SPECIAL REPORTS FOR FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION. 89

means as these the German Government has been able to practically
and scientifically assist its local enterprises in entering and holding
their places in foreign markets.

Special report of Consul Harry G. Seltzer, Breslau, Germany, February 24,
1916.
INncreasep Prices or Upper SiLEsiAN Pic Iron, Rorrep IRON, AND
" RiveTs.

The Pig Iron Union, to which most of the Upper Silesian manufacturers
 belong, has increased prices for quality pig iron from 2 to
73 marks ($0.476 to $1.785) per metric ton for the period from March
I to June 30, 1916.
The wholesale prices in Breslau of Upper Silesian rolling-mill
products were increased on February 10, and the following quotations
 have been announced: Soft rod iron, $52.36 per ton; malleable
rod iron, $57.12 per ton; fine sheet iron, $70.21 per ton; coarse sheet
iron, $55.93 per ton: and band iron, $66.64 per ton, all f. 0. b. Breslau
warehouse.
The Union of German Rivet Manufacturers in their recent session
increased prices on boiler, bridge, and ship rivets of 12mm. diameter
and upward by 20 marks ($4.76) per metric ton. All other iron rivets
have been increased by 30 marks ($7.14) per ton. A rebate of 5 per
cent is allowed on assorted rivets and on door-hinge rivets. The assembly
 further decided upon an extension of the present union until
September 30, 1916.

Special report of Vice Consul in Charge Frederick J. Schussel, Munich, Kingdom
 of Bavaria, November 4, 1915.
The territory covered by this report offers at all times but limited,
if any, opportunity for gathering information upon the subject of
the present instruction, as practically all the German cartels; syndicates,
 and combinations have their seats beyond the borders of the
Kingdom of Bavaria. The momentous problems presented by the
war, to the practical exclusion -of all subjects not directly related
thereto, render it particularly difficult at this stage to obtain from
administrative bodiés any information concerning the subjects in
question. In endeavoring to secure information from private
sources, it became evident at the outset that the present is a most
inopportune time for the undertaking.
The attitude of the Royal Bavarian Government toward cartels,
syndicates, rings, and other forms of combination, as opposed to
outsiders (independent concerns), is that of the strictest neutrality.
The individual and national benefits derived from constructive cooperation,
 as opposed to destructive competition, are not underrated by
the governmental authorities.
It would appear that German commercial interests, as a whole,
have been most willing to cooperate with governmental authorities,
with the view of arriving at a mutually satisfactory solution of the
“combination ? problem. The exercise of the control thus obtained
by the Government appears to prevent conflicts with pane interest
to a remarkable degree, and this notwithstanding the fact that some
German combinations have an apparently monopolistic character.