German Conditions Still Unsettled
(By Edward Lambrecht) which will of a necessity bear hardest have come to Germany from Alsace- man states are all arrayed against
Almost the first question friends ask upon them and are spending their Lorraine and that section of Poland Wilhelm, while the monarchial senti-
money as quickly as possible. It is taken from Germany is one of their ment is so divided as to the ruler
travelers upon returning home from a this class, in Professor Shartel's opin- serious problems. In an effort to needed that there is small propability
trip abroad is "How soon do you think ion, which gives Germany its super- remedy this a compulsory renting sys- of any restoration. Many of the people
it will before Europe gets back to its ficial appearance of prosperity and tem has been instituted whereby one Professor Shartel talked with think of
normal condtion?" or "What is the perfect normalcy. person is allowed only two rooms for the Kaiser as a quitter and blame the
post-war condition of Europe?" So "With the high taxes and the limit- living quarters. loss of the war to his weaknesses and
when, Prof. Burke Shartel of the Law ed amount of rent which the law al- Through this readjustment period faults.
school returned recently from a three lows, the man who buys an apartment there is a new political sentiment. As regards German sentiment
house has a liability on his hands in- Scarcely any one in Germany thinks toward the Allies, hardly any feeling
month's sojourn in Germany, stead of an 'asset," continued Profes- or hopes that the former Kaiser will exists against the United States, there
coped neither of the above questions sor Shartel. "And yet a great be restored to the throne, The work- is an intense hatred for France, and a
nor many more besides. housing shortage due to the thousands ing class, the Catholic party, and the much more moderate feeling of dis-
"The middle class in Germany, of additional German citizens who former governors of the lesser Ger- like for the English,
those with fixed salaries such a
clerks and university professors, has
been hit the hardest since the war,'
declared Professor Shartel. "Where-
as salaries have been raised only two
or three times what they were previ-
ous to the war, prices have increased
perhaps ten times as much. Many
children go about barefoot, while
clerks, students, teachers, and many
others ar forced to dress in what we
would call a scandalous manner."
The ordinary laboring man's wages
have been Increased in proportion to =.
increases in prices, although women
are sadly underpaid. A washwoman
gets ten marks a day or a little less
than ten cents in our money. With P
this smount she can purchase a loaf
and a half of rye bread or four quartsI L
of milk.
"Lack of employment is not so
noticeable in Germany as in the United
States," said Professor Shartel. "One w
of the reasons for this is that instead_
of workinug ten or more hours a day
as previously the hours have been cut
to eight so as to make places for more ophOne
workmen. Laborers in the form of
advisory councils aid manufacturers
in the employing of men.
"Germany believes in a conservative
socialism aslong this line. At the pres-
ent time there is a bill in the Relchs-
tag which would give the workers a
representation, on the boards of dir-
ectors and managers of businesses.
They do not believe in seizing busi-
nesses from owners, however, but be TN an hour you know the scale; after that it's smooth
lieve in buying out the owners so that y
the workingmen may manage produc- sailing - remarkfable, how quickly you learn to play
tion. this popular instrument.
"Much of the blame for the hard
times being endured is placedon the
inefficient government. It makes lots T HE key system looks complicated; really it's the
of mistakes and former noblemen take ral
of mstaks ad fomer oblmen akeeasiest of all to master. Popular songs, waltzes,
delight in finding fault with it when-
ever possible. They do not like the fox trots, one steps - all are within your capacity in
idea of a saddlemaker being president, a surprisingly short time.
or "saddlemaker government" as they
call it."
One of the proposed bills before the Come in and let us show you our line of Conn Saxo-
Reichstag when Professor Shartel left
was a tax placing a 20 per cent mort- phones. Note the exclusive features for which the
gage on all property in Germany as kings of popular musictoday choose the Conn
one of the means to pay off part ofpo
the indemnity to the Allies. Before
income taxes, excess profits taxes,
and other such taxes were levied on
the German people their taxation was
even heavier than it is in the United
States at the present time. Yet Pro-
fessor Shartel believes that they are
just about to begin taxing the people
Theavily.m n fe nsd n i bw ° I I
The amount of GermanyvsiIndemnity
was notknown until last spring, and
the Reichstag said that it could not 014-505 fast ilitm Ot.
impose taxes on the people until it
knew exactly how much it had to raise.
Great landowners and other people of
wealth foresee the coming tax burden