GERMANY’S PROGRESS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3526, 30 December 1913, Page 2

GERMANY’S PROGRESS.

AMAZING PROSPERITY

A very romantic and interesting tonsillar report has just been published from Mr Koenig, British ConsulGeneral at Dusseldorf, on the trade of th Rhenish provinces and Westphalia, an industrial district of vast importance, {ind on the trade of Germany as a whole, which shows the extraordinary prosperity of Germany. “The present success of Germany may be put down to thoroughness in Bill things, thoroughness in education, thoroughness in organisation, the un J doubted advantages of army training iand army discipline implanted in every young German'at the right age, and, to the educational advantages offered to him at a nominal cost by the Government during the last thirty years, during which time Germans have been striving hard, and not always favored by natural advantages, such as a large seaboard, to attain to the prosperity which they are at present enjoying. “Germany’s imports and exports in 1880 amounted to £300,000,000 as against £950,000,000 in 1912,” adds Mr Koenig. “Germany has kept her second place among the nations in commerce, hut the United States of America is rapidly catching her up. Germany imports £150,000,000 worth or foodstuffs, whereas' the United -Kingdom imports nearly twice as much food, in spite of Germany having a 50 per cent larger population.; Germany is, therefore, from an agricultural point of view, .far more selfsupporting as regards foodstuffs.* Ills a noteworthy fact that Germany’s cereal harvests have increased from 14,700,000 tons in 1880 to 25,100,000 tons in 1910, mainly owing to more scientific and better farming. Miners wages have risen from £-10 per annum in 1886 to close on £BO in 1912, he., an increase of 100 per cent. Wherever one turns one sees higher incomes and incroast'd prosperity. “The labor market was in a favorable condition throughout the year. The number of both women and men employed ineeased, but the number of women finding employment increased proportionately more than that cf the men. It is considered,” lie says, “that the rise in the cost of keeping the family supplied with the necessaries of life induced women to take to earning a livelihood out cf sheer necessity.

“Thirty years ago Germany set up her protectionist tariff, and it is an incontestable fact that during these last 30 years Germany’s progress has been nothing short of marvellous; it is, however, an open question whether, it is entirely due to her protectionist policy; there are a good number of Germans who maintain that her nrogress would have been just as great without a protective tariff.”

TRAINING FOR POLITICS.

LONDON, Nov. 14. Taking, their cue from Ulster, the Suffragettes have at length entered upon a considerable scheme of military training to enforce their demands, and it becomes a question of how far this sort of thing is to be permitted to go. Miss Sylvia Pankhurst some time ago urged l women to arm and train as tne only means of getting “justice,” and .Sir' Francis Vane, who was formerly connected with the boy Scout movement, has offered Ids services in this connection. At Libra Ilall, Bow, this week, there was a gathering of young women and girls to inaugurate the projected Suffragette army, to be known as “The People’s Training Corps. ’’ The rules, which it was stated had been drawn up by Sir Francis Vane, were read, and the following undertaking, which every recruit will have to sign, was read: —“I promise to serve the common cause of justice and my comrades under our duly elected officers. I will be a friend of all and a brother to every member of the Peace Army. lam a sincere believer in universal adult suffrago.” Miss Emerson, who presided, said they would have as instructor a soldier who had served in Egypt and a fencing master who would teach, the “army how to deal effectively with the peace in the use of their sticks. .