Evening journal., 1915-03-22
FAMINE IN WAKE
OF EUROPEAN WAR
Fleets and Mined Waters
Deprive Many People
OF Food Supplies
FISHING INDUSTRY
RUINED FOR PRESENT

WASHINGTON. d. c.. March 22.-'
One of tho most important aud hither-
to undiscusscd elements of the fam
inc which has become a bitterly Sig
nifcant phase of the war. and which,
according to innumcrablc reports, is
growing steadily in various countries
of Europe. is brought clearly to the
attention of Americans by William
Joseph Showslter in a communication
TO the National Geographic Society
concerning the war and the North Sea
fisheries Discussing Europes en-
dangored fish supply. this writer says
with its war zones and counter
war zones. It's mined areas. its hostile
, fleets. and It's heavily defended shores.
the North Sea. in few months, has
been transformed from one OF the
richest food-producing areas in Chris
tendon into a region upon whose
mastery may depend the starvation
of one or the other of two OF the
mightiest nations OF the earth. In
times of peace no other like area in
all the seas ever has given 10 human
ity such rich supplies OF food as this
narrow strait separating Albion from
the continent of Europe During the
year previous to the present war.
million and quarter tons OF fish
were taken here. enough to I'll pro-
cession of fish trucks reaching across
! the United States from New York to
San Francisco via New Orleans.
Just how serious this food short
age caused by wars embaig 30 Of
peaceful effort in the North Sea is,
and may become, we in America, for
| whom fish forms such minor part
Of the daily diet. can comprehend only
with difficulty.
Europe has depended very much
on these fisheries for fish supplies.
More than half OF all the fish pro-
duced in all the waters of Europe are
caught within the limited territory
that constitutes the North Sea fishing
grounds. How much they are depend
ed upon is shown by the fact that
Great Britain annually absorbs 1-000.-
100000 pounds of North Sea fish; that
means twenty-five pounds per capita.
And while this is small in proportion
TO her per capita meat consumption
of 1l9 pounds. yet il is that margin
which represents the difference be-
tween a bounteous plenty and positive
hunger unless other foods can be Sc
cured to take its place.
"Germany's dependence upon North
Sea fish production is much the same
as Great Brtains. while the depen-
dence of the north countries. OF
, France, Austria-Hungary and Russia
is even greater. according to this
writer who explains that investiga-
ton reveals the fact that as meat be-
comes less and less important in a
nations dietary, fish becomes more
and more important Great Britain
and Germany are shown to be the
great meat consumers of Europe, with
respective per capita consumptions OF
H. l19 and l13 pounds. France has per
capita consumption OF eighty pounds,
Belgium. seventy; Austria-H Hungary.
siyty-four. and Russia nifty
Moreover a closed North Sea has
thrown out OF work hundred thous-
and Enelishmen who manned the
steam trawl. the drifter and the sail
ing boat. together with tens of thous-
ands OF German. Dutch, Danish. Scan
dinavian, Belgian and French fisher
folk. While all supplies of fresh fish
are dwindling TO negligible amounts
and while little provision Is being
] made for future supplies OF dried aud
salt fish. II is 70 be presumed tn,
writer says. that the warning nations
had considerable quantities OF pre-
served fish on hand at the outbreak OI
the war The wash proportion OF FISH
: consumed in Europe Is salt fish, ant
II forms the mainstay Of the lardors o
the poor. But for the salt herring
there are thousands of families iu Eng
land and on the continent who woult
very rarely know the taste Of flesh.
"Crimsby is the fishing cauital o
the world. with an annual output o.
:, perhaps 100000 tons OF FISH. Nor,
than 500 steam trawlers operate from
this port in time of peace. and spc
cial harbor has been built for the fsl
] trade including au outer basin oi
twelve acres and an inner basin o
fifteen acres. and two drydocks. An,
Bnlingsgate is the worlds creates
middlem0ns fish market. handling thi
more than one million and hal
pounds Of FISH that Is consumed ever.
/, day by the city Of London In norma
times.
e America need fear no North Sc;
dilemma in connection with its owl
high seas fishing banks. because L
the great American-originated syster
!, OF fish culture. we arc able to go ol
drawing larger part OF our FISH die
from our inland streams and lakes"