The Washington times., 1918-04-11

to LedUe the KdLseT's domain. Tod
conditions-jortunes being made in
the Emperor holds the reins of ira
By BLANCHE
While stranded in Germany, virtu-
ally q prisoner because I could not
obtain a passport, thrown on my own
resources because money from Amer
lea could no longer enter, ] sat down
one day TO work at water color paint
ing, by which ! temporarily support
ed myself. and found that was short
of Prussian blue. Fastening to a
dealer In artists materials. l asked
for Prussian blue and received this
highly significant reply: Haven't
any. Can't obtain it However, l
can sell you Partisan blue"
l could have twitted him on that.
for blue was a lot more suitable to
the mood of Prussia than to the
mood of Paris. but what impressed
me was not the irony OF the circum-
stance; IL was the way It fitted in
with a remark heard everywhere in
Germany today: isn't II strange
that the very things we used to sup
ply the world with are not to be had
for love or money in the fatherland
now?"
War has now put a stop to the
German boast OF business as usual"
1t has banished the remark. so COM
mon in 1914: you see how normal
everything is, Hundreds OF shops
are closed. You see notices in their
windows: "Called 10 the war"
"Will not reopen until after the
war, " Closed because unable to obtain
goods"
Some Profits Huge.
On the other hand. certain kinds Of
business thrive as never before and
there are manufacturers who reap
enormous profits and have grown sud
denly rich. I know of man
who had made quick for
tune in pickles. and OF others
who became wealthy in almost no time
by producing the innumerable substl-
:utes for the necessities OF life What
ever Is not under Government control
pickles are not. nor are the imitation
Imitation eggs. and the imitation what
not besides-offers a nne chance for
money making.
Quite wonderful at first glance Is the
boom in jewel. antiques. and pictures.
They bring immense prices. The
demand exceeds the supply. But the
reason Il not far to seek. People who
are making money hand over fist out
Of the war cannot lavish It on clothes
the government controls clothes. They
cannot lavish It on food; the govern
ment controls food. They cannot lavish
1t on festivities; all social Qualifications
have been taboo since the outbreak OF
war. So the money goes for Jewels,
antiques. and pictures.
As Is natural, huge prosperity ct
tends the manufacture OF supplies for
the army. In rare instances some
adventurer piles up tremendous reve-
nue-until caught, as he is practically
sure to be in time-by producing and
vending on his own hook the articles
under Government control. Every
day you read of such fellows being
arrested. But in general the CONNER
cisI and industrial situation in Ger
many reminds you OF the man who
filled out a blank by writingafter the
word business" the dismal word
rotten"
CoafeetIeners Close shops.
Confectioners' shops are mainly
closed: reason. no sugar. II open.
they sell dolls, imitation rubber
heels. imitation tea, imitation eggs.
and imitation anything. Almost all
the tobacco shops are closed, and
many shoe shops. Newspapers, very
large since war began, face a dearth
of advertising, as there IS now SO
little left in Germany to advertise.
The famous open air markets have
hardly anything to sell. The cleo
trical business is cut down by day.
light saving and by the passing OF ex-
travagant Illumination for display.
The automobile business is nat on its
back-no rubber for tires, no gaso
lene. The trade in bicycles in Prus-
sia has declined; the few bicycles in
other than government use squeak
snds rattle along on tires of coiled
wire. Manufacturers are forced to
paw higher wages than ever before,
and coal is scarce and excessively
dear.
Beneath the surface coal abounds
in Germany, but the problem is to get
II to the surface without sufficient
men and transport II over railroads
that are fast going TO rack and ruin
and then cart II without sufficient
horses. At the hairdressing estab-
lishment / patronized we were all
huddled together in one room for
lack OF warmth elsewhere. Private
families keep part Of their rooms
closed. not attempting TO heat them.
All over Bavaria peatSs sold at high
prices.
While certain lines of business have
gained enormously, certain others
have lost enormously, and still others
manage somehow to hold their own
after a fashion. The hotels are still
open. Germans are urged not to
travel, and Of course no guests arrive
from outside the central empires ex-
cept Austrians, BulSars, and Turks.
Turks especially. as they are so petted
there. Banks-perhaps because OF
business connected with the govern
ment loans-secm constantly active.
In office N<,dings one sees many va
cant re n. II is true, but one also
sees rou IS where women are doing
the work of men and appear to be
fully occupied.
Cook Books In Demand.
Book shops seem fairly busy despite
the shortage OF paper. for certain
kinds OF books-notably those telling
how to cook without the customary
materials and those abusing America
and its Fresident-the demand is
keen. Theaters and the movies at
tract unprecedented crowds. From
habit, Germans still thronE the res
taurants, though they call the food
rubbish" They still throng the beer
gardens. though the beer Is imitation
beer, and the saucrkraut made OF
turnIps ind the wurst gone. Laun-
dries st thrive despite the total abb
sence OF soap; instead OF properly
washing your things they bleach
ham Nsifh acids