The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-04-21
GERMANS CONSERVE
\ SUPPLY OF CLOTHING

HOO tADtSitt d w Stl vi Jul
ZION as CHS one. 1t would always
be admitted. presently, that no one
in Germany or elsewhere had believ-
ed it possible that world war
could con:inue for nearly three
years The great German economists
had scoffed at any suggestion that
any European war could be dragged
on for more than few months. That
belief certainly was held very strong
~ i'll the German Government.
But that belief is the complete ex-
PLANTATION why there was no provision
by the German Government on the
economic side similar to the provi-
sion which was so we'll made ON the
military side. Nobody believed that
there would be any need for Ger
many to lay in special stocks of raw
materials. The war would be over in
few months, and the way would
be open to procure the usual sup
plies of wool and cotton in the usual
markets.
1t was not for some time after the
opening of the war that il began to
dawn on the German officials that
they had made mistake in such cal
culations. Great efforts had been
procure the largest possible importa-
lions of cotton. But that was chief
ly because of the use of cotton in the
manufacture of explosives for war
purposes The necessity of provid
ing for replacement of stocks of
clothing did not seem to occur to the
German Government until after the
war had been going on for some
he. did
ton taken was characteristic and
thorough. 1t was similar to that
previously taken with regard to
grains and food supplies. The Gov
eminent Communicated everything
in Germany, and held it for use or
distribution only under Government
permission.
Not only was all raw material, all
wool and cotton. Communicated, but
all stocks of clothing and of cloths,
all stocks of leather and of manu-
featured boots and shoes-every-
thing, in fact, that men and women
wear was thus put under the control
of the Government, except such ar
ticleS as are properly claSSed as lux
uries. Silks and the expensive arti-
cfes of finery or adornment, laces,
6lllDTOlueTlSS anu 81 vi, Tic NoN Vl
! ment did not consider it necessary to
J control. But all the rest came under
! stringent regulation.
Consequently if man in Germany
wants to NY a new suit of clothes
nowadays he must get Government
permission first. If he needs pair
of new socks he must convince some
| Government official that he needs
/ !, l. t0
make the purchase. If woman
| needs new gown she must show
| that she needs it and why. 1t does
/ no good to go to the shop where
! these articles are kept for sale. The
! the sale. Business is none too good
| helps opt But unless you have the
written Government permission to
MAKE the purchase he will not do
business with you.
This permission is called a"Bezug-
schein," a kind of certificate of ne
! cessity." 1t is obtainable for moth
| ing but effort; that is, it costs no
money and represents no intrinsic
value. 1t performs the same func-
/ ton as the various food cards, and
] Is IHelSlN Tic lliuol vi ~
| is the legal permission given by the
| Government officials to the holder to
make purchase and to the vendor
| to make the sale.
7 Offices for the issue 0r be- :.
scheins are established in various
places in each city or centre of pop
ulation Often they are set up in de-
partment stores or other large shops.
In such places forms will be given
| out for the asking, but before the
! form is filled out and made really
good as authority for purchasing it
must be submitted to police super
vision. And the police must be con-
| WINGED that the article is really need
ed. For instance:
If you need a pair of shoes you
will have to show that the pair you
have is so badly worn that it is not
| feasible to make further repairs on
! it. If you want a suit of clothes
you will have to show that what you
| have are not fit for wear and are not
! in condition to be made wearable by
repairs. The German idea is to make
everything go just as far as possible,
| and if a garment can be made to do
a little more service by repairs the
effort is to have the repairs made be-
! fore permission is given for purchase
| of new one.
The purpose of this care is the
| conservation of the stocks of cloth
! ing and shoes that are in existence,
and the prevention of the laying in
| of individual reserve stocks by those
who happen to have the money with
which to buy in excess of what they
! actually need for immediate wear. In
/ other words, no one is to get more
! than his share at the expense of 9th
! ers who do not get their full shares.
The shops in Berlin, Leipsic, and
other German cities are fairly well
! filled with the usual lines of clothing,
and the range of articles made of
| cotton and of wool, and linen They
are arrayed in the usual tempting
! fashion, and the window dresser does
! his work as usual. But there is no
/ use trying to make purchases unless
the proper permit has been obtained.
!, There is always, of course, consid-
! cradle number of special, fancy arti-
cles and things that come under the
! class of luXurieS for which no per-
nit is necessary. Stores which had
such articles for sale GSed to put up
cards on them showing that they
were free of bezugschein. But the
authorities put stop to that, and
it was forbidden even to hint at the
| fact that any articles in shop
could be had without permission.
! Despite all these restrictions, and
| the difficulty of purchasing new clio
! thing, Berlin, when | was there,
seemed very we'll dressed indeed,
and there seemed to be ample sup
plies in the shops to keep the city
we'll dressed for considerable time
/ to come. 1t had been suggested to
me that the shops were putting into
! their windows and show cases all the
! stocks they had and thus making a
show of plenty, which was in fact
not sustained by any reserves. But
the day before | left Berlin l went
/ through the great department store
| of that city-one of the great de-
partment stores of the world, in
! fact-and found them opening up