Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-09-09
WAR PROSPERITY.

City: Gumbel Bldg, Kansas City. MO.
WAR PROSPERITY.
Read the following letter from an
Associated Press correspondent a.
Stockholm, Sweden. and see If it casts
anv light upon the prosperity that IS
now prevailing in this country and for
which the administration claims
credit:
Now that the wave of war time pros
,or;tv sweeping over Scandinavia has
reached it's crest. in the case OF o"eu'
en-, with the greatest crops the Goun
try has ever known, these northerl
peoples are forgetting some u .ne
yicissitudes of the small neutral IN .ue
midst of the European conhasra.io's
even the rigors OF the BLOCKADE !tseii
SO great has been the prosperity y.
the last two years that IL Is lepoi w.
the governments OF Denmark, MI"
and Sweden already nave pau oh' ~.
have sufficient funds In the sta.e ~
fers to pay off, all outstanding 1orelsls
Indebtedness. So in brle1 spaIe ".
time the three small neutrals lylnS
here in the very lap OF war, put not y.
the war, have been TRANSFORMER lion'
the borrowing to the lending class.
The process OF paying on 1orelsh
obligations has been materlall! lacll'
itated by a loss in value OF foreign OK
change. The German marx mas leu tne
international monies downward WIN u
loss of more than 80 per cent. me
English pound, the American oollar,
the Russian ruble, the continental
franc all have been quoted on 'ne
Scandinavian bourses at loss OF III
per cent and upward, so that the lot
eien buying power of the ScandlnaVlan
crowns, when buying has oeen permit
ted. has greatly advanced. o"euei'
had borrowed much money from ger
many. War time trade with the block
AIDED Germans has brought enormous
nrofits. This fact, combined with the
cheapness of the German marx mas ell
abled the Swedish debtors to wlpt OUT
many million crowns Of Teutonlc ooll'
cations.
When prosperity first came to Scan.
dinavia it was distinctly a prosperity
nj the monied classes. People WIN
money were quick to take advantage
NJ tho war opportunities and not 1e"
NJ them have made fortunes by merely
dealing in foreign money. There were
stock booms that made the manlpuia'
tors of American war brides" appear
as amateurs. But gradually the lnno"
~ money affected all industries. IN
omnlovment became unknown and the
skilled laborers received high wages.
The farmers participated in the pros
nerity from the beginning, and their
share has been steadily increasing un'
til this year they will divide crop
Weld estimated at more than $4OO,0Oo.
1,OO against a normal of less than nall
that amount This remarkable yleld
is due both to the bountiful crops and
tho increased values Of foodstutfs. me
middle classes of the cities, the sal
aried employees, have as usual been
caught between the millstcnes OF hlgh
prices and big profits, the salaries nav
ing in no case kept pace WIN 'ne liz
creased cost of living.
Savings banks and commercial
banks show deposits far in excess OF
anv expectation. Luxurles are IN great
demand and Of course bring fabulous
nrices. The summer resorts report
record season. People with home pro
ducts to sell are naturally not worried
- the British blockade for they nave
Uncovered it has served the double
purpose of lowering the value or FOR
eien exchange and increasing the
value of materials and foodstutfs now
IN the scandinavian countries. There
are plenty of complaints naturally
among the importers who appreciate
the wonderful opportunities of pros
nerity but are not able to bring in for
eiRn goods in sufficient quantity to gel
what they claim is their due share OF
the good times. ........
The bount:ful Swedish crops mean
much to the Germans, for they Will
get their share of the much needed
foodstuffs in compensation for the Ger
man coal, chemicals and other exports
sent to this country. Coal always mas
heen the chief import Of Sweden and
great stores of German coal are pe'ng
niled up here in Stockholm and at 9th
or depots throughout the country.
There is a long winter coming ana
English coal has SO increased In cos.
as to be almost prohibitive. Part Of
the COMPENSATION" for German coal
has been paid in Swedish horses, the
exnort of 1000 having been approved
Nv the government this year. But the
only horses allowed to go to Germany
are those considered unfit for Swedish
military service. For these somewhat
aged animals the price has averaged
over $500, thus giving the horse OVID
ners share Of the prevailing pros
perity. -,
Swedish manufacturers have shown
a wonderful increase since the war De-
gan Russia has become great pur
chaser of manufactured goods, espe'
cially since Russian factories have
been turned to munition making. The
Swedish manufa cturers have complain.
ed the most bitterly against the Brit
ish blockade regulations. not having
been able to get all the raw materials
they needed
The governments of the three Scan,
Idinavian countries were quick to see