My War Memories, 1914-1918
men's profits and hi^h wages, which had to be. put an end to if we were to maintain our capacity to fi«ht, met with no response.
The whole thing was a farce. The fvar lest the maximum prices for agricultural produce should be fixu<l too hi^h actually contributed greatly towards increasing tlu* cost of living and widening the gulf between town and country. Tho discontented elements knew how to make capital out of all thoso things. Our enemies' starvation blockade triumphed, and caused us both physical and spiritual distress.
My personal view of the system of compulsory production at home was that the sooner it was abolished {ami in the case of certain articles of food it should be abolished at once), and free trading a^ain permitted, the better it would be for everyone. On the other hand, I thought that a wide development of cooperative societies and unions of producers, as auxiliaries of the Government, was urgently required. Unfortunately there were not yet enough of these anywhere. Above all it was important that the prices for individual products should be raised, and fixed early enough to enable, farmers to make their arrangements accordingly. The lutundant-Genonil, who shared my views, put them energetically before the War Food Ol'lku, It would seem that England, with her system of minimum prices, chose* the better part, for her production certainly increased enormously,
The farmers worked well. The great landed estates, in particular, achieved wonders, Tho country has again been able to see that, just as the army is the basis of ordtar, so our agriculture is the foundation of our economic, indeed, evsn of our political, life. If we had only borne this in mind before the war things would have been much easier for us. To-day it is the first duty of the state to make good what was then neglected, and that of our agriculture to promote intensive cultivation,
I had many intimate discussions with both presidents of our War Food Office, von Batocki and von Watdow. Different as they were, they both displayed stern devotion to duty and deep love of the Fatherland,
The army often helped the homeland. In view of the heavy