The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-10
THE
Worth More 70 Germany Than Her
Krupps and Goose Step?

THE
Worth More 70 Germany Than Her
Krupps and Goose stsD7
To THE EDITOR or THE SuN-Sir: On
June 81 last the State Department
had q hearing on the subject Of a
practical farmers marketing organic
zatAon. Why q hearing on such q sub
ject should have been held by the
State Department and not the Depart
mont Of Agriculture, or Of Commerce.
why II was held at all. or held when
II was, Ia not disclosed by the printed
report Of the hearing. nevertheless the
untnvitins looking pub. Doc" has
some interesting reading.
Tho witness who Gave the interest
Ing testimony was David Lubin, who
for ten years or more has been this
country's delegate to the international
Institute Of Agriculture at Rome. Mr..
Lubin has chiefly figured in news des-
patches from there as the advocate Of
national legislation creating q rural
credits system for this country pat
termed after Germany's Landwirt-
schaftsrat. but in his recess activities
before the State Department he advo-
Gated a national marketing ortaniza-
ton on the plan Of another German
original whose title will have to be at
tended to before IL can become q popu-
lar topic Of conversation.
Germany has, Mr.. Lubin explains.
It's National Landwirtschaftsrat which
means. whatever . literal translation
might bring forth, an organization for
the economic marketing Of farm
products. Here is. In view Of Ger
many's self-sustenance, even since she
has obtained but little foodstuff from
the northern neutrals, the most strik-
ing testimony given by Mr.. Lubin:
Let US not be mistaken: the great
strength OF the German Empire does not
come from the goose step OF her SOL
disrs, nor nom her Krupp runs; Il comes
as a direct and indirect result of her
observation-disclosures system for the scien-
tiHo distribution Of her products. Of the
food products OF Germany.
The witness spoke Of having seen
hundreds Of tons Of grapes in Cali
forns which In any wine making
country Of Europe would be worth
about $40 a ton sold for $3.50 q ton
TO California wineries. Of heaps Of
apples lying around the ground rot
ting" In Massachusetts, because Of
tho lack Of a scientific marketing sys-
tenn. The witness said:
Such q system will make q strong and
enduring republic. II we leave this I'M
done. then all the warships ana ali the
navy and al. the army. however grand
and strong. will not save the republic.
The German system. as Mr.. Lubin
explained IL. begins with the town
ship organization:
Every farmer who owns land has a
portion OF hts tax assessment set aside
for the support OF the Observation-Disclosures.
This gives him a right to vote for a
hambe of agriculture In his township
The township organization elects its rep
rcsentatives 60 the county organization.
The county organization elects tho mem
bers to the State organization. and the
members Of the twenty four State or
eanixations Of the German Empire elect
their national Observation-Disclosures. con-
slstins OF seventy-two members. .
The township. county. State and national
organization L., In substance. a semi-onr-
cial Information bureau for tho purpose
Of the scientific marketing OF Agricultural
products.
The bureau has its Office in Berlin,
where tho national members meet Q
few times a year to supervise its con-
duct. A permanent force of salaried
assistants gather and distribute in
formation designed of course to bring
supply TO demand by the shortest and
cheapest shipping route in the quick
est time under the best conditions: to
prevent glut, scarcity, monopoly and
waste.
This system. says Mr.. Lubin. Is re-
enforced by Germany's effective rural
credits system. This rural credits
system. which. by tho way. Is the
basis for most Of the rural credits
legislation proposed in Congress, has
been in operation in Germany ISL
years. 1t was first proposed by a
German economist named Ruring. re-
jected by the Reichstag, but taken up
by Frederick the Great and adopted.
During that time there has not been.
according to MIR. Lubin. a single fail
ure under its operation. This rural
credits system OF Germany has out
standing sl05. 900. 600 in 3 per cent.
bonds. $500, 000. 900 in az per cent.
bonds and $4,000, 900 in 4 per cent.
bonds. r,
WASHINGTON, d. c.. November ..