TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1916-01-18
The TRAGEDY o. Food Price.

1915 1913
Indigo ....a......., 1870 3/6
Flour, $50 lbs $50 1916
Oats, quart .a....... 1913 1871
Potatoes, ton $3.50. 1000 600
Rice, cwt. .......,,., 1870 $40
Bacon, Irish, cwt. 7. 1860 ITO
Hams, cwt. HOO 1870
Sugar, cwt. ........., 40/6 1870
Food prices are high in other
countries of Europe, In Germany
also, though essentials such as sugar
and potatoes rule far lower than
they do In England. YET ENGLAND
BOASTS THAT SHE CONTROLS
THE SEAS. HOW EMPTY MUST
THAT CONTROL APPEAR WHEN
HER FOOD AND FREIGHT RATES
JUMP HIGHER DAY BY DAY.
Can one wonder that English
statesmen issue warnings to their
public, urging the necessity for
economy In Inquiries, nay, eYen the
~necessaries of life2 These figures
reveal the sore in the lives Of Eng
lands rebellious workmen. And what
is the cause? Lack of tonnage.
Lack of tonnage is the plant Of
every English trade report. Yet the
British censor still yainly tries to
preserve the fiction that the Ger
man submarine campaign has failed"
This continuous r%eiteration is meant
to conceal a terrifying fact.
And how pathetic are the subter-
fuges used to conceal this fact of
England's economic collapse. We
even behold the spectacle Of Walter
Runeiman, President Of England's
Board Of Trade, threatening the ruin
OF German commerce. to solace his
countrymen. And should the English
really make good this empty boast
after the war, they would merely be
running their best customer.
The reason for the Jack OF British
tonnage may be epitomized by the
following paragraph:
Berlin, December goth Thy Wire
less to Sayyille, L. I0-since the
beginning Of the war to the end Of
November last 734 enemy ships, with
Q tonnage of LAT ,62S, were
destroyed.
The greater part of these were
British ships. ALL, in fact, were
engaged IN British trade. The initial
loss was that Of the tonnage, per
SCI. The second was the loss of
cargo. Now we see the effect of
lshe third phase Of this loss, the
potential loss, causing the fatal
dearth in the mean of transporta-
tion. And this has struck a fright
FIJI blow at England's greatest traf-
fc, her coal trade. / shall quote
here a few extracts from the Iron.
and Coal Trades Review, London,
October s, 1915
The Tragedy OF the Coal Trade.
"The returns show how our coal
shipping trade has Jared during Sep
TENDER and the nine months now
complete Of this year. The many
difficulties which it has had TO
contend with during that period have
reduced the tonnage of coal, coke
and patent fuel, exported from a
total of nearly 57,000,000 tons to
35, 1000, 900, a falling off of $4,000, 900
tons. This serious decline is further
swollen by the shrinkage in the
foreign trade. which is nearly 5,000,-
900 tons, so that altogether, this
important branch of our business
with other nations has diminished in
volume during the period by close
upon q, 900, GOO tons, Of a value which
we may estimate at not less than
fifteen millions pounds sterling
Since these words were written
England's coal trade has shrunk still
more, and still the coal freights
soar. Is it then to be wondered at
that there is a desperate movement.
under way in England to escape from
taxation and commercial ruin by
flight? The following story is from
the Times. December 21st:
1.-THE influx of English capital and
English capitalists and manufacturers
since the beginning of the var has
been noticed in Wall Street. Many
Englishmen, bankers said, had de-
posted their money in New York
banks. This was done primarily to
keep the money safe. Some de-
positors feared that England might
lose her gold standard and English
credit would snffer. In several
instances British manufacturers have
obtained charters in this country to
carry on their business. One case
which came to light recently was
that Of a manufacturer in Connecticut
and, it was said, he had come here
solely to avoid the war taxes imposed
by the British Government"
But England's misfortunes have
pursued her to our shores.
There has been a vast silence in
Wall Street since the failure of the
Anglo-French loan. The bonds are
selling already four points below the
issue price. The Bank Commissioner
OF Massachusetts has just made a
ruling that the declining bonds are
not legal investments for trust COM
in Massachusetts,, and the
companies headed by English
men whe thus Invested must at once
sell out all their holdings. WIN
rulings yet be made by the
bank and Insurance commissioners
OF New York State?
Here then We have the story OF
England's progressive exhaustion
the fatal advance in wal expend-
lures; the demands of her Allies;
the fuinous prices paid for war
munitions the loss OF tonnage
through the German submarines: the
rise in costs Of food and raw ma
t%erials, the high freight charges the