New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-05
Fair Election Now Would Give
Socialists Control Of Reichstag
Leaders of the Working Classes with the Support of
the People, Arc Planning Big Reorganization of
the Government at End of War
BY CARL w. ACKERMAN

election was held IN Potsdam, the
halser'5 home, Socialist was elected
TO take the place OF Dr. Karl Licb-
knecht. who was sentenced to two
years imprisonment. Socialists also
carried elections IN Cologne and in
Essen, where the great Krupp NUM-
ton factories are located.
The government has been watching
this advance in socialism very care
iully. II has tried TO keep abreast Of
the times by establishing state social
ism IN Germany during the war The
present method Of controlling and dis
tributlng food is purely socialistic. At
present the 81. l.. g." which is the
Official bureau for purchasing and con-
trolling the sale OF food, is absolutely
soclaliStic in its nature. No German
ilrm and no private citizen can buy
food wholesale or retail in any neutral
country in Europe and bring it into
Germany without having tho supply
confscated by this organization. The
result Is that no German firm to-day
buys food in neutral countries. Every
thing available in Holland, Denmark,
Norway, Sweden, Switzerland or Hun
gary il purchased by an agent of the
81. +. c." and shipped into Germany in
freight cars owned by this organiza-
ton. Travellers in neutral European
countries will see on the railway sid
ings white freight cars with the fol-
lowing sign in big black letters:
central Einkaufgesellschaft Deut-
schland" the so-called 81. T.. g."
Before this bureau was organized
German merchants had been going to
these countries and bidding against
each other for the available food. The
result was that prices became almost
prohibitiye. Now the government sends
ono man to buy the supplies and offers
a certain fixed price.
This same organization controls the
sale Of all food within Germany. A
Bavarian wholesale grocer, for instance,
cannot send food to Berlin or TO any
city outside OF Bavaria unless he sells
IL 10 the 81. f.. c." The penalty has
been made so high some cases it
amounts to imprisonmcnt-few people
try to get around these government
restrictions.
Socialist Schemes Succeed
This is one of the ways by which
state socialism has been established in
Germany during hostilitics. Because
the government was successful in the
food department, similar bureaus were
organized to care for other common
needs. government department TO
buy, sell and conserve all edible fats
was organized. Another bureau to con-
troll the oil market and another to pur-
chase old clothes and still another TO
have charge of wool and cotton were
founded.
On the whole these socialistic
schemes have been so successful that
many Socialists and officials are look
ing forward to the period after the war
when these ideas can be extended. It
has been suggested already that the
government take over what remains OF
the German steamship companies and
establish a government monopoly IN
merchant ships. IL has been suggested
that the government import all raw ma
terials and export all manufactured ar
ticles. 1t has been suggested that the
government bring the soldiers back
from the front in companies and in
regiments and run the factories like the
army has been run. But while the
government may desire to do this, the
voters will probably have something
else to say.
The Socialists are the reformers Of
Germany, and inasmuch as they have
been able to make such progress during
the war, when they have been prevent
ed from doing so many things they
planned, it is almost certain when
peace comes the Socialists will play
the leading role IN reorganization. The
growth of the Socialists has by no
means been in vain. If they succeed
in accomplishing the reforms which
they expect there will be universal
peace party in Germany in the future
TO take the place Of the universal war
party of the past. The Socialists on