The Washington times., 1915-01-28

1T 1S welcome news, therefore, thaC
the committee on which Miss Wilson
serves is to make a renewed effort
to bring about this reform.
GERMAN FOOD SUPPLIES
The German Federal Council has
issued orders under which CONNER
cial transactions in certain food sup
plies must cease at once, stocks in
hand must be reported, and confis-
cation Of all these by the govern
ment will be effective February 1.
Owners, Of course, will be paid q
fixed price, which the government
will assume is fair and reasonable.
It is an extreme step, not to be
taken without serious necessity; q
step that few governments could
safely undertake, because few are
possessed Of either the rigid admin
istrative machinery or the certainty
that the public would meekly sub
nit. But in Germany it will prob
ably work good results, unless it
brings new difficulties in importing
food supplies.
Without doubt government mo-
nopoly Of foods could be made q
means to great conservation. 1t
would end much Of the waste, which
in our country represents a very
considerable part Of the consump-
tion. 1t would, also, prevent the mis-
use of certain foods; that is, the
feeding of stock with grains that
under conditions of stress the people
might need.> The German announce
ment indicates that this was one of
the reasons for the summary action.
There are, however, reasons to
suspect that Germany will suffer
serious disadvantages by reason Of
the Communicating of foodstuffs.
The British have declared foods to
be conditional contraband; they will
be confiscated if captured on the
high seas when destined to use of
enemy armies. With all the foods
in Germany held by the government
it would be utterly immaterial if a
given cargo were pledged to civilian
use only; the fact that that cargo
got into the country for civilian use
would by just so much increase the
amount that the government could
take out of its stores and use fol
military purposes. The thing il
exactly as broad as it is long. II
the allies, controlling the sea, per.
mitted foodstuffs freely to enter Ger.
many on, condition that they would
not be used for the military, it would
be possible for Germany to meet
the condition absolutely, and yet gel
the full measure Of benefit so far al
concerned the army.
This view obviously occurred tt
the German authorities; for just be-
fore the announcement Of the fooc
confiscation was made, Ambassador
Won Bernstorff called at the Stat.
Department in Washington and as
sured it that the food cargo Of tn
steamship Wilhelmina, about to sail
would be used only for the civil pop
ulation.
Apparently Germany feels tina
she can gain more by saving wha
she has, than by taking the chance
of being able to import. It is un
likely that, in view of this govern
ment order, the allies will continue
admitting foods on any terms t.
Germany. They may be expected
to place -four on the absolute con
traband list. Germany must hav'
calculated the probability of this
and taken her drastic step fully un
derstanding what it might involve
Yet she took the step; took it, be
cause she was willing to be cut of
from outside supplies if only sh'
could fully conserve her hom'
product.
The move suggests, in this view
not that Germany has reached ,
serious condition, or even that sh'
foresees a time when her need TO
food will be desperate; but rather
that Germany is calmly confiden
that by outstanding her supplies sh
can live independent of the outsid
world. And without much doubt sh
is right. The capacity of a grea
people to live within itself, to pro
duce all it requires even under tn
pressure of war, has been demon
strated time and again. There is n
more fatuous notion among tn
enemies Of Germany than that the,
can starve the Germans into sub
mission. They can do nothing o
the kind.