whole strength of the belligerents was, however, devoted to the production of powder and other instruments of death. The production of ordinary utilities was increasingly reduced. The workers were drafted into the armies, and productive industry was entirely turned to the purposes of war. There was continually a greater dearth of useful goods. Hence arose shortage of food and exorbitant prices. LACK OF BREAD, LACK OF COAL, LACK OF ALL USEFUL GOODS, AND MOREOVER A WORLD-WIDE LACK IN CONJUNCTION WITH WORLD-WIDE EXHAUSTION, SUCH WERE THE MAIN CONSEQUENCES OF THE CRIMINAL IMPERIALIST WAR.
Here are a few examples from different countries.
In France during the opening years of the war, agricultural production diminished as follows:
In Britain the reserves of iron ore fell off as follows:
In other words, the reserves of iron ore were practically exhausted by the end of 1917.
In Germany the production of cast iron was as follows :
Owing to the lack of coal, the condition of industry throughout the world was desperate. In