Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-05
IENTRAL POWERS NOT POOR
Economic Conditions Good, Accord
ing to Reviews Of Year in
Austrian Press.
ENGLISH BLOCKADE A BLESSING

ENGLISH BLOCKADE A BLESSING
Correspondence OF the Associated Press)
VIENNA, Feb. S--Economic conditions
Austria-Hunsary. Germany. Bulgaria
nd Turkey are described as satisfactory
a humber OF reviews of the year ap-
earring in the Austrian press. Articles
n the subject keep the war in mind
naturally. and whatever is said has the
Intention Of the entente 10 starve the
entral powers into submission as a
ack=round.
All writer's agree In processing that the
almost total cessation Of imports. due to
treat Britains attitude on eontraband,
as been a blessing in disguise for the
entral powers. though most annoying
t times. Unable to import from over
sea markets what formerly had come
rom abroad. Austria-Hungary and Ger
Jnany. the writer's point out modified
economically shortly after the outbreak
u the war. The Utilization of home re-
sources and the prevention OF waste. and
later the partial withdrawal from gem
eral consumption of stuffs and materials
needed TO carry on the war. made the
two empires economically self-contained.
Science contributed much to this The
result was that while the entente bought
in foreign countries the central powers,
unable to do so. kept the money which
otherwise would have gone out OF the
countries. Today the population of the
two empires has become accustomed to
he frugality and self-denials which con-
ditions imposed and those who Judge the
situation psychologicaily assert that the
degree OF asceticism which has been fos-
tered IN this manner has become an i'm
portant causal agent of military spirit
and strength.
Money Not Biggest Factor.
The economic scheme which the war
forced upon central Europe is not with
out its novel and interesting features. In
the first place the theory that money
was likely to be the biggest factor in
a modern war has been exploded. say the
writer's. 1t has been proven that the
capacity to resist economically is more
important. a condition which presup-
posed both the availability of raw ma
terial and a good industrial organiza-
tion. Germany. It is pointed out. pos
sessed the latter to a high degree. and
ably supported by its scientists the EN-
plre was in a position not only to OBJ
tain maximum results from it's resources
and stores. but to augment them, princi-
paily by the aid OF it's well-developed
chemistry and physical sciences. Aus
tria-Hungary followed suit, so that at
the beginning Of the year 1915 most chan
nels leading to economic waste had been
shut
One Of the most disquietng problems
was that of metals for military purposes,
notably copper. tin and nickel. The
metals were needed in large quantities
copper for the guide-flanges of the ar
t!llery projectiles and copper and tin
together, in the form Of brass, for shrap-
mel heads and rifle cartridges, while
nickel was required for the shells or
mantels of rifle bullets. Iron and steel
were available in unlimited quantities.
Much copper, tin. brass and nickel were
during the summer turned over for use
Of the armies by the population. Thou
sands Of tons were unearthed in the
metal campaigns" These are still go
ing on. but with the taking of Serbia and
the opening OF the road to Turkey cop
per and tin are now no longer on the
list OF worries. Copper is produced in
considerable quantities in Serbia. Bull
garia and Turkish Asia Minor. the
latter country also producing tin.
Chemicals and other substances needed
for the manufacture of explosives have
never been really scarce. This is espe-
cially true Of cotton, one of the principal
ingredients in tri-nitrocellulose explosives,
of which gun cotton IL the best known.
It is considered likely that the costly
methods in which some OF the chemicals
were won, from the nitrogen OF the air.
for instance, will be superfluous as soon
as transport conditions from Anatolia
have become normal In that part OF the
Ottoman empire many Of the elements
needed In pyrotechnie chemistry are
found.
rhe food question, by reason Of its
magnitude, required much thought and
attention. the article says. 1t affected
the entire population. No precedents
were available. Mistakes were made, but
in the end satisfactory results were OBJ
tanned. Supplies were husbanded by re-
,stricting consumption, and speculation
and price driving were prevented by
fixing maximum rates for some articles,
and making the handling of necessities
and commodities for profit" Illegal and
punishable with heavy fines and inn
prisonment.
War loans were made with little diff
ficulty. say the reviews. The fact that
little OF the money raised by the central
powers governments went out OF the
country is largely responsible for this.
Had Austria-Hungary and Germany been
able to buy abroad. they might be in a
difficult position today especially since
an unrestricted. or partly restricted i'm
port would in no wise have been coun-
teracted by export, With nearly 1900. 900
men under arms. German and Austro-
Hungarian industries could not hope to
supply their foreign purchasers In a
measure great enough TO maintain the
balance Of export and import Of normal
times. Imports, therefore. it is sa d.
would have caused detrimental financial
drains As one OF the writers says;
England did US great favor in cut
ting off our avenues OF trade"
Fully IS per cent of the war loans have
remained in the two countries. The
money has been spent for war material
turned out in the home plants and most
OF Il has been paid out in wages. Rich
and poor alike have subscribed TO the
war loans. The savings bank subscrip-
4ions Aud narficinatioff af vorkinR peo-