The Washington times., 1915-02-03
WHEAT AT ST IS

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Wheat sold at $1.65 in Chicago
yesterday and at. corresponding fig.
ures in the other markets Of the
country. There is always, in such
circumstances, a magalomaniac dis.
position to peg out claim on yet
higher prices, and 81 wheat is being
talked about with a good deal Of in.
sistence and some reason. The world
has seen wheat 60 to 81 and even
higher on various occasions as q
result of war conditions; and never
were such war conditions faced as
those Of today.
England and Germany are both en-
gagged now in desperate phase of
the effort by each to starve the other
One of the illogical market condi-
tions is that the market took a vio-
lent turn upward just at the time
and by reason of the raid by Ger.
man submarines in the Irish sea. 1t
is easy enough to understand why in
creasing difficulty of getting wheat
across the ocean should make its
price go up in Liverpool; but it is
not at all plain that added difficulty
in getting wheat out Of this country
ought to make it's price higher here.
However, so completely does the
foreign market dominate the Ameri-
can, that Liverpool can make prices
for our wheat even when it foresees
the possibility that it may not be
able to take it from US.
Italy continues huge buyer, with
increasing indications that she will
plunge into the war. before the
spring campaign is fairly on. That
would probably bring in Roumania; /;
and Roumania is a great wheat
growing country.
The complications regarding ship
ping rights continue to increase.
Germany has given notice that food
supplies will be taken over and doled
out by the government; and Britain
retaliates by declaring that food
stuffs Of all kind destined to Ger
many will have to be regarded here
after as conditional contraband of
war. Conditional contraband means
that it will be held up if it can be
shown to be destined for government
and military use. The German gov
ernment replies that imported grains
will not be brought under the con-
fiscation order; they will be allowed
to go to and be controlled by the
private consignees. But even if that
rule could be enforced in the most
literal way, the fact that the gov
ernment was controlling all do
mestic supplies would practically
establish the conditions and prices
of the imported. stuff. If the gov
ernment is handling domestic sup
plies, then every bushel Of private
importation must ease the pressure
on the government supplies, and
serve the government purpose prac-
tically as if the importation were
made by the government itself. Thus
Britain seems to be justified in as
suning that any foods destined for
Germany constitute potential
strengthening of the German eco.
nomic and military posture.
In this connection the horrors of
present-day warfare are accentuated
by the German program of hunting
ships of commerce with submarines.
Under the long-established rules of
war, when a belligerent seizes an
enemy ship it has the right to sink
her; but if on board there are goods
destined from one neutral to another,
the country that sinks her is re-
quired to give compensation for
those neutral goods. Further, the
belligerent ship that sinks a prize
is expected to take off the crew of
the prize first, and not sacrifice their
lives.
But it is now declared that the
German submarines will not be able
to care for the crews of captured
ships. In one case at least the crew
was merely given time to get over
board into small BOATS; then the ship
was torpedoed and sent to the bot
tom, and the flock of little boats left
to take their chances with the seas.
This is unavoidable when submarines
are sent commerce-destroying; but
it adds a new horror to war in a
day in which effort has been direct
ed to mitigating those horrors.
The multiplying difficulties of car
rying on business of any kind in the
face of the war conditions increase
every day the danger of extending
the war area and involving countries
heretofore apparently safe. Seem
ingly, too, the belligerents are using
all ingenuity, each to make the other
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