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Leacock, Stephen, 1869-1944

"The Hohenzollerns in America"

The entire Reichstag, especially the
professorial section of it, broke into unrestrained
applause. It is felt that the new formula is the equivalent
of a German Magna Carta--or as near to it as they can
get.


VII--THE FINANCIAL NEWS
The war finance, as I remember it, always supplied items
of the most absorbing interest. I do not mean to say that
I was an authority on finance or held any official position
in regard to it. But I watched it. I followed it in the
newspapers. When the war began I knew nothing about it.
But I picked up a little bit here and a little bit there
until presently I felt that I had a grasp on it not easily
shaken off.
It was a simple matter, anyway. Take the case of the
rouble. It rose and it fell. But the reason was always
perfectly obvious. The Russian news ran, as I got it in
my newspapers, like this:--
"M. Touchusoff, the new financial secretary of the Soviet,
has declared that Russia will repay her utmost liabilities.
Roubles rose."
"M. Touchusoff, the late financial secretary of the
Soviet, was thrown into the Neva last evening. Roubles
fell."
"M. Gorky, speaking in London last night, said that Russia
was a great country.


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