WHAT HAS GERMANY LOST?

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 63, 3 January 1918, Page 4

WHAT HAS GERMANY LOST?

The Passing of German Smiiustpy. Tlievo liavo been many opinions penned as to the position of Germany after the wav. One of the few writers who hold the view that Germany has lost more through the war than she can ever regain is Mr A. C. Roth, who was formerly the United States vice consul at Plausen, Saxony. He writes: The stoiy of the decay of of German Industry has never been told. To me this has seemed one of the most important phases of the war in respect to its hearing both upon the war itself and upon the future reorganization of trade when the world is again at peace. It is the story of a mighty failure, tho epic of the downfall of the giants. It -kHlje story of clever makeshifts, of expedience, of dogged perseverances of the energy of despair, and of a thousand and one ingenious inventions. ’■ But it is unmistakably the story of tlie passing of German industry, one of tho most marvellous industries in the history of man’s economic effoi When the democratic observer confines Lis study to the militanj- and naval situation solely, the prjesent seems black enough and full of! evil promise. Tho terror of militaristic Germany still looms large. But (when this observer fixes bis attention upon the political, social and industrial conditions prevailing in the Central Empire his fears are dispelled and he realizes that peace cannot he much longer denied the world by the FanGerman clique. ’The power o:: the German Army and Navy is , stronger than ever to-day; but it is ft oting upon the mocking quicksands of German industrial decay, German polical unrest,and the beginnings of a German social upheaval. The purposes of militaristic Germany have already been roundly defeated, though the Germany of shinning armor ” still appears as as ever. And I believe the mdjral of this defeat is being borne lliome crushiDgly to the war adventurers ol the Yaterland to-day by the miii|jjjj|j| ing signs of their land’s failure as much as by tho sigH sullen revolt among the GcflH masses. yfll A COMMERCIAL GIANT rHH ING TO DEATH. «| Peace is not so far rounM corner as the military expert is believe by a conscientious interHßßj tion of his data. There is stillß||| bluster and show of war left I German leaders ; but they are ning to realise that the vitalHEl their industries is fast ebbing H|| and that each added year lessens the chances for covery of her old well-being. leaders are beginning to if German industry is allowed to death over the business oH|| German participation in the infflml and comforts of the world aftertll will he slight and miserable It is not too much to say th;H|||| passing of Germany’s industrial HgH is crowding the Proud Empire unimportant place in the future H the world. Tlie glorious Germany was that drawn froiHHS mighty factories and forges once lost, for many reasons it H||||| most difficult to call forth War has narcotized dustry, in some cases druggiu<JMfflS to a fatal sleep. If the the Entente blockade were to-morrow there would be flow of cheap imports Europe and but the merest RWjff§j§| exports in return. Stories of H|||||| bound industry, working drHHH night against the time shall declared in the worklHHH are pure inventions or vain ■■jll ings. Despite courageous the German industries are josirHHßj grip. The people, it seemed PH -felt this more strongly thantneir leaders; and herein they found an added terror and an added disillusionment. It has repeatedly been stfted that all Germany has been reorganized on a war basis. This is true to a startling degree. It is borne home to the most superficial observer. And this reorganization is one of the most important contributory fauses making for Germany’s abdication of her former pre-eminent place in trade. By almost superhuman effort the German foundries, in competition with; the foundries of tie whole civilised worldj have met tho enemy, shell for shell and gun fir’ gun. The motal industries, however, are cracking under tho ter.ific strain and are drawing e'.c-r more heavily upon all iuan industrial strength nequal contest. The mnitions industry has iold has weakened the organism of the erniby month, the curie supplies of raw and such materials as diverted in increasing war purposes. The lan man power does id of the war. There ity. The failure of s does not spell the r. War finances are of bookkeeping. It :ng failures of the and of tlie industries with promises of ) continued)