The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-10
BERLIN. June 4

kf45X20B82R &.:st <t4A SpeCuldtlOnS, Or
Y H ten contrary to
3sl. II "a iN&&sN law, on h e
&5s& ~ 3S&$ sSS$fEy varying condt-
aassaak1 lions since the
versailles treaty was made. Many
OF these new-rich We're paupers in
1913. Some had little house indus
tries, running sweat-shops with a
few machines in the back rooms of
tenement buildings. AS the war de-
mands increased they bought more
machines, and finally had enough
money to establish factories and bid
for big contracts and get them. Some
made fortunes on screw or special
pin they had invented, and others
foisted on the people and govern
ment papersoled shoes. shoddy
Hundreds amassed wealth by selling
goods they pretended to have. rely
ing on the rise of prices to resell
their contracts. All they had to do
was to keep on buying and selling,
for the prices continually rose and
they were sure to make money.
How the schiebers Made Fortune.
One of the contemptuous names
for these new-rich is the scheiber"
The word comes from "schieben,"
which means smuggling, the schei,
things in from Switzerland, Hol
land, Denmark and Sweden during
the war, trading in materials that
were supposed to be controlled by
the government. There were many
such and they made great profit
These men are now engaged In
chain selling, which is forbidden by
law, They find cheap product
which can be smuggled into the
country, or cheap goods made in
Germany which are escaping the
taxes, and speculate in them. They
t11. nrflarc fro anpt her selling
the goods over and overriding
commissioned of which comes out
of the ultimate consumer. For In
stance, a schieber bought a lot OF
tent canvas when the army was be-
ing dissolved, at ten cents yard. He
offered a brother schieber a part of
the stock at fifteen cents a yard. and
the latter sold the same stuff at
twenty cents. In the meantime the
price of canvas went up, and the
goods passed from hand to hand UNI
till they came back again to the first
schieber. who paid thirty cents. not
knowing he was buying back the
same stuff he had sold at fifteen.
Most of such selling is without see
ing the goods. the transactions being
on paper, with the ldea that the last
buyer will pay.
Many men have made money by
betting on the unearned Increment
buyine cheap real estate ana selllng
the prices nave AAAO'e
of such purchases were made ION
shoe string" as the saying goes,
only a small amount in cash being
paid with long time notes for the
balance. AS the value of the mark
fell the scieber was able to pay Off
the mortgage at -hundredth or
one-thousandth of its original value,
and thus he knew rich. The condl-
lions here have been just the re-
verse of those of other countries.
Il tn 1ah &
best off, for he can pay his debts
contracted in gold. in marks which
are not worth the paper on which
they are printed. The speculation
In real estate is so promising mat
foreign investors have bought up
some of the best properties in the
chief German cities. There is one
district of Berlin. known as the Ba-
varian section because its streets are
named after towns in Bavaria, where
so much property has been acquired
Nby Hollanders that the people have
nicknamed it, Dutch Berlin" The
Russians. also, own valuable real
estate.
Food Speculations.
A great many of the sciebers have
made money in food which they
struggled in and sold secretly when
the government had the nation on
rations and vast deal has been
trials. both here and abroad. These
men belong to different class from
the really great captains of indus
try, such as Hugo SHINES and 9TH
ers. The latter are doing an actual
business in cash, and it is they
whose millions are supposed to be
stored away in the banks of the
sound financial nations. These peo-
pie and in fact all of the conserVa-
lives of Germany, have Il contempt
fnr CniahprS
pie rate them and class with them
all profiteers who are feeding fat
off the miseries of their fellows,
millionaire Babies And Luxury Dogs
The sciebers are known by their
ostentation. They go about in fur
coats and rich raiment. They are
among the few who have automo-
biles, and they always travel first
class: They NOV now r oWn the hur ilne
palaces in fashionable Berlin. one
sees the babies of these new mil
lionaires, gorgeously dressed With
nurses to match, in the parks. The
aristocrats but they are now en-
. ployed by the sciebers as their fan
' tastic caps are thought to be sign
of wealth on the part of the person
who hires them.
1t is the sciebers who are now
ury tax, and they own what is
known as the luxury dog. Here in
Germany we have dogs free of tax
which labour, hauling carts as they
do in Holland. There are also the
common ours which, if taxed at all,
are taxed lightly. But the half
shaved poodle and the arstocratic
deer hound, reaching almost to the
waist of his mistress. have to pay
big license and form an important
part of the luxury revenues.
o o o
Some Stories of Schiebers.
The old rich do not recognize the
standing of the schieber and the in
tellectuals. by whom l mean the pro-
fessional men, artists scientists and
literary characters, rather pride
themselves on their poverty in con-.
trast. Indeed. all sorts of stories are
told of the mistakes made by the
new-rich. One / heard today relates
to student who recently asked his
schieber hostess whether she liked
Dickens. She replied: Il can't say
that care for them. We had some at
cIiller's restaurant on Inter den Lin
den the other day. but really Holsters
are more to my taste"
The student thereupon asked the
lady what she though of Beethoven's
latest novels She answered: 81 like