The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-06-01
0ERMANY's FOOD SITUATION

Conflicting accounts Of the food
situation and outlook in Germany
are beginning co be very definitely
resolved into the certainty that 1t is
thoroughly bad. 1t is worse than
disquieting. There Is more than
danger that another poor crop will
bring shortage. The shortage Is a
fact Of today, and grave, gaunt,
insistent fact.
There is not enough to eat, for
millions of people, in Germany. The
appointment of a food dictator will
doubtless produce a better distribu-
ton of the supplies; but it will not
make more food
Reports coming through London
and Paris and even Amsterdam have
naturally been more or less dis
counted, though Of late they have
all been of the same tenor. But
their source is not calculated to in
spire the fullest confidence in their
fairness.
But the other day a woman ar
rived in this country, whose COM
munications to American friends
have removed uncertainty from the
minds of those who have heard her
story. She is the wife of banker
in a German provincial city, and left
Germany, by way of one of the neu-
trail countries, because it has been in
dicated that tho government pre-
fers that people able to leave, and
unable to contribute sutstantially to
the national activities at this time,
should go away.
This woman describes conditions
in her own family, in her commun-
ity, and in the country generally
Though her family would be re-
garded as wealthy, she declares that
for many weeks past it has beer
permitted so limited an allowance OF
food that in variety it has not been
sufficient to sus.sin appetite, while
the quantity has been so limited
that the pangs of actual hunger
have been felt many times,
There is no dol-t of the reliability
of this account. 1t agrees with re.
ports from many other sources; and
it includes the statement that con.
ditions are, as a result of the block.
ade, getting wors- Last years CROP
of food products was sadly deficient
and the labor situation, together
with the deficit in animal power fol
cultivation and the production OF
milk and fats, gives promise of nc
betterment this season even if nat,
ural circumstances should be more
suspicious. The army makes un'
compromising requirement for al
the food possible: the rest of the
country must needs be second choice
Yet as to the army even, there i,
report that prisoners taken from the
Germans for a long time past hav,
told of their deprivations in regarc
to food. They lave not had enough
nor of the variety and quality needed
to maintain the fullest physica
vigor. The problem of clothing tn,
army for another winter campaign
is far more ominous than it was fol
the first two winters.
These conditions, now so well es
tablished that there is no excuse t,
blink them, indicate that the des
peration of recent German and Aus
trian military efforts has been in
spired by the absolute necessity II
force the allies to their knees
quickly if it is ever to be done
or, failing in that, to compel peace
even on a basis of compromise, les
disaster at last ensue.
Perhaps the frenzied military eff
forts will accom-, ish this. But tn,
allies understand. They have no
been misled. They have known thu
facts longer than the outside worl,
knew them; and they have beef
playing for tina. which is thei
greatest factor. They are not ever
yet using their fullest resources
They want a determinative issue O
the fighting. 1t is hard to believ
they will yield at time which il
fraught with the suggestion of ap
preaching economic collapse in tn
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