The Landowner 



the peasant proprietor, who had adhered more 

 closely than the great landowner to the cultiva- 

 tion of grain, began to feel very insecure. 



" Then came protective legislation as the 

 saviour of German agriculture. The fact was 

 realised that if agriculture were allowed to go 

 to rack and ruin half of the population would 

 be impoverished, that immense sums invested in 

 agriculture through the adoption of the inten- 

 sive method of farming would be irrevocably 

 lost, and that neither industry nor our Colonies 

 were able to absorb the starving crowds. The 

 result would have been an efflux of the most 

 robust element of our people to other countries, 

 which would mean an irreparable loss to our 

 nation and to our defensive force. The idea of 

 protective duties had, however, not taken root 

 among our people, and it was only with great 

 difficulty that the Government got the Reich- 

 stag to accept a duty which was so insignificant 

 that it contributed but little towards relieving 

 the growing needs of the agriculturists. It ac- 

 customed the people, however, to the idea of 

 a protective tariff; it did not, as had been 

 prophesied, react to the detriment of industry, 

 and it facilitated a raising of the duty which 

 soon afterwards proved to be necessary. Ger- 

 man agriculture was by this means enabled to 

 withstand the competition of countries produc- 

 ing cheaper corn. 



43 



