, to find its customers at
home."[4] "As in time of war industry is dependent on the buying power of
agriculture, the productive power of agriculture is a vital question for
the nation."[5]

[Footnote 1: _Imperial Germany_, by Prince Bernhard von Buelow, p. 221.]

[Footnote 2: _Ibid._ p. 220. See also Bernhardi, _Germany and the Next
War_, pp. 157-159 and 260 _et seq._]

[Footnote 3: _Imperial Germany_, pp. 220-221.]

[Footnote 4: _Imperial Germany_, p. 219.]

[Footnote 5: _Ibid_. p. 221.]

The importance of agriculture in Germany is undoubtedly great; it may be,
as Buelow says, that "the value of its produce is equal to that of the
produce of industry, or even surpasses it."[1] But if the demand for it
were to shrink because the industrial population lost their work through
a shortage of raw materials or in any other way, agriculture would also
suffer. The population at present engaged in agriculture will in times of
peace buy up to the practical limits of its purchasing power, and is hardly
likely, especially in the early stages of a war, to "consume a part of the
products which cannot be disposed of abroad," except in so far as they buy
German goods (the production of which the declaration of the war may have
seriously impeded), instead of commodities produced abroad. But it is
questionable whether they will be able to maintain their aggregate
purchasing power. Prince Buelow ignores the fact that production for the
home market will be hampered by the possible non-arrival of foreign raw
materials in war time; yet Germany imported raw cotton to the value of over
L29,000,000 in 1913. Her foreign purchases of hides and skins amounted to
over L22,500,000 and of wool to L10,000,000. With even a partial suspension
of imports of these and similar commodities, industries dependent on
foreign products must be severely hit; unemployment must increase and the
purchasing power of the urban workers diminish. The agricultural community
must suffer also, and in all likelihood will not be able to take their
normal share of goods off the market. It is true, of course, that Germany
buys large quantities of food-stuffs from abroad, and that home produce
will be required to take their place; but they cannot be grown immediately;
in the interval, industrial disorganisation must result, and before
agriculture can begin to profit by the lack of foreign supplies the harm
will have been done. Moreover, agriculture must be impeded, as, ow