Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1920-01-01
Writer Says There Is Less Lazi-
ness Than in Any Other
European Country.
LOW EXCHANGE IS BIG AID
Gives Germany Advantage in Laying
Her Commercial Lines in Little
Nations About Her-Bitter
at United States.
By HAROLD E. BECHTOL.

Tin Chicago POSt.)
Berlin.-I have been taveling in
central Europe for months. | have
visited farms and factories and stores
and banks and government offices.
A marked difference is noticeable as
soon as the German frontier is
crossed
There is more energy and zip in
Germany; there is less laziness; trains
move regularly; clerks in stores are
we'll stated; wagons and cars and
freight trains Zone of the rarest sights
in Europe) move briskly; smoke comes
from the stacks of at least some of
the factories.
German factory owners say made
in Germany" goods can never again
depend on cheapness for sale abroad
They point out that her sources of ma
.terial are cut and that the old long
hours and cheap labor are gone.
Yet Germany bid far lower than
anybody else on contract for metal
uniform buttons for the CZechO-SlO-
wax army recently. I could cite sew
eral other cases.
Germany has big advantage in lay
ing her commercial lines in the little
nations about her Sentiment aside Of
course) because of the fact that her
exchange is very low, like theirs.
From Germany alone, among the
big nations, can the new nations get
values approximating what their
money represents to them.
Germany's Bright Side.
That is, for Germany, the bright side
of a bad situation. Her mark is worth
under a nickel, about sixth of par.
She has got to have credit before she
can buy cotton and copper from Amer
lea. She can't buy with marks.
Government officials urge credit
for the hope it would give the Ger
man people as they enter on hard
winter.
The same pleas, of course, are made
by the other nations of central Eu-
rope, some of whom helped the allies
to win the war.
American observers here say the
Bauer government is doing the best
it can, but the attitude Of the Prus-
slams in the business world is:
"You have to give us credit before
we can pay France and Belgium and
England! You're delaying to give
France and England a further head
start!' ~
They hold Uncle Sam personally re-
sponsible; he's hated for declining to
rush humbly across with open money
bags.
There are several reasons why the
south of Germany is leading the north.
The Prussian worker had less fire.
dom in the old days than the south
German worker Now that he holds
the whip hand, he hasn't as sane an
idea of what to do with his liberty.
Prussian capitalists, too, are, slower.
They hate to "get to work for France
and England" as they put it.
British officers in the occupied area
tell me the big dye works in the
northern Rhine district are kept closed
by the Germans. The Germans know
the allies cannot yet equal their dyes
especially fixed" blue-and they do
not propose to start these plants and
let the allies learn the secrets if they
can avoid it.
What She Can Export.
Germany can export some glass,
china, potash, cutlery, optical instru-
ments, surgical and scientific instru-
ments and toys, without importing raw
materials. She needs from America
principally cotton and copper.
French and British chocolate, soap,
toilet articles, etc., are on sale in
the stores everywhere in Germany.
The only American goods found gen.
orally are prewar stocks.
The French and British occupied
zones are now commercial fronts. Mil
itary officers there and military mis-
sions in Germany give the French and
British commercial travellers and bank.
ers every assistance. All Of the Amer
lean commercial men and bankers
met In Germany told me they had
fought their way through in spite of
the American government, rather than
with it's assistance.
The Germans realize their overseas
trade will be absolutely dependent on
the allies for years to come Germany
now owns only 81 per cent Of her pre-
NOV chinninr