Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-05-17
FAIR'ELECTl0N NOW MOULD
RESULT IN SOCIALISTS Of
GERMANY OBTAINING POWER

was held in Potsdam, the kaiser's home,
q socialist was elected to take the place
of DIR. Karl L1ebknecht, who was SEN
fenced to " years imprisonment. So
cialists also carried elections in Cologne
munition factories are located.
The government has been watching
thIs advance in socialism very care
ruIly. 1t 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
~tributing food is purely socialistic. At
present the Y. E.. G." which is the Of
ncial bureau for purchasing and con-
trolling the sale OF food. is absolutely
soclalistic In its nature. No German
firm and no private citizen can buy
1000 wholesale or retail In any neutral
country In Europe n bring 1t into
Germany without having the supply
conilscated by this organization. The
result is that no German firm today
buys o in neutral countries. Every
thlng available in Holland, Denmark.
Norway. Sweden, Switzerland or Hun
gary is purchased by an agent OF the
-. p. G." and shipped into Germany Il
freight cars owned by this organisa-
tlon. Travellers In neutral European
countries will see onythe railway sid
ings white freight cars with the fol-
lowing sign in big black letters:
central Etnkaufgesellschaft, Deut-
hland'-the SO called q. e. O."
BEFORE this bureau was organized
German merchants had been going to
these countries n bidding against
each other for the available food. The
result was that prices became almost
prohibitiVc. Now the government sends
one 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
1t to the ~. e. G." BY making the
penalty SO high-in some cases it
amounts to imprispnment-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 hostilities. Because
the government was successful in the
food department, similar bureaus were
organized to care for other common
needs. A 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 mother 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. 1t
has been suggested already hat the
government take over what remains OF
the German steamship companies and
establish a government monopoly in
merchant ships. 1t 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, n 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. II they succeed
in accomplishing the reforms which
they expect, there will be a universal
peace party in Germany In the future
to tax the place OF the universal war
party OF the past. The socialists on
principle are against war. and the peo-
pie are SO weary OF this war that they
win not look forward to future ware
with any degree OF hopefulness.
During the pas. two years the radical
socialists have been fighting hard Tor
recognition, but because the govern
ment has been against them and be-
cause the army a hated them they
have been unable to carry out many OF
their plans. They a be added, how
ever. by the United States OF America
and her allies II the present military
leaders are defeated and discredited.
AS long as the army can say to the
people: w defended the country. We
kept the enemy GU Of our country. We
fought a successful war;" a great many.
Germans will be misled and the reform
movement in Germany after the war
will not be as successful as 1t other
wise win be.