The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-12
The Economic Position In Germany
To-day.

One Of the most convincing expla-
nations Of Germany's present policy
is indicated in q remarkable study of
her economic conditions published by
the French Society Of Chemical In
dustry. In n series Of special artl-
cles the subject is discussed from the
point of view of men who are en-
gagged in the supremely important
work Of making munitions and food
stuffs, and who, by virtue Of their
position, are in close touch with what
Is daily happening across the Rhine.
In this analysis, which is based upon
documents and German technical
journals at present almost inaccessl-
BILE except to official authorities, n
new light is thrown upon the vital
question of raw materials. Several
striking facts emerge and many dis
torted statistics are reduced to their
proper proportions.
The general impression left by
perusal of these articles Is somewhat
different from the opinion prevailing
among the people of the Allies; the
French chemists show that Germany
has had an unexpected amount of
success in meeting the shortage of
raw materials. 1T is possible that
the common and plausible view Is the
right one, and that Germany will be
forced by the scarcity of raw mate
rails to make an early surrender.
However, this is evidently not the
opinion of the French Chemical So
ciety, and it Is therefore interesting
to examine the facts and figures on
which they base their conclusion. 1t
Is arrived at by very close reasoning.
for 1t Is the habit of French scientific
writers to invest a problem Of this
sort with the lucidity of a mathe-
NAUTICAL demonstration, in which
there Is neither sectional nor even
national bias. They note the precise
amount of success which Germany
has had in finding raw materials and
substitutes, but whether this success
can be continued Is another question,
since the difficulties increase with
every day Of the war. The journal
of the society says:
THE characteristic feature of the
present war is the economic isolation
OF Germany. How to supply the raw
materials of food and industry is the
problem for tho Government and has
become the basis Of Germany's resist
| ance."
Although a number OF raw mate
rails are not indispensable. there are
others, like the potato, which have a
double Importance. To use the po-
tato crop for the manufacture of in
dustrlal alcohol is to starve the popu-
lation, but alcohol must be procured
for munltion making and motor fuel,
and this question the chemists must
answer. Cotton is another necessary
raw material. required for clothing
and the manufacture of smokeless
powder, but 1t is impossible to use
it all in this way, as the population
must have tex lies. A choice must
be made and one interest or the other
must be sacrificed. The only way
out of the difficulty is to combine
under central bureau the three in
dustries of food, textiles and NUM-
lions, and this was done In 1915 by
n gigantic organization whose prod
ucts are now under examination.
1t appears that Germany has been
able to manufacture sufficient quaint
ties of nitric and eulphuric acids to
satisfy the growing requirements Of
the war industries. Nitric acid has
been prepared by synthetic processes,
while the sulphur ore or pyrites has
been discovered in Thuringia and Ba-