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Show PROSPERITY IS HOVERING OVER CZECHOSLOVAKIA GOOD PROGRESS B IE IT EVJpilC Enters Upon Second Yeat of Its Independence With Brilliant-hued Prospects. Crops Are Unusually Good and Labor Conditions Are Said to Be Satisfactory. I By Universal Service. LONDON", Dec. 13. Czecho-Slovakia. which has just entered upon the 6econd year of its independence, has, unlike the other nationalities from Austro- Hungarian bondage, made remarkable progress, both politically and economically, economi-cally, since its liberation, as the following fol-lowing brief review shows. The harvest has been exceptionally Joorl, the yield ot Kheat per hectart (2Vi acres) being 24 "cwt., as against 17 cwt. last year, and barley 24 cwt., as against 12 cwt. last year. The same improvement has taken place with lentils, len-tils, potatoes, beet root, hops, wine and 'fruit. As regards industries, 75 per cent of the industries which belonged to the former Austro-Hungarian monarchy are now carried on within the territories terri-tories of tho Czecho-Slovak republic. These are now being restored to their normal conditions, although a few glass works and textile manufacturers are at a standstill, owing to lack of raw material. Prices Are Controlled. The exports of the Czecho-Slovak republic re-public consist chiefly of glass, textiles and machinery, beer and sugar. Prices which steadily rose during the war are now being controlled, and the government govern-ment has organized an energetic campaign cam-paign against profiteering. The good beet root harvest has placed the Ox'eho-Slovak republic in a position posi-tion to export large quantities of sugar. Hops and timber will- also be available for export on a large scale. The present coal output is satisfactory, satisfac-tory, and, according to Mr. Hoover's recent report, amounts to 78 per cent of the production in 1913. Moreover, since the armistice there has not been a single strike among the Czecho miners, min-ers, who fully realize how important their work is to the well-being of the republic. The only two really serious draw- , backs to the development of active trade are those of finance and transport. trans-port. As a result of Austrian mismanagement, misman-agement, the circulation of paper money is seven times what it w-as before the war. Railroads Improving. The currency in Poland, Austria and Serbia has depreciated to a far greater extent, and has had a considerable effect ef-fect upon that of Czecho-Slovakia, whose export trade is chiefly directed to the Near East. In matters of transport, the railways are rapidly improving, the state having furnished more than 100,000,000 kronen ($20,830,000) for their development. As a result, the services are better than those in Poland, Rumania or Serbia. AVater transport on the Elbe to Hamburg Ham-burg has been started, and similar communications com-munications on the Danube with Serbia and Rumania will be established as soon as affairs in Hungary are more favorable. The financial situation has also been improved by withdrawing banknotes to the value of two milliards mil-liards from circulation. Popular opinion on the subject of Teschen has become reconciled to the idea of a plebiscite, although every political party insists that the Teschen district is an economic necessity for Czecho-Slovakia. |