New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-23
HOLLAND FACES
POSSIBLE FAMINE
Rise in Cost of Living Far
Higher Than Wage
Increases
From TIE rribune Bure,u.l

Washington, Dec. 22.-With the rise
in the cost of living far exceeding the
average increase in wages; with
scarcity OF building materials and OF
materials for machine works, ship
yards and factories. which may result
in the stoppage OF all construction
work and the closing of number OF
large factories, throwing many people
out OF employment. Holland is face to
face with q serious situation, accord
ing to advices received BY the State
Department from Frank W. MANN
American Consul at Amsterdam.
"War profits" have had much to do
with the depleted condition of the
stocks of Holland. and now, with these
stocks exhausted and with imports
practically restricted to necessities
and factories unable TO get adequate
supplies OF raw materials, Holland, &C
cording TO Consul Mahin's report, IS
facing a distressful winter
The consul reports:
Prophecies are heard in Holland
Of distressful winter. not only here,
but throughout the world. The prophe-
cies arc based on various conditions,
some existing, others in prospect.
One of these is the shortage OF this
years wheat crop. taking the world
as a whole. which will inevitably re-
suit in nigh prices for flour and a
scarcity Of bread in countries which,
like Holland produce little wheat.
Corn meal and bread might supply the
deficiency, 10 a large extent, but Eu-
ropeans generally consider corn an
animal food, and must be educated TO
eat 1t themselves in any form.
the scarcity of coal is another CON
clifton. in Holland, at least. The local
mines produce some 100000 tons a
year. but that is barely a fifth of the
normal quantity consumed in this coun-
try. England and Germany have been
the foreign sources OF supply, but be-
cause of the war importation is now so
restricted and so uncertain as 20 pre-
duce a grave situation.
"Othor conditions in Holland are a
scarcity of building materials and OF
materials for machine works, shipysrds,
etc, and the great difficulty and even
impo.siblity in some cases of obtain
ing more Of such supplies. most Of
which must be imported and have nth
crto come chiefly from countries now at
var.
The rise in the.cos Of living now
far exceeds the average increase in
wages. According to recently published
statistics. the price OF twenty-nine OF
the most important articles of con-
sumption in Holland had risen 80 per
cent at the end OF September. 1916. in
comparison with the year 1913. Though
perhaps little exaggerated, these iig-
ures approximate the fact.
apparently the great war profits
made in various lines Of business in
Holland have reached their climax and
are now waning. They resulted chiefly
from the opportunity to sell at very
high prices stocks Of goods in Holland
which had relatively small value before
the war. and to sell at almost any high
price certain goods imported from the
Dutch colonies or from neutral coun-
tries. Some Dutch factories have also
rcaped great profit from the high
prices received for their products. Now
these old stocks are exhausted, imports
arc practically restricted 10 Hollands
necessities and many factories suffer
from inadequate supplies of raw ma
terials."