Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-11-23

OF communism. even to dividing to-
bacco, candy and money.
during the last few months. Many fac
| tories are idle because of the lack Of
raw material, and buyers must send
! their orders 20 several factories to OBJ
tain the kinds and quantities desired.
Many orders for liner qualities of paper
| have been received from abroad and
me domestic demand for ncwspr!nt is
! great.
Lack OF rubber has practically
stopped the manufacture OF rubber
goods. Automobile and bicycle tires
! are now made Of paper. Paper is a So
/ used in the making of bandagcs and
/ othcr hospital supplies. These extern
si.e abnormal uses OF paper doubt
! less account in part for the scarcity
/ OF paper for ordinary purposes.
/ Depleted Condition OF railroads.
! Al the end Of 1914 the German rail
way system included total of abou,
I $500 miles OF tracks During the
I war new construction was confined TO
strategic lines. The Germans took UP
railroad tracks not in military use in
the occupied territory of belgium.
France. Poland and other countries TO
procure materials for repairs and new
| The lines used for military trans
poriation were kept in fairly good re-
pair. considering the unusual wear and
dtions. the use of iron ties being chief
ly responsible for their remaining in
tact. The machinery defects eased.
though. due to lack of good lubrica,-
Ing oil and of material for repairs.
Copper has been replaced By inferior
and resistance.
After the armisticc trafnc was fur
sher h1 IN ere by demobilzaton
and By the obligation TO furnish the
allies with locomotives and cars.
| The immense demand for transport
! facilities and the increasing dctcriora-
ton of the railways and railway roll
ing stock emphasized the Importance
% rFr1l n ~ q n How -,
During the war. traffic by waterways
doubled The rivers and canals were
truck
Germany is now practically stripped
Of her merchant marine through losses
al the beginning OF the war, the pro-
visions of the armisticc, and the allies
terms for providing food. Germany will
be dependent on foreign ships.
Industrial Losaes.
The Industrial losses are no less Sc
rious. The total loss in coal Involved
in the loss OF .,isace- Lorraine is equtva-
lent to about one third OF the total pit
coal output. The Westphalian coal
fields, which yield the best European
coke, arc. indeed. left to Germany, but
clauses arc included in the peace treaty
which considerably restrict its freedom
TO dispose Of this coal for its own pur-
POSES. and Germany is placed under tho
obligation 10 deliver approximately 81,
900 900 tons OF coal to the allies, and
output remaining. which in the years
, Immediately following the war Will not
regain the pre.war level.
considerably raise its output the loss
OF Upper Si!esia and the Saar Basm,
naming obligations formulated in the
treaty, viii render necessary very
much larger import Of coal or 4 con-
siderable reduction in consumption.
The loss Of Alsacc- Lorraine carries
with II most serious effects on the Ger
man IRON INDUSTRY for not only the Lor-
remaining West German iron cstab-
l!shmcnts: especially those in Rhenish
Wcstphaiia and the Saar Basin obtain
their ore requirements TO 4 very APP
mines.
The loss of Lorraine Will. therefore.
make Germany dependent for the
on foreiE" ores. II is no douSs true
sweden. spain and Russia-pe rhaps also
even from France hut the ore basis or
the German iron industry will. never
thcless. be SO greatly restricted that
disproportion will arise between raw
material and industrial product which
will render the continued existence OF
the industry on its former scale mat
ter OF doubt.
Imports and Exports.
: The t, low value OF the mark has had
OF the last peace year. the present i'm
, portation of raw materials is. in guam
amounts OF July. 1918. These imports
were: however. not balanced by CORE
spending exports.
There seem to be but two ways out
OF the serious crIsis-the increase of
PRODUCTION and mo quoting OF the So
in this connection it is interesting
TO note that Germany is almost free
from strikes, is settling down to steady
work and Is beginning to tackle the
reconstruction problem in all earnest
ness. Radicalism is recedinE, lack OF
5 empioyment is decreasing and the saw
I inSs bank deposits increasing At
: tempted strikes can no longer count
:. on any popular sympathy or support
in Germany. The people demand quiet
get it,
The willingness OF the German peo-
I PIE 10 o., work constitutes their most
promise for their economic future.
. There is the old axiom work conquers
all" which is AS true to-day as it was
! to the end of time. 4 people with sum
: cient industrial will power can over
, come all material obstacles. including
, many, will face by April /. 1920, and
, budget reaching the staggering sum
of $4,000, 100000.
!: Our Duty and Opportunity.
5 The American people have not the
the conditions both In Germany and
S in all Europe. We who have been there
and seen 1t have talked ourselves out.
leadership from Washington In let
' ting things go they will without
;. taking action. month after monh, we
. are doing more than inhumanly leav-
. ing Europe in the tolls Of wars after
a math; we are choking off market
which we need in order to keep our
own industries healthily and fully en-
.s