The sun., 1919-10-15
John j. Watson. Jr., Just
Back, Tells Of New Rehabil-
itation Scheme.
"PULL TOGETHER" SLOGAN
Potash Monopoly to Be Basis!
of Observation-Disclosures
leans Welcomed.

troll of industry which includes profit
sharing and representation In central
councils of every party at interest, from
the laborer to the financier She is
starting with potash, her great pre-war
mononoly.
An outline of what Germany is doing
was obtained by TIE SUN yesterday
from John J. Watson, Jr.. vice-president
OF the International Agricultural Cor
poration Of 81 broadway. He has just
returned from Europe. He spent two
interesting weeks In Germany last
month, mostly in Berlin. He saw and
heard enough to convince him that the
nation is determined to take absolute
control on a scientific basis of all it's in
dustries and to regain and expand its
trade position by inspiring everybody to
pull together as one man.
Before the war;" he said. Germany
virtually had a potash monopoly. She
has now lost the mines of Alsace, but
they have only thirteen shafts. small
number compared with the total in Ger
many To revive, handle and control the
potash industry there has been formed
Reichskalirat, or State board of coun-
sellers.
Board Controls Industry.
'.This board absolutely controls every
question in the potash industry unless
it's action Is vetoed by the National AS
sembly. 1t fixes wages and hours of
labor, fixes prices, both-in Germany and
for export determines what is a fair
return on the investment and fair d.
vision of the profits A certain amount
of the revenue is reserved for wages
and the return on capital. Above that
amount the workmen participate in the
vxraw aty%t hos dnVl tod
but I believe that the profit sharing
scheme is not yet arranged in detail
II talked with quite a few owners of
potash mines. They told me the work.
men, the clerical staff and the scientific
members of the board were all coopert
ating to a great extent because all were
intent on putting the industry on
sound and profitable basis. The infiu-
ence OF representatives of the Landwirt-
schaftlichen, or league of farmers. is
exerted to keep the price OF potash low.
"In my opinion this procedure as re-
CARDS potash is an indication of what
may be expected throughout German in
dustry. A start was made with the
potash industry because that was her
world monopoly. Next will come coal
and chemicals. Potash is a monopoly
to-day except for the Alsatian mines,
small development in Spain and what
America was dDle 10 10 curing the war.
So costly is our production, however. that
| do not see how It can be continued
unless the Government gives very sub
stantial protection. 1t is doubtful IL
such protection will be given in view
of our great need of potash and the
fact that there are not more than ten
large producers here.
1.-THE first cargo of potash to be sent
10 America since the war ended was
started while 1 was in Germany. The
Germans speak hopefully of being able
to charter some of the ships which the
Allies took from them.
by next spring lots OF potash will
he coming in, but there will be some
shortage for another year. Prices will
continue to be considerably above the
pre-war level"
Mr.. Watson had no pass or passport
permitting him to go into unoccupled
Germany and found that he needed none.
AS soon as he crossed the border he was
Welcomed. American soldiers. he said,
were likely to receive cold treatment.
but civilians were greeted with what
seemed to be unaffected cordially, the
reason being Germany's eagerness to
tell Americans that she looks to this
country for extension OF credits for our
foodstuffs and for raw materials needed
10 get German industry under way.
Food Seems Plentiful.
THE people," he said, were not as
short of food as I had been given to
understand. There are still two meat
less days a week, butter is very scarce,
there Is little milk or cream except
The condensed variety from America and
noticeable shortage of white bread.
with what she has Germany is proceed
IN mt aQ1N Ia adnT NiD h
coal shortage. accumulated by the neces-
sity of giving 100000 tons a year TO
France under the treaty provision,
Prices are very high, which is more
serious for Germans than for Ameri-
cans with gold, because of the depre-
ciated value of the mark.
zone interesting development since
the war Is an attempt to do away with
the tipping system. law has been
passed imposing a tax Of 10 per cent
on all restaurant charges and on down
stairs charges in hotels and 25 per cent
on up stairs charges including rooms
and service. This Is In addition to the
luxury tax. When you register you are
told about the new tax, The money
goes to the walters or clerks in lieu OF
tips and you are not supposed to add
anything to IL. A good many persons
have ceased to tip, but / found that IL
was well to give a little something for
extra attentions.
There has been little improvement
I'm transit conditions In Berlin since the
war ended. Taxicabs are in bad condi-
ton: you hardly can see one that has
not from one to four metal rims ir
place of rubber tires. The only private
cars visible are a few operated under
a special license.
MY impression OF the German people
Is that they are hopeful. An important
manufacturer said to me: "A German
without hope might as well dig hi
grave and get into IT. My impression
OF the children-I watched them closely
in the poorer quarters of Berlin--is tha
reports of undertaking have been mucf
exaggerated. The night life of the city
is nowhere near as lively as it wal
before the war. Cafes are not doinl
great business. Not one-quarter o.
the tables at the Thiergarten were occu
pied when ] was there.
BIame United States for Defeat.
~ talked with all sorts of peopl
about the war and could not see tina
their views had been greatly affectet
by the result. They credit Americi
with winning for the Allies by furnish
Ing supplies; otherwise, they say, 1
would have been over before American
soldiers got into it. They still Justif.
submarine warfare, contending that
was no worse than the British blockade
They believe that there were no Bel
gian atrocities until Belgian civilian
attacked German soldiers.
They unite in asserting that the peac
terms are too harsh. but say they ha
10 sign any paper that was put befor