The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-05
FEDERATED R. R. SHOPMEN DEFY
ACTION ON THE HINES WILSON
PROPOSITION FOR WAGE BOARD
Germany Solves the
High Cost Of Living
Provides for Cheaper Foods
Rather Than Increased
Wages.

Berlin. Aug. 4.-Germany has
cut the high cost of living in
half. The reduction applies to
all rationed food. principally
-four, potatoes. meat and fat The
government Is spending one and
a half billion marks E375.ooo.-
0o0) in an attempt to bring food
prices down to a permanent low
err level. At the same time the
meat and fat ration is being in
creased, American imports be-
ing assured.
The cutting In half Of the high
cost Of living is the direct re-
suit of the railroad strike. The
railroad men asked for higher
wages and accepted cheaper food
. as a compromise. The reducing
means a weekly saving of about
81 marks ts5.75) to every worke
in Germany, according to ar an
n~ouncenent of Railroad Minister
Oeser, made in the Prussion diet.
aittAIiS tiS aSItlafiu u 81
ing railroad men would have cost four
billion marks $4,000. 900. oo0). Ger
man railroads. formerly the best pay
ing Investment of the Prussian state.
arc now losing money AT the rate of
from three to -four billion marks a
year. Granting the wage demands
of the men would have decreased the
total deficit for the year to almost
eight billion marks $4,000. 900. o0o).
Minister Oeser. in reporting the
agreement to the diet, said II
would be impossible t. raise an ad-
ditional seven or eight billion marks
by taxation, In order to make good
the railroad deficit. 1t would also
be impossible to further raise the
passenger and freight rates. because
higher freight rates would merely
raise the cost Of living still higher
and would at the same time hamper
German industry In world competi-
ton.
The governments action has beer
indcrsed by all parties except the in
dependent socialists. who insisted
upor turning the management of the
railroads over to the employees.
Minister Oeser. in rejecting their
demand. said the railroads were the
property Of all h people and should
he managed by all the people Who
ever run the railroads has his hands
on the throat of the nation" Herr
Oeser declared. and domination OF
the railroads by the Spartacus eie
ment would lei Bolshevik rule In
The governments forecast for the
third quarter OF the year SAYS the
present bread ration will he retained
until the new crop becomes avaiiab BILE.
Wherever there should occur a
shortage OF potatoes. the missing
quantities will be replaced by other
food. Since August | the ration has
been increased to $50 grammes per
week in most parts OF the country
and will be extended to all parts OF
the country gradually, Since the
meat ration is being continued all the
domestic livestock situation Is most
d~ep1orable. according to the govern
ment statement. The is
forced to rely IN foreign frozen
meat, canned meat and corned beef.
However, the government succeeded
In buying, in addition. a large guam
tfty of American bacon which will be
distributed at the rate OF les gram
mes per week, n head all over Ger
many. h supplies on hand and
contracted for will assume this dis
trfhution for at least three months.
Distribution OF the rationed food i:
handled by the communities. which
are forbidden to charge more thai
the price fixed by the ministry.