The sun., 1916-12-24
D ROY 8. MacELWEE, Ph. D.,
1sstursr on Economics at Columbia
University.

D ROY 8. MacELWEE, Ph. D.,
Iostursr on Economics at Columbia
University.
d. NacEiwee spent some months
- che spring and summer of this
year IN Germany. where he was at
fefdsd unusual opportunity to OBJ
sefvs the conditions of which he
writes. The illustrations ccom-
Danyiug the article are from photo.
graphs that Dr.. MacElwee took At
that time.
N yHY does Germany want to talk
w peace? The Allies answer
must depend upon some knowl-
edgs on this point. Is Germany's re.
quest based on what they say 1t is, or
= the economic pressure Of the block
~ forcing Germany INTO her knees?
CA Germany continue to feed her
military and civil population or must
hey soon give up to avoid starvation?
The answer turns on German agricul-
tural development before August, 1914,
md since.
4 close study Of this agricultural
1svelopment will tend to show that the
period Of the greatest food stringency
WAs passed during the three months
psoor to the harvest Of 1916 and that
Germany to-day Is in a better position
= 1sed It's population than heretofore.
kt must be remembered. however, that
~ German people have pulled their
6elts In n hole at a time until to-day
with their card system they are living
- q menu that would make glad the
AeAxt Of DR.. Fletcher. This marked
reduction In the amount Of food con-
0umed has come about gradually. II
certainly is not pleasant, in fact, it
oeuses much hardship. but like the
summer heat in New York it must be
eorne. Though uncomfortable It is
seldom fatal.
We may get at some Of the princi-
Dlss by considering briefly in turn the
lDliowing subjects:
I. Previous and present intensity of
Dultivation by which we will hnd that
Germany shows by far the greatest
yield per acre.
q. Tho question Of fertilizer will
show that potassium is a German M
nopoly; that phosphates come from
~ alag Of German and Luxembourg
1linette ore; they call the Stag Thomas
Meal. Nitrates which formerly came
from Chile are now made in great
quantities from the air by an electric
PROCESS. This process has been known
for many years, but the cost OF pro-
duction made competition with Chile
saitpetre impossible.
~ Live stock. 90 labor, 60 In
creased area under cultivation.
A few facts concerning these fve
points will show us that Germany has
Passed the crisis as to food product:
and apparently Is able to continue or
the present basis for some years.
The United States is just about If
eoen times as large as the German
Empire. Omitted States Of America
7,s3s.0s square %kilometers; German
Empire. 540.S53.) Nevertheless. il
spite Of being fifteen times as large
the United States produces only fiv'
times as much wheat, not quite twic'
- much oats. only about the sam
amount Of barley, while Germany pro
auces six times as many potatoes
which according to the size of tn
countries would be ninety times a
-..-A -. ALo Iy-ttnl Ctatn. nnr,a,,
aiso produces twelve times as mucl
re. which for It's size is 1870 times a
much a. the United States.
How Ii this possible? The answe
10 that Germany. in spite OF belnI
poorly endowed by nature as to qualit.
OF soil, leads the world In scientif
agriculture. The last available figure
for 1918 show that Germany produce
on the average 30.7 bushels of whea
70 the acre, as compared with Franc
FOL, Austria Hungary, 1911, Unite
States Of America I43. Russia 10. Bu
It was not always thus. on the sam
soil. In twenty years, the value OF tn
b~readstuf products tcereals-whea
rye. barley. oats) has increased froi
las million to 500 million marks, A
pOWlns IDerdlly IoF an ADVANCE ]
prices this Is an increase OF at lea,
400 per cent.
This increase in agricultural produc
ton can only be understood against n
historical background, Toward III
end OF the sos Germany passed fror
an agricultural exporting to an ayr
cultural importing country, When 1
1879 Bismarck inaugurated his prote,
tive tariff the wheat fields of u