The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1916-12-22
PLIGHT OF THE ALLIES

The food problem has become
serious in England and France,
writes James Kelly, editor of the
Chicago Herald, who has just re-
turned from Europe. In an il
Illuminating account of conditions
as he found them he says
The stomachs of their citizens
are the chief concern OF the Eng
]ish and French Governments at
the present moment, and as the
winter goes on the question of
food viii become more and more
vital. This problem of feeding
the civilian population in these
two countries is becoming acute
because Of the undoubted and I'M
expected success of the submarine
campaign.
Unless one has followed close
ly the record Of Gernany's under
sea warfare or has had access to
records, its increasing and imn}i-
nent menace is not appreciated,
and here again | tell only that
which has been published in frag-
mentary form in English news
papers. Seven months ago sub
marines were sinking one British
or neutral ship day five months
ago the average was between two
and three a day; one month ago
to seven day; two weeks ago the
average was a fraction over ten a
day, and the daily toll has increas-
ed rather than diminished since
then.
"In other words, over seventy
vessels. many of them loaded with
food, are being sent to the bottom
each week, and in each seven days
England is only launching two
shiDs.
THE recent criticism of the
English Navy. the retirement of
Admiral Fisher to the chieftian-
ship Of Greenwich Hospital, and
the placing of Beatty in. sea-com-
mand Of the Navy were caused by
dissatisfaction with the handling
of the submarine menace. For
months the arming Of all mer-
chant vessels not only with an aft
gun, but with guns in the bow and
even on the beam, has been de
manded. One of Sir Edward Car
sons first acts as ruler of the
Kings navy will be to do this
thing. Figures show that nine or
more unarmed ships are sunk to
one that carries an effective gun
and crew
"The Government has taken.
control of various food-stocks
and necessities of life. Recently
ii ordered the milleIs of England
not to separate the bran from the
wheat, thus increasing the volume
of flour over eight per cent.
1t is at this moment taking
a census of all the potatoes and
other edibles in the Kingdom.
Some publicist are demanding
that the Government fix mini
MUM price for next years wheat
to induce the farmers to plant
larger areas without having to
gamble on what they will get for
their crop. Parks, commons, and
public grounds will be plowed up
this winter and put to work rails
ing food.
'Lloyd-George, through the
new food-dictator, Lord Daven-
port, is going to grapple with the
Food-problem and grapple with it
radically.
"The conditions in Paris are
not dissimilar to those in London.
Potatoes are rarity. If the
housewife who wants them does
not get to market before 7 80 each
morning there are no potatoes for
her. In the poor sections of Paris
lines of people can be observed
at night waiting to purchase small
amounts of sugar or coal.
"The fuel situation in Paris has
been most serious. Nearly all the
French mines are in the hands of
Germany. Four weeks ago, for
several nights, one section of the
city was in darkness because nei-
Their the gas nor the electric-light
companies had an ounce of coal"
The Literary Digest.