Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-31

was to get more money from them.
Guarantees were asked from seventy
i've business men in Germany. includ-
Ing myself. that they would undertake
to subscribe 1890, 1000. I declined
to give this guaranty; SO did some
others. / was then favored with a
private interview with Bethmann-
IIol!wcg's private secretary, who told
me that If declined TO give the money
! would lose Il contract | had with the
War Office. But not only that was
threatened with the practical ruin of
my business IL / did not give the
guaranty.
TIifSSEN CALLS KAISER
bi.ACNMAILE.t AND REFUSES AID
described this demand as black
mail Of the worst sort. and refused to
guarantee mark to the war loan.
Two months later l lost my contract,
hhc tfc greater part Of my business
mas been taken over at a figure that
means confiscation. Moreover am
NOT to get paid until after the war,
oul am TO receive 4 per cent on the
purchase price. Every man who de-
cihed To promise a subscription to the
amount he was asked has been treated
IN the same manner.
The majority OF men. however pre-
IL,
the HohcnZollcrns in the main got their
way But. apart from the blacknail-
ing OF men who refused to pay any
NOR money into the iiohcnZollcrn war
chest. let us see how tho IIohenZollcrns'
promises arc working out. \ circular
was sent out last March to a large
number OF business men by the foreign
trace department. which contained the
following suggestion:
1t VIII be wise for employers who
have foreign trade interests to cmpIov
agents in foreign countries who can
pass themselves off as being Of French
OF English birth. German agents ana
travellers will probably for some time
AFTER the war have difficulty in doing
business not only in enemy countr;os
nut in neutral countries There will
Undoubtedly be personal prejudice
against Germans that would PROBABLY
liaNe IL difhcult for representatives of
n ., hrms to do business. AL
thouSh this prejudice Will not inter
ieFe with German trade. as IL will bc
merely or personal character I, ujIt
iaciltate trading transactions il en-
PloEcrs VIII employ agents who can
pass as French or English. preferahJv
or as Dutch, American or Spanish"
SO this is the prospect we arc facad
with after the war. The ncani,,. 80
.7is circular in plain language is This.
% loathed and hated have Gernan.
become outside their own country I'm,
no one VIII want to have any persnnaI
uea!ihGs with them after the war
large number of businesses arc
moreover, being secretly bolstered IN
WIN state aid. 4 condition of this
d" Is that the owners OF the businesses
receiving it shall agree TO acccp, a
co"SideFaoie degree of state central
'Nrr 'heir business after the war.
ms Is part and parcel of plan m
thc part Of the Hohenbollcrns IN ra,
me commercial classes thoroughly into
'hcir grip before the end OF mo va
ana SO minimize the chances of a rovn'
luton. ie'o-
Ihese men who have agreed to az
~ ala now for their businesses and
sac control after the war have re-
.elsed notification from the foreign
80 department TO the effect thar
.n proper organization GERMANY
III 10 recover her prewar trade three
ais after peace is declared Here is
VI. iiohehzoI!ern method of redeeminp
po''ises we are to get back our
We"ar trade three years after maze
~ declared, and to do this We ,rr..
submit TO have our trading transac,ioms
e0 Hi!ea and supervised by the state
IN any German TO whom such pros-
oee.H arc held out by the Emperor +, II
mat ne has been bamboozled ara
''u!H"uRged and fooled into sunnortin
val from which the utmost we ca9
Hope 10 gain is TO come out Of II n.;,L
Jul national bankruptcy?