The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-06-12
THE BREAD QUESTION
IN GERMANY. Il

One Of the avowed objects of the
EWar Great Britain wages against the
commerce of Germany is to starve OUT
the German population. To the Ger
man Social Democratic Party which
has always aimed at an Anglo-Ger'-
man understanding and has, there
fore, supported with special energy
the present Imperial Chancellors' en-
deavours in this direction, this part
Of the British commercial. war is
Particularly unpleasant. For the de-
claration Of thee starvation policy has,
as it's natural consequence, produced
among the largest part of the popula-
tion a feeling hostile to-. England
which will show its secondary effects
long after the war and which will be
inimical to the idea of IAN Anglo-G Ger
man understanding.
the British conception of the foodstuff
question in Germany does not CORES
pond with the actual conditions. Ger
many, it is true, is an industrial
country; but it has at it's disposal a
very. large agricultural production
founded on the most modern basis.
The agricultural calmly this we not
alone mean the profit but also the
total of products-has been raised
higher pro. .hectare Zone hectare
equals 2.47. acres) than In amy other
European country. Denmark it is
true, takes first place in regard to
cattle: breeding, the German grain
Production, however, is in reality-as
far as intensity is concerned-above
that of any other grain producing
country in Europe.
' Owing to this fact the import Of
grain and flour is not Of such abso-
Lutte importance as England assumes.
From, the first of July, 1913, to first
of july 1914, Germany imported &c.
SOO,927 Doppelzentner & Doppelzent-
ner is 100. kilogram or 22O English
pounds) of rye, wheat and of flour
made of these two species of corn.
The export of the same species of
corn amounted at the same time to
21,86O,099 Doppelzenter, so that the
import does not exceed the export by
more than 9 million Doppelzentner.
For a population of nearly 70 millions
| this is not so very much.
Richard Calver, a widely reputed
economist, has made exact calculations
regarding supply and demand in the
harvest year Of 1914-1915. According
to these calculations the scores amount
ed to 166 million Doppelzentner (dz. }
namely 135 million d. of rye and Al
million d.. of wheat. The consump-
ton amounts to 81 million dz. or 62
million d.. Of rye and as million d.
OF wheat. This Is, consequently, what
Is required for the average consump-
ton. For sowing and other purposes
an amount of 50 million dz. remains
On the whole, therefore, enough
grain for the making Of bread is avail
able. The difficulties lie elsewhere
The urban population of Germany has
during the. last decades, become used
to the consumption of wheat bread
| whilst in the country rye bread still
predO inmates. The German production
! OF wheat is not sufficient for the con-
sumption and it is here the import
must make up. for the shortfaH. The
latter" amounted in 1914-1915 to 26,-
Az, 0S5: DE-. whilst the export came to
6,5l6,8 sos .dZ. The export of wheat
flour, however; was considerably larger
than. the import or 2,167,795 DE-. against
221,SS2 d.. This shortfall of available
wheat is at, present not Of such great
importance that it could not be made
up In another direction. For the i'm
port has, naturally been a little larger
than the present consumption and
Calver's calculations for the current
harvest Year prove that at the begin
ming of the harvest year the surplus