Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-12-19
FAMINE IS FACED As
RESULT Of U-BOATS'
WAR ON GRAIN SHIPS
Many Boats Are Sunk of
Which the World Never
Hears, Official Tells Core
Spondent Manly
By BASIL n. MANLY.

WASHINGTON, u. c, Dec. l6.-Ger-
man U-boats are playing a large part
in increasing the wheat shortage Brit
ish vessels carrying hundreds OF tons
Of wheat are being sunk by submarines
IN the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, and
within the last week or two even in the
Pacific
How extensive is the damage wrought
20 British shipping by submarines was
learned last night from a distinguished
Briton in the United States on an i'm
portant mission and N receipts OF con-
slant advices regarding the real state
OF affairs on the other side
THE new German submarines, with
their tremendous radius Of action, are
doing frightful damage to British ship
ping. So far even the utmost efforts
Of our navy seem 10 be inadequate 10
cope with this menace" he said.
ssWhen the activities Of the subma-
rines were limited TO the North sea.
and when they had TO put back 10 Ger
man port at the end OF each SO hours
for new supplies, We found a way 10
clear them from the seas More than
$50 submarines were sunk or captured
but now they have a radius OF ten
thousand miles and need not put into
port for supplies and repairs for 20 days.
They have gone everywhere. You have
seen their work off your own seacoast'
5000 miles from base The Aediterra-
. mean is their great hunting place, not
only because the great trade route from
the orient offers them the richest prey,
but also because the desOlate coasts OF
Greece and Spain offer places Of ref
uge and concealment-
-One OF the principal motives for the
allies activities in Greece has been the
necessity of clearing her coasts Of sub
marine bases.
The damage these new terrors of the
sea have accomplished is immensely
greater than reports the censors permit
the newspapers TO publish Indicate
Some days as many as ten British yes
sells have been sunk and not a line has
appeared in any paper.
"And the worst OF IL is, the cargoes
sunk are food-irreplacable. until next
harvest, for our people, and for yours as
well.
1T is going to be a hard winter for
your people. but a terrible winter for
as. You ought TO De getting ready to
meet il. but like AnglO-SaxOns every
where. you are careless until the evil
hour is upon you
stop your waste OF food and the
world can be fed Go on in the careless
way you are now. and every neutral ma
ton, to say nothing Of those at war,
will face famine this winter!
Nothing 1 ever have seen has so
shocked and panied me as the lavish
waste in New York. Elsewhere in Amer
ica have seen at least some signs Of
economy, but in New York, money and
food are being wasted in nothing but
wanton desire 20 attract attention to the
ability OF the newly-made rich to con-
sumo or destroy lavishly what all the
rest OF the world wants.
NO man loves the flesh pots OF Egypt
more than /. / am no jeremiah, and
much less a demagogue, but 1 predict
that before many days have passed,
America will lament the coming OF the
flood of gold, which Is not only de-
bauchIng your weaIthier classes, but is
also undermining every instinct of thrift
and economy among the middle and low
er classes.
1T contains either the seeds of ma
tional decadence or or revolution. and
your statesmen may well view il with
fear and misgiving instead Of with
pride"