Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1915-10-06
SWEDEN is LOST TO
GERMANY AS SOURCE
OF A BIG FOOD BASE
Swedish Order Prohibiting Ex-
port of Meats and Other Pro-
ducts Now in Effect; Germany
Hurt BY Ruling.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, oct. 5.-I
The action Of the Swedish government
in prohibiting the export of ali meat,
canned goods and live stock, which
becomes operative today, means the
practical loss to Germany OF Sweden
as a source of food supply Certain
minor exceptions will exist, the most
important of which is ash. and pork
and bacon can still be exported under
special licenses: but the order IS as
absolute and innexible as possible un.
der the circumstances and Swedens
export trade in food is for the time
being, and probably as long as the
war lasts, almost completely at an
end.
Although is has been common know
ledge that Germany has been substan-
TALLY helped by Sweden I'm the matter
of food, the extent of this help has
only been revealed by fragmentary
figures which are now available. The
prohibitory order has been for a long
time delayed by a desire expressed
by the government to first count the
amount of stock on band in Sweden
and determine whether is had actual
ly fallen low enough to make the
prohibition imperative. The results
Of this investigation are startling
During the first year of the war
10000 cattle have been exported.
practically the whole stock going to
Germany. This is fully a 800 per cent
increase over the ordinary export be
fore the war During the same length
OF time 100000 hogs alive or slaught-
cred, have been sent out of Sweden
TO foreign markets, although in the
case a large percentage has gone to
England. The counting of stock show
ed that whereas Sweden was expect.
ed to have for home consumption
100000 hoks, she now has on hand
less than thalf this number. The al
arming scarcity of provisions shown
by the investigation. together with the
popular cutlery against the high pri-
ces which actually placer the common
necessities of life beyond the reach
of the poor consumer, resulted in tho
order prohibiting further export. It
i5 thought that this order win soon be
extended to all food.
Soon after the outbreak of the war,
thousands of German buyers swarmed
into Sweden, who did what they could,
even iu the smallest villages, TO buy
up all the available meat and veget-
ables Duly organized and with spe
clal central Offices established where
food accumulated, live stock was
slaughtered, canned and exported to
Germany
AT Laudscrona and Malmo, facto-
ries were built and no detail was omit
ted in the systematic attempt to
make the export as high as possible.
I A temporary step taken by the Swed-
'i-h government last January forbid
ding the export of an timed goods al
lowed Sweden "a short respite from q
system which was draining her of
supplies which were necessary for
home consumption. But by various
lodges, and principally by eXportine
the same amount of meat in from a
live stock or slaughtered cattle. the
export soon reached it's former height
Swedish dealers were encouraged to
continue this excessive and disas
trous export by the enormous prices
which were offered by the Germans
Food prices began to mount daily and
with alarming bounds until it was eyi
dent that a continuance of export.
would lead to the actual starvation OF
Sweden. The scarcity of the almost
prohibitiye prices placed upon articles
of food which always had been regard
ed as the simple necessities OF life
have caused already acute suherin'
among the poorer classes.
In addition to the prohibition of eN
! ports, food commissions are already
fixing maximum prices on the ordiuar
p food commodities Milk, which ha
p been selling for about six cents
q litre, has already fallen to five cents
at the instructions of the commission
and a maXmum price Of six dollar
6 and a quarter per hundred kilos q
e. wheat has been set by the govern
ment, to last until the fifth OF 90
ober.
1t is thought that the prohibition q
n lexports and the recommendation
made by the commission win effective
20 ly reduce the speculative price
e which now prevail but to furthe
D. help ia the matter and 10 do ava
with the middlemen, and agents con
missions, the government has esta
'e Hshed a food bureau, with branch o
fees all over the country, TO buy a
ID available supplies and sell them d
rectly to the consumer without prof
De- This viii undoubtedly be Of materi
Re assistance in the effort to send price
n downward
Pork today is So cents per Hlo.
year ago it was 40 cents. Butter no
rs so cents, a year ago 80 cents. Egl
e now so cents for 20. year ago
cents. Beef now 75 cents, former
go cents
II appears from this increase OF il
NJ per cent that food prices are at pr
y. sent higher in Sweden than in az
country in Europe.