The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1917-11-06
The Food Situation in France

Shihb the truth ABOUT the 1000
situation in France is an extremely
difficult thing to do, for one comes
Immediately into contact with SO
many counter currents Of opinion.
There Is no question in the mind
OF any one conversant with the facts
that it is not only with Germany,
but with the Allies as we'll, that the
food situation is serious and needs
prompt and effective treatment. But
In the endeavor to deal with this
question you will constantly find in
the official mind an attempt to re-
concile two irreconcilable positions.
On the other hand, there is the
open and full recognition Of the Sc
robustness Of the situation, of the de-
mand for prompt. full, and effica-
cious cooperation and coordination
OF effort among all OF the nations
warning against Germany in order
that each may be able to sustain its
striking power at the point of high
est efficiency. This opinion recog-
nizes that governments alone cannot
win the war. 1t must be a war of
the allied peoples against Germany.
And this opinion sees the necessity
of laying the situation fully and
fairly before the people so that they
will voluntarily adopt the conserv-
alton methods necessary to victory.
On the other hand, confused in
the same minds with this opinion
there is an idea that IL the people
are told too much they will become
frightened and will weaken. That is
a bald statement, very plainly put,
but that is what 1t boils down to.
The statesmen and politicians have
a peculiar idea that they are the
only men who are farsighted enough
and strong enough to face the whole
truth and go on fighting. So they
try at the same time to arouse the
people and to reassure them.
We find fine example of this in
the submarine. On the one side we
are told that our efforts to over
come the submarine must be re-
doubled. while on the other hand
we are told the submarine is fail
ure and 1t is to laugh at the German
threats. In regard to food, we are
told that the Allies must guard their
every resource, and Immediately on
top of that we are told that they
have reserve stocks for the next
three years. We are told that 1t Is
vitality necessary for America to
put a great army In the field at
once, and in the same breath we
hear that the allied preponderance
in man power over Germany is in
creasing every day.
People Should Know Facts
How can you expect to arouse a
nation to war with such stream of
contradictory statements? My own
opinion is that the peoples Of all the
allied nations are strong enough to
know the whole truth, and that in
knowing 1t will only make them
more determined and fight harder,
while at the same time their collect
i've action will be much more intel
ligent. I do not believe in any
government trying to win this war
l believe that only an aroused ma.
ton will be victorious. And l be-
lieve that the way to arouse the ma
ton is to lay every shred OF fact
fully and completely before the peo
pie.
In France, however, you NEE
with a th.ra phase Of official opin
ion th.t further complexities the sit
uation. France has borne the brun
of the fighting on the side Of the AL
lies for three years. Her resources
in men and material have beef
strained to the uttermost, and ever.
one realizes that France cannot q
on bearing the brunt of the fighting
for another three years. Yet, Frencl
statesmen are so afraid of the pos
sible effect at timo OF the peace con
ference Of an admission that Franc
needs assistance now. that immedi
ately the idea Is suggested Their
comes an official denial in one forr
or another. French statesmen. per
haps with reason, are obsessed wit
the idea that France will get an eS
tremely short end Of the stick a
the peace conferences If there is
suspicion that she does not go int
them stronger than she went int
the war and able to fight on 10
another million years. But how
she going to get anything at tn
peace conferences II the Allies ar
not tho victnrso And how are III