The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-12-05
GERMANY CAN'T
Be STARVED OUT,
SAYS MINISTER
Baron Won Scholemer, Chief of
Agricultural Dept, Says She
Can Feed Herself
SOLDIERS SUBSISTING
OFF HOSTILE TERRITORY
Can Provide for Population Dur.
Ing Any Period War May
Last, He Asserts
BY KARL II. Won WIEGAND.

By KARL II. Won WIEGAND.
(Stan Correspondent United Press.)
BERLIN. Nov. l0-(By courier To
Rotterdam and thence by mail to
New York Baron Won Schorlemsr
minister Of agriculture. today put to
flight the idea that Germany oan be
forced into submission by starvation
With his fingers fguratively on the
agricultural resources OF the country
Baron Schorlemer went into much de
tail In attempting TO prove his asser
ton that Germany can feed her popu
lation and her vast armies for an IN
definite period with importations OF
farm products and foodstuff&
III England thinks she can starve
Germany into submission, failing 70
conquer US by arms" said the Ger
man minister OF agriculture, she will
find she has made a miscalculation
Germany can produce enough food 10
feed her population for any period
the war may last, provided We con
ttnue our economizing and eliminar
ton OF waste. Germany will not
starve-no, nor half starve."
Baron Won Schorlemer, who has
been mentioned frequently as the
next imperial chancellor. through his
interview, was unusually candid. He
frankly admitted that he was not tx
actly an optimist on the food ques.
ton when the war broke 06t The
first three months of the war. he de-
clared, however. had shown that Ger
many need not fear famine.
I'm the first place." explained the
minister, I'VE have 100000 less
mouths to feed now than in times OF
peace. These figures represent for
eigners who have left Germany, and
our soldiers who are subsisting of
the enemy's territory. They repre-.
sent a saving Of approximately 1000.
600 tons of grain and 1000, 900 tons
OF potatoes. Add to this the great
saving and elimination OF waste by
the people because OF the war"
Baron Schorlemer turned to stats
tics gathered by his department show.
Ing average consumption and use OF
grain for all purposes. He pointed
out that these figures showed that the
annual requirements for 5000, OOO
people are 15,760,000 tons of grain for
bread, and 43,296,O00 tons Of pota
toes.
Our crop last year" he said, Eek
elusive OF the seed, was grains Ia.
| $4,000 tons potatoes, 1852 OOC
| tons. This left 1,1O9, 900 tons O,
grains to be imported and a surplu,
Of 1896, 600 tons of potatoes. We ex
ported 5S1, 9N tons of rye. but i'm
ported 2,O07,61O tons OF wheat Ex
portation or food stuffs Is prohibited
ana therefore the surplus rye and DO
tato production will go long way
toward filling up the lack between
production and consumption of whea,
usually covered by imports.
The use OF grain for feeding ami
mails or for industrial purposes has
been forbidden. There is to be q
small percentage OF rye -four used in
making wheat bread, and not less
than five per cent of potato -four In
rye bread. Many use 10 per cent. Two
hundred factories are being establish
ed for the manufacture OF potato
-four There were. 100000 tons OF
grain left from last years crops. One
million tons of grains will be saved
through prohibition, of feeding Il Ia
animals. The mixture of rye with
wheat and potatoe -four with rye n
make bread means vast addition 10
the bread supply"
Asked regarding Germany's meat
supply, Baron Won Schloremer was
not so optimistic. OF the per capita
consumption of lie pounds of meat
los, said the minister, were produced
In Germany. Fowls. and especially
geese. may become very scarce, he
declared, as most of tha sunnly ha.
come formerly from Russia, and eggs
may become a great luxury.
over seven million tons of geese
OF the S,56S,S72 Germany imported last
year" said the ministers, came from
Russia; one-third of the 1883 tons
OF chickens we imported came from
Russia. We will have TO 20 without
approximately -166,2s6 tons OF eggs
which we imported last year. and we
will have In their place, coffee tea
and cocoa. with something else We
produce more sugar than we used
Wool and rubber supplies may run low
ana become scarce, even Private In.
dividuals cannot now purchase auto
mobiles or tires.
Our animal census shows firatify.
ing figures. Less than a year ago
there were 20,994,344 head of cattle:
5,520,S37 head OF sheep: 1860 lao
hogs and 3,54s,3S4 goats. There were
3,22e,640 horses in Prussia alone. AZ
that time
Before this supply is gone. we will
get no slight amount more through
importation, despite unsatisfactory
conditions along this line