The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-10-31
IS UNITED STATES WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE GERMANY
 HAS FOR HER GAINS?
Hartford, Conn. October %, 1898.
Editor of The Democrat:

Haruord, Conn' October go, 1888. Editor of The Democrat:
 Qermanys bloodless conquests Of Austria and Czeehoslovakia have brought certain obvious gains, amounting to some five millions of people, unlimited square miles Of area to control, increased natural resources, political influence and military power. These are now fore- most in the minds of the German people.
 m the minds of the democracles of the world, peace was purchased for the saving Of millions or lives from death and destruction. Tein- porary peace, if you will, was pur- chased because the leaders of demo- cratic nations doubted whether their people could or would pay the price Germany had paid for her gains. Now that peace has brought a breathing spell, we must appraise quietly and without rancor whether we aS democracy arc willing to pay the price which Germany now pays and must continue to pay for some time to come. Before making a decision, we must consider whether we will follow the German total- itarian plan, or whether our demo- cratic road leads to higher values for oil.
 Germany for the time being ap. pears to have abolished unemploy- ment by devoting oil of her avail. able man. power to the production of war supplies, munitions and dee lenses. Every man and woman in Germany is subject to the govern. ment's call for whatever services they may be able to perform. No figures are available aS to the amount of dermany's public debts or their rate of increase. Will they be met in full, or will they be re. pudiated, as they were in ie22.249 The major part of current cost is paid out of tho wages Of labor, which are controlled by the government, and through restrictions on free on. terprise. The hours Of labor in Germany fiominally average 46 per week in private employment, but no limit is fixed on the hours Of work required of the army of labor which is conscripted for public works, for- tifications, etc. In some cases gov- ernment labor works as much as 70 hours c week. Labor, especially skilled labor, .s widely conscripted by the government for employment in 'neccessary" production, and the movement of all workers s rigidly controlled. Wages and hours of work are fixed by the government, There is no collective bargaining and no right to strike in Germany. Tn German industry in 1887 women earned from @ to ei0 week and men from 60 to si0. A tool-maker Is paid approximately ei0 Q week. (0erman marks being converted ct 70 cents per nark) These weekly earnings are gross, from which ape proximately i6eS is deducted for so. cial insurance, "Winter Aid," etc.
 It is granted that It is impossible " klkuKG AlaAkbSv SeDtSt @seAAtSy High, in the Saturday Evening Post of october 9th, gives some of the following items of cost:
 "There is e chronic food short-
 age. The workingfnans sausages
 contain potato flour and starch.
 Fish sausages are offered as c
 substitute. A 'nationAi menu, ape
 proved by the government, leaves
 meat entirely out of the patriotic
 Germans diet during the month
 of May and recommends beef only
 during October and November.
 Butter is made of whale oil and
 rationed--in Berlin. one quarter of
 c pound per person per week. A
 recent German process Tor blow
 ing air through whale oil is help-
 ing the taste of the nations but
 ter.
 Tn Berlin q loaf of bread which
 contains by law minimum of
 per cent corn flour and 6 per cent
 potato flour, costs nine cents and
 Is one-quarter of the standard
 American size. (In America the
 average price for one pound loaf
 Is ten cents.) Fish albumen Is dis- placing eggs in the production Of foodstuffs.
 Tn times Of war reads the
 Nazl Defense Act, every German