third. reduc.
tion OF demand OF all nt the front and
restriction OF demand OF those remain
ing at home. There no longer is any
demand for articles Of luxury.
Against these facts. which apparent
ly involve the gloomicst possible out
hook for the near future. DR. i.ederer
snys. must he set others equally de-
eislye. Germany hnS hnd n remarkably
good harvest. so on the whole the pur
rhnslng power OF the agricultural In
dustry II relatively hig The same
thing applies To industries which sup
plN the needs of the army nnd other
puhlir purInses. The problem IN To use
this purchasing power In such way
as Ia revive all those branches which
supply The 1ccds of the above mention
ed industries The question II how TO
build nrruud the sound kernel. II will
require foresight and perhaps great ex'
penditurcs. for forces which could
bring about this reorganization auto
matically do not exist.
II must he remembered. DR. iederer
says. inst. that the amount OF available
labor IL considerably reduced. second
Iy. available raw materials probably
will not he sufficient for a long time;
thirdly. the needs OF private Industry
have during the war undergone con
siderable dlminutlon and change. These
facts must tirst be- recognized. Then
systematic plan of reconstruction
must Ice drawn up with the help OF
chambers of commerce and similar or
gnnizntions. The writer concludes by
recommending the formation OF cen
tral permanent committee representing
all interests under control OF the minis
try OF the interior 10 see what can be
done.
This IL the FIRST German article no
ceiyeL here which admits the unhappy
situation OF German industry. The fu-
ture will show whether the time hon
Ored expedient of appointing commit
tee oI inquiry viii compensate for the
economic unsoundness Of foundations
whereon Il rests