The Detroit times., 1914-11-03
Roger Babson tells How Warning
Nations Can Stave on Star
walton Indefinitely
RUSSIA ONLY SELF
SUPPORTING COUNTRY
Germany and France, However,
Will Not Want If Territory
is Unravaged
BY ROGER w. 6ABsoN,
(Banker and statistlcian, and ST.

k0aukcF anu 0taNUtiStaUy sue SeS
dent Of international Economics).
Since the first. Of August the ma
tions Of Europe have dropped back
to the middle ages" declared a Bos-
ton banker today, in commenting Oh
the war.
'You are mistaken said listener.
1--WE have never passed out OF tnel
medieval stage. In centuries to come.
when our history has been written,
our century will still be included MS
a part OF the middle ages"
This remark especially appealed to
me In view OF my studies of the self
supporting features OF the vario1s
nations, for history clearly shows
that an advance in civilization and
the interdependence Of nations 50
hand In hand.
During the middle ages. to which
the Boston banker referred, every ma
|tion was ssltsupporting, and foreign
trade was INDUCED IN only for the
luxuries OF life. Nations were not
dependent on other nations for neces.
stiles, but each was sufficient unto
itself.
AS civilization advanced, nations
gradually developed certain national
Industries and exported their excess
products, receiving In return different
products from other countries upon
which they finally came to be depen-
dent
England.
England stands for commerce, and
her great industry Is shipping.
England Ii the great middleman OF
Europe, performing the same service
on q big scale that the commission
merchant In any town renders to the
farmers and retailers Of the vicinity.
Once, England was self-supporting,
but with the development Of the
steam engine and loom. her people
forgot the soil, and became enchant-
ed with the wheels OF industry, after
which they turned to shipping and to
trade.
France.
France is fairly self,supporting,
having a good sensible mixture of in
dustries. Agriculture Is well devcl-
oped, mining Is encouraged. and man
ufacturing Is carried on efficiently and
TO a reasonable extent. Probably
France is the most "allaround" deyel-
oped nation in Europe, and is the
most to be envied economically OF
any OF the warning nations.
Russia.
Russia still stands for agriculture
In the old way, having not yet
emerged from the medieval stage.
She has unlimited land; her people
have no ambition beyond tilling the
soil, and she not only can feed her
self, but exports large quantities Of
food stuffs to other countries.
( Belgium.
Belgium is a strictly manufacturing
nation. Here are found the great
steel works, machinery plants, and
the most busy factories and mills of
Europe. The people OF Belgium have
left the plow In the country for the
more stirring life OF the city. Bel
gium In many ways resembles New
England, as her children have left
the country homes for the city. Hence,
Belgium IL far from self-supporting,
and Is absolutely dependent on other
nations for her foodstuffs.
Austria.
Austria Is more In the class with
Russia, than the others. She Is still
In the middle ages so far as a large
proportion OF her population Is con-
cerned. Her people are ignorant and
inefficient, but they are satisfied and
Industrious. tilling the soil along the
old lines. Although such a condition
greatly handicaps nation In time OF
peace. yet II helps make that nation
independent In time OF war
Germany.
This leaves us only Germany 10
consider. Most of our economists
place Germany I'm the doubtful class
II IL true she imports many food
stuffs. and although she raises about
f5O. 600, 900 bushels OF wheat year.
she imports about 65.ooo.0o0 bushels.
Nevertheless. she resembles France
in being developed both agriculturaliy
and industrially. Her farms are
prosperous. her mills are active. and
tce~ts.svs % Psse NiseS