The Detroit times., 1915-01-09
BERLIN LITTLE
DISTURBED BY
GIANT CONFLICT
GEORGE y, ATWOOD.
Cafes and ITheaters Have Usual
Crowds, Says Returned Com
merce Secretary
FACTORIES, THOUGH, ARE
RUNNING ON HALF TIME
Rise in Cost of FOOdstuffs Pre-
vented by Governments Ac-
ton in Fixing Prices

"If you were in Berlin today, you
would hardly imagine the country to
be engaged in the most formidable
war Germany ever experienced, said
George +. Atwood, secretary OF the
American Association OF Commerce
and Trade, of Berlin, Germany, in an
address, Friday noon, before mem
bers Of the Detroit Board OF Com
merce.
you see just as many able bodied
men on the streets as ever" con.
tinued Mr.. Atwooa You VIII find
the cafes and confectionery shops AS
much freQuented as ever, only you
will find the German quieter and more
subdued, as a natural result OF the
terrific sacrifices almost every family
Is making. The theaters are all open
and we'll attended, although many OF
them have reduced their prices, and
most OF them are giving patriotic
plays
The moving picture shows are go
ing as usual, and, as usual, are packed.
A very few OF the wives OF the em-
ployes OF the surface lines have been
gwen the places of their husbands,
who have gone 10 the front Fac
tories, other than those turning out
products for military needs, are run.
ming at half time, half wages, and half
force. The great retail houses also
are paying half wages during the war.
Nevertheless, not murmur Is heard
from the employees.
Merchants are meeting their liza
bilities as In times OF peace. Those
working for the army in any capacity,
are making hay while the sun shines.
and the average shoemaker. saddler.
and petty tailor has, for years, not
reaped such golden harvest.
"Of course, taking 100000 men for
the army, in fact 100000 including
volunteers, lessons the number OF
mouths TO be fed at home; on the
other hand. these men send the great
est part OF their pay home To their
families, and no landlord has the right
TO evict tenant during the war.
1--WE must also not forget that both
officers and privates are receiving
double pay during the war and the
time OF service is reckoned as double.
The mines have contributed no men
to the army. The copper mines in
Eiselben, Mansfield and Hettstadt are
being worked TO full extent, SO that
there will be no dearth of copper, al
least, for army purposes Krupp has
$4,000 men at work turning out war
material.
The subscriptions TO the war loan
exceeded all expectations. and | have
no doubt whatever that an equal
amount could be raised again from
private subscription. The banks did
not contribute to the war loan at all,
the amounts being saved by petty
savers and large manufacturing firms.
1T is scarcely necessary to remark
that the industrial activity has under
gone limitations during the days of
mobilization, but assumed fairly nor
NAL conditions after concentration OF
the military forces. No slack was ex-
perienced by the industries connected
with the production of food products
The efforts OF the United States
government 10 free cotton and from
the restrictions OF contraband Of war
are followed with great interest by
the German business world, although
the supply on hand will last several
months yet.
Last falls harvests were almost
normal. the only decrease being In
the yield OF leguminous fruits: a mil.
lion and half bushels OF rye exceed
ed the average yield and rye forms
the staple article OF food in Germany
"All the crops were harvested ex.
peditiously by the aid OF pupils in the
higher classes In the schools, the sup
ply exceeding the demand, and the
seeding next spring will be done By
the same persons. You must not think
however, that there are no men in the
fields and workshops. This is not
the case, but those without blemish
have been taken for the army. al
though Germany, has, at very mod
crate estimation, many more able
bodied men she can put into the field.
Oct. 2S, the federal council prescribed
maximum prices for wheat, TO take
effect Nov. 4, last. The maximum
price for home grown rye differs In
the various provinces, but keeps with.
in the limit OF between 209 and 237
marks per ton. For instance, the aver.
age price OF rye is 220 marks per ton
The maximum price fors home grown
wheat is 40 marks more than that for
rye.
The object OF these fixed maximum
prices is TO insure steady provision OF
food for the population at normal
prices. The practice OF stipulatine
fixed food prices will. no doubt, be
looked upon with rather critical eye
by the American public, but the Ger
man government can we'll AFFORD "a
take such measures, since the supply
OF rye. the most important food pro-
duct OF the country, is covered by an
extraordinary good harvest both In
quantity and quality.
"The prices OF other articles OF con
sumption. bought at the stores. with
the exception Of salt and smoked FISH
are the same "a before the war. ow'
ing TO the fact OF the government clos
ing up any grocer. provision dealer
or any dealer in food products, should
he ask any advance over normal and
standard prices. Since ! felt Berlin
oct. 30, the price of potatoes has
also been fixed by the federal council
being now s1121a a hundred weight.