New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-01
German Factories Are Starved;
Clothing Cards Now Used
Practically All Raw Material in Germany Is Exhausted
Only Factories Making War Supplies Are Running
People Stand in Line to Buy Underwear

IN Cologne. where the largest corset
factory IN the world is located. under
wear Tor soldiers is being made. The
pig SILK velvet mills i'm Cologne. which
III peace times supplied a great portion
OIL the american velvet. are now manu-
featuring paper and twine Because Of
INC scarcity OF flax. Irvine Of all kinds
IS being made from old paper
The factories Of Germany are starv-
ing more than the people are. For over
year. because there has been no raw
material, many of the big factories CT
Germany have been closed. or they
rave been given ammunition making
machinery and ordered TO make sup
plies for the government
The fear which so many people have
IN the United States that Germany has
been busy manufacturing millions OF
dollars worth of articles for export
immediately after the war is entirely
unfounded. Investigators for the
american government who have studied
the situation thoroughly declare there
are only two things which Germany
VIII be able to export when peace
comes. One is stock of women's high
price silk stockings and women's leather
gloves. The other is limited supply Of
medicines and dye stuffs The belief
;hat Germany has store houses filled
with unlimited supplies ready TO be
dumped upon the world market is not
based on facts Before the war Ger
many manufactured great many toys.
The first Chri stmas of the war there
were thousands of new toys DISPLAYED.
The second year Of the war the new
supplies had dropped at least half in
number. and last Christmas there was
not new toy displayed any place in
Germany. There were not even toys
made especially for that Christmas.
Every toy shop offered for sale only the
toys which had been manufactured
year before.
Last fall one of the big retail stores
of Philadelphia sent buyer to Ger
many TO purchase a million dollars
worth of linen for delivery after the
war. This firm had heard that Ger
many had practically unlimited sup
plies which she was ready to sell when
peace was made. 1t desired to get in
ION the ground floor" and contract for
German linen before other buyers ar
rived. This merchant was much sur
prised TO find that he could not pur-
chase as much as 100000 worth Of
linen already made, but he found firms
willing to take million dollar order to
manufacture the linen when peace came
He was given to understand that il
would be some months after the arrival
Of peace before the linen could be de-
livered.
The German government. however. is
already making extensive preparations
for the control Of all exports and i'm
ports after the war. Before left Ber-
lin the plan which business men and
Gnancers were discussing was about as
follows:
The government planned 10 confiscate
all German ships. The owners were 10
be paid 10 per cent on their capital
invested. The government was to send
commissions TO neutral countries, espe-
cially TO the United States and South
America, 10 purchase raw material.
German merchants were TO be forbid
den from making any purchases out
side Of Germany. These government
commissions were TO buy cotton and
wool at fixed price for the govern
ment. The government-contrOlled ships
were 10 carry these materials TO Ger
many. where 4 government import de-
partment was to take them over ana
sell at profit to manufacturers. Then
the manufacturers wer" 20 be prOhlb-
tied from selling goods TO any one
except tho government. The govern
ment was to pay from s to 10 per
cent TO the firms for manufacturing the
articles. and then the government was
to do all exporting. Even German citl-
zens were 10 be prohibited from pur-
chasing anything outside Of Germany.
II a German wants an automobile. or A
safety razor. or a shirt when peace
comes. he will have to wait until Ger
man manufacturers make them.
By this system of controlling all I'M
ports and exports the government plans
10 paw off the enormous war debt which
has been accommodating since August,
1914
While the food conditions in Ger
many are terrible when compared with
conditions in other countries, the gen
cral economic condition is even worse
While the people can raise potatoes
and other food. and in this way add to
the food stocks on hand. there Is no
possible method Of increasing the sup
ply Of clothing and materials now in
Germany. This is the reason the gov
eminent j. so careful in regulating the
clothing cards.