New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-24
Requlsition Supplies for
Non-Combatants Under
Ingenious Scheme.
DUTCH TERRITORY
USED BY A TRICK
BelQlans Made TO Conslgn to
Private Persons by Lure OF
Higher Payments.
BY Cab. 70 To. nibunS

London, Feb. 24--The Rotterdam cor
respondent OF "The Daily News teie-
graphs;
From an absolutely reliable source
I am able to give the following exact
statement regarding German methods
in dealing with raw materials Of all
kinds. showing how the government has
actually taken over many industries as
well as the food supply.
1T IS said from the German side that
Germany makes a difference between
food and other materials for the army
and for the civil population, and the
whole battle Of German propaganda IN
the United States, and incidentally the
whole German reason FOR her SUD
marine war. revolves around this state
ment Il is only necessary 70 know
what the Germans are doing in Belgium
and how their law operates TO see that
this statement Is false-that the pre-
tended difference does not exist.
AT the beginning Of the war there
was established by law a department
AZ the Ministry of War In Berlin which
can requisition any raw materials OF
possible use for military purposes even
Indirectly, irrespective Of whether they
are produced in Germany or imported.
After requisitioning the products are
divided among different factories, and
these are obliged 10 put the manuiact-
ured goods at the disposal Of the Min
istry of War, which takes for the army
what it wants. As rule this means
everything.
GLOW this system is applied IS illus
trated in Belgium. Besides real and
lawful acquisitions for the needs oil
the army of occupation, and besides
the extensive and unlawful acquisitions
not for the army of occupation, the
raw material department Of the Ger
man War Ministry has confscated all
the grain, maize, oats, malt and yeast
found in Antwerp, even when these
had been specially stored for the clyiI
population. 40 difference was made
but that is not all, for goods OF less
general use had the same fate.
"All wool, rubber, cotton, flax, hldesl
copper, ore, nickel, oil, rosin, imported
goods, oilcake, coffee, dried currants,
apples and almonds have been conhs'
Gated and removed without regard 10
the wants of the civil population. No
0lUeTGnCG WAS HldAt " l4tAAtl NilN WV
was civil or military, or whether the
goods were internally produced or I'M
ported. The same system has been
followed in Germany, with this DIFF
( ference: that German owners were paid
while the unhappy Belgian merchants
received credit notes on the German
! State Bank, payable three months after
peace, and their prices were fixed a
/ -. e., lpCa than the
real value. The total value of ra"
materials taken from Belgium is more
/ than S75,0O0,O00.
"An elaborate attempt is made tc
/ disguise this system Of plundering
| Part Of these goods must 20 by water
via Holland. The Dutch government
no longer allows requisitioned goods
TO pass, but TO give this traffic the ap-
pcarance Of genuine trading the raw
material department of tho German
/ War Ministry has created the following
organization:
after the goods are confscated al
/ Client, Antwerp, CharlerOi or Brussel:
an emissary of the raw material de
partment comes to Belgian owners and
makes arrangements for forwarding the
/ goods He then declares he IS ready
| TO treat about prices. If the owner
agrees TO invoice the goods to the com
pany named by the emissary, a better
price Is offered; if not. the goods are
taken away and the price is fixed by
/ the commission IN Berlin.
/ Companies such as those TO which
It is suggested that the goods be sent
exist for all kinds Of requisitioned ar
| ticles, for wheat and for other grain
/ There is company at Mannheim for
/ leather "a war leather company, and
so on. They all pretend to be private
companies. In reality, however, they
are only a different name and mask
| FOR the Ministry of War. The capita
is supplied by the government, anC
/ the profits or losses are accounted fol
to the state at the Dutch frontier.
"These goods look like private prop
erty invoiced TO private owners, but
really they are confscated goods fol
the raw material department Of the
war Office. With such a system, any
differentiation between what is for the
civil population has been made i'm
possible, even for the Germans them
selves"