Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-26
SWEDEN CUTS OFF
HER EXPORT TRADE:
Country Is No Longer Source of
Food Supply for
Germany
PR0HIBITIVE ORDER ISSUED
Government Is Forced to Act to
Retain Necessities for Home
Consumption.
'R0HIBITIvE ORDER ISSUED

STOCKHOLM. SWEDEN September
25.--The action of the Swedish govern
ment in prohibiting the export Of all
meat canned goods and live stock
which became operative Yesterday
means tho practical loss to Germany OF
Sweden as source of food SUNNY
Certain minor exceptions will exist. III,
most important OF which is fish, and
pork ana bacon can still be exported
under special licenses. but the order
is as absolute and innexible as possi
oie under the circumstances. and
Swedens export trade in food ia for
the time being, and proba bly, as long
as the war lasts. almost completelv ~
an end.
Although il has been common knowl
edge that Germany has been subst,n
'iallF helped by Sweden in the matter
OF 1000 the extent of this help has only
oeen revealed by fragmentary figures,
winch are now available The prohibit.
tory order has been for a long tina
delayed by desire expressed bv IN.
government to first count the amount
OF stock on hand in Sweden and de,or-
mine whether it had actually fallen
low enough to make the prohibition
Imperative The results of this inve.
tiGation arc startling
ALARMING SCARCITY OF
PROVISIONS IS SHOWN
During the first year of the war
$4,000 cattle have been exported nrac.
tically the whole stock going to Ger
many. This is fully "A 300 percent in
crease over the ordinary EXPORT befur.
the war. During the same length or
time 100000 hogs. alive or slaughtered
nave been sent out OF Sweden to for
eiSh markets, although in this case
large percentage has gone 10 England
me counting OF stock showed that,
whereas Sweden was expected to have
LOT nome consumption hoo 600 hogs
she now has on hand less than hair
THIS number. The alarming scarcity n,
provisions shown by the investigation.
together with the popular outcry
against the high prices which actually
| placed the common necessities of IF.
beyond the reach OF the poor con.
sumner, resulted in the order prohibiting
| further export 1t is thought that mi.
or"e' VIII soon be extended 70 all food.
soon after the outbreak OF The war
thousands OF German buyers swarmed
INTO sweden, who did what they couId
mp all available meat and VEGETABLES
puiy organized and with snccial CEN
'ral Offices established. where food ac-
cumulated. live stock was slaughtered
canned and exported TO Germany
EXPORTERS ENCOURAGED
ny ENORMOUS PRICES
AT Landscrona and Malmo factories
were built and no detail was omitted
IN the tif.
export as high as possible. 4 tempor
AIRY step taken by the Swedish govern.
ment last January forbidding the ex
port or all timed goods allowed
sweden short respite from system
"hich was draining her OF supplies
"hich were necessary for home con-
sumption But by various lodges and
principally by exporting the same
amount or meat in form OF live stock
or slaughtered cattle. the expert soon
reached it's former height. Swedish
dealers were encouraged to continue
this excessive and disastrous export
by the enormous prices which were
offered by Germans Food prices be-
gan 10 mount daily and with alarming
po"hoS' until II was evident the scar
CITY and the almost prohibitive prices
placed upon articles OF food which al
necessities OF life. have caused already
acute suffering among the poorer
classes.
In addition TO the prohibition of ex-
ports, food commissions are already
hiking maximum prices on the ordinary
rood commodities. Milk which ha,
been selling for about six centa ntre.
mas already fallen 10 cents. at the in
struction of the commission, and
maximum price of s6.o5 per 100 kilos
oil wheat has been set By the govern
ment, to last until October i5
PRICES HIGHER IN
SWEDEN THAN ELSEWHERE
1t is thought that the prohibition of
exports ana the recommendations made
by the commission VIII effectively re-
duce the speculative prices which now
prevail. hut To further help in the mat
ter and TO do away with the middlemen
and agents commissions, the govern
ment has established a food bureau.
with branch Offices all over the country.
10 buy all available supplies and sell
them directly to the consumer without
profit. This will undoubtedly be of
material assistance in the effort TO send
prices downward.
Pork to-day is S. cents per kilo
year ago it was 40 cents. Butter now
is so cents. n year ago 30 cents Eggs
now 80 cents for twenty. year ago
% cents. Beef. now 10 cents formerly
80 cents.
1t appears from this increase OF 100
per cent that food prices are at present
higher in Sweden than in any country
in Europe.