Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-13
BLESSING IN DISGUISE
FOR CENTRAL POWERS
Total Cessation OF Imports Forces
Mobilization OF Home Resources
md Prevention OF Waste.
TWO EMPIRES sELF-CoNTAiNED
People Become Accustomed to Fru.
Raiity and Self-Dcnials, and This
DeGree OF Asceticism Is Important
Causal Agent Of Military Spirit.

VIENNA. February I2-Economlc
conditions in Austria Hungary, Ger
many. Bulgaria ana TURKEY arc de-
scrihcd Az satisfactory in - number
~ reviews of last year appcaring in
;hc Austrian press Articles on the
Sublect Keep the war in mind. natural
anu wha,cVer IS said has the in
'cntion OF III" entente to starve the
| .'nfral powers into submission as u
background
MI writer's agree in processing that
ne almost total cessation of imports.
40" to Great Brtain's attitude on con-
uabaud. has been "a blessing in dis
SuiSe Tor the central powers. though
'n"St annoying a. times. Unable 70
import from oversee markets what
formerly had come from abroad. AUS
ira Hungary and Germany, the writer's
point out. mobilized economically
shortly after the outbreak Of The war
| The utilization Of home resources and
the prevention OF waste. and later the
paitial withdrawal from general con-
SUMPTION OF SUITS and materials needed
no carr ON the war made the TWO
empires cconomcally self contained
Science contributed much TO this I'll.
result was that. Will" the entente
bought in foreign countries IN. cor,
tral powers. unable TO do so kent the
money which otherwise would have
gone out OF the countries Now tho
population o: the two empires has be
ONE accustomed TO the frugali,y and
Nr't -dsn'ais which conditions imposed.
ana those who Judge the Situation
rsHcholoS assert that the degree
~ ascet!cism which has been fostered
~ this manner has become an inn
3po't"nt causal agent OF military spirit
and strength
The economic scheme which the var
forced upon Central Europe IS not
without It's novel and interesting re,.
u'cs In the hrst place tn" theory
'hrt money was likely 10 l.. The biz
yes; factor In :, modern war has been
'Apioded. say the writer's It mas been
proven that the capacity 10 resis,
"cono'n'cally Is more important. = con-
'"'oh which presupposed both Tho
'''ihiii,T o! raw material and = good
nnusiria! organization Germany, II
pointcd out possessed Tho latter TO
hiSh degree. and, ahly Supported by
rs scientists. the enpjr. MAS in a poqi-
ION not only To Obtain MAXIMUM re-
suits from It's resources and etov.s
nut 20 augment them. principally nv
nc ;'id OF It's e!l-dc,elGp.d rhcI,is,-v
and physical sciences t"sirI,J7u
gary followed suit. SO rha, at tho b..
:inning OF the year 1913 most chan
'f's lcaninS I" economic waste had
'osr shut
kNETALS IS ONE or Mu>r
DiSRtiEIING pKuRIIus
~" ~ nc most disquie,ins proh-
1'rWs was that OF metals for irllitu,,.
purposes notably copper. Tin AM;
ni,k'l Tho metals were needed IN
iA'Io quantities, copper for the guide
'ahEes Of the artillery projcctIles. ana
rPp'r ana TN together, In ;hc form
BRASS FOR slrapn.l heads ana ri.e
Hriridccs. while nickel was -co,i-nI
90 the shells or mantcls OF rirc mi
'th iron and steel were uyrIl,i,l. l.,
.,''li,cd fnantities. Much copper. tin.
,"cr turned over for use OF tho armies
by the population Thousands OF ,one
Wefr uNcarthrt. IA tho metal ca,,
os Ehs These are still! gong on, bu,
! IN 'ho taking of Serbia. and tho
opening Of Tho road 20 Turka, rot,.,c,
"orrieF Gopher is produced in con-
/ "'F'hic Quantities in Serbia, Hul-aria
| "' Iurkifh Asia Minor. the latter
i "uh'rv also producing tin.
.'1''c0!s ana other substances
needed FOR the manufacture ot .ynIo-
,lH"5 have never been rcauy sa,rcn
l Ihi% lie especially true of cotton o,,o
~ ga" principal ingredients in III
inr"cei!uios" explosives. Of which Gun
n,toh s INC best known. IL is con
uNI.h n'Nry may 'he costly mcthnds
W when some OF the chemicals wore
kNcn' from he nitrogen OF tho air ror
instance, VIII ho supcrnuous as snon
transport conditions from An.,nlj,
neco'hs normal In that part OF
nc ottoman lnh,irc many OF The cl,.
ne',s needed in pyro-tcchuic chemistry
The food question. by reason Of TO
.dSnitudc, required much though, ,rd
! trhiion the articles say. 1t affected
ne entire population. No preccdcn,s
2"ers available. Mistakes were mad.
"ut IN The end satisfactory results
3"cr" obtained. Supplies were hus-
l 'anded by restricting consumption. and
population and price driving" we're
8prcvcnted by fixing maximum rates
{for some articles, and making the
! handling OF necessities and COM
noditics for profit" illegal and punish
i; ble with heavy fines and imprison-
Event.
I War loans were made with little
ihiculty. say the reviews. The fact
hat little OF the money so raised BY
| he central powers governments went
bout Of the country is largely RESPONSE
)hie for this. Had Austria Hungary
land Germany been able TO buy abroad
4 hey might he in difficult position to-
|day. especially since an unrestricted. :