Middletown transcript., 1916-02-05
NEITHER SIDE
ABLE TO WIN OUT
War Situation Described by Re.
turned Ford Delegate.
BOTH BLAME UNITED STATES
Had Talks With Both British and Ger
man Officers and CiViIians-Eaeh
Side Thinks It Would Have
Won But For United States.

Annapolis, Md. - Two wrestlers
locked in each others embrace, unable
to gain any decisive advantage, and
hoping only that some one would step
in and bring the contest to an honor
able draw, was the comparison Of the
condition now prevailing in Europe
made by Edgar T. Fell, son of DR..
Thomas Fell, president of st. Johns
College, this city, who was a member
Of the Ford peace party during its mis-
sion to Europe. Two matters have be-
come the deep-seated convictions of
Mr.. Fell. One is that bitterness and
rancor between the warning peoples
has come to an end, and the other that
none of the great nations which are
at war is in any special danger Of a
serious lack of food or other neces-
saries. He regards it as equally i'm
possible that England can starve Ger
many out, or that Germany can infict
anv serious injury on England.
Mr.. Fell formed his opinion from
first-hand information - observation
while in Germany and talks with Ger
mans and English people, and by state
ments of unprejudiced people who had
spent much time in Germany during
the war.
Each BIames United States.
He was himself a member of the
party which travelled through Germany
to Holland by way of Lubeck, Ham
burg and Bremen, and he talked with
German officers and civilians during
nearly the whole of the 24-hour trip
1t was particularly DUNG this trip that
he received the conviction that there
was now no such intense bitterness to-
ward the English as the Germans are
alleged to feel.
Both in Germany and England"
Mr.. Fell said, "you constantly hear the
statement that the war would have
been over except for the stand taken
by the United States, but on both
hands the statement is made without |
bitterness. The Germans believed that |
they would have won decisive1y before |
now, except for the fact that the Allies |
have been able to secure munitions |
from the United States. A very in
telligent officer with whom l talked |
made this statement, and it reflects, |
believe, the views of most of the Ger
man people He did not contest the |
right of the United States to engage
in this business, and simply said that |
1t was Germany's misfortune that she !
was not able to import the same things
from the United States.
"On the other hand, the English say
that they would have compelled Ger
many to give in before now except
for the refusal of the United States
to accord her the right to stop food
stuffs the ultimate destination of
which is Germany. There is no doubt
that very large traffic of this kind
exists. Grain and other foodstuffs are
shipped from the United States, un-
loaded at Danish, Swedish and Nor
wegian ports and shipped to Germany
from those countries. England is
desperately anxious to put stop to
this traffic and feels that the United
States should not interfere with her.
Cannot StarVe Germany.
'T do not believe that Germany is
in any serious danger of starvation or
even serious inconvenience for lack of
foodstuffs. My experience and that of
many other Americans is that about
the only thing which has increased
notably in price is eggs. 1t is true
that Germany has regulated the use
of bread and meat, but this is only in
line with her policy, and making GER
tain that the use of Germany things
are s6is along these these Ii things iiffifEs is IS ii
keeping with the means of production
Everywhere in usual For instance, l
know that the Kaiser was at the opera
in Berlin two days before he was re-
ported in England as being desperate
ly ILL.,"
Mr.. Fell believes that the Ford mis-
sion accomplished much good and that
still more beneficial results may come
from If