The Alaska daily empire., 1917-09-26

with food than Holland, but even in that country, it is believed, there will, with proper care, be enough to go around.
 Sweden Will Suffer
 It is on the Scandinavian Penin- Sula, more particularly in Sweden, that the pinch of hunger will be felt more severely than anywhere else in Europe, un:ess it be in Aus tria and Turkey. The short grow ing season there did not produce normal results this year, owing to the continued cold weather.
 Even with the good crops at home Sweden must always import the lar ger part of her food. Usually much of this comes from Germany, which is having all she can do to feed her own people. The rest of Swed ish food imports comes from the United States, which is now insist ing that it be furnished with a de, tailed statement of Sweden's ac- tual requirements.
 With these at hand the United States doesn't know to what extent t will be able to meet them We must first feed our own people, and after that our Allies have first claim upon us These demands met, Sweden will be given food. provid- ed there are ships to transport it, of which there is increasing doubt as the weeks go by
 Tonnage of World Taxed
 The tonnage of the world is now being taxed to carry food, soldiers md munitions from this country to England and France, and the strain will gradually increase as the num- per of American troops serving over he seas increases. Italy is contin- iously pleading for larger shipments ,f steel and coal, saying that with hem she will be able to end the war next year by overcoming Aus ria, and yet, the United States has not been able to comply with it's llly's request to the extent desired.
 It will be a nice question pres ently whether we should supply Italy 50 that she may continue the mag 1ificent campaign that is now under way or use the ships to send food 70 Sweden. We cannot do both.
 But it is the question of fuel that 8 more immediately pressing, not )nly for Germany itself, but for Austria, Sweden, Holland and Den mark, the Balkan states and Tur- ..ey The United States is accu- nulating evidence that the Central Empires, which in normal times sup ply coal to the other countries named, are themselves threatened with a severe coal famine. Last winter, it will be recalled, the pub nan cities were compelled to close Or more than month, street light ng, heat in the homes, and places of public assemblage, and warm wa CT for culinary and bath purposes, were reduced to the point of actual hardship.
 Situation in Vienna
 In Vienna, street car service and itreet illumination were greatly cur .ailed and there was practically no heat in the homes and hotels. At one time during the winter 1t was feared all the municipal lighting plants in Austria would have to be 'hut down altogether, but a com promise was reached which permit ted lights to be burned for a few hours each evening.
 While this was the situation in garia and Turkey shot up to $200 q ton and in some cases as high as $250. Constantinople could not supply all it's people with water last winter, because there was not coal enough to run the pumps.
 Germany last winter attempted to ship coal to all the countries named, but could do so only in a small way. owing to her man-depleted strength. During the winter that is just at hand, the situation will be much more serious.
 Must Mine own Coal
 Several weeks ago Germany noti- fled Holland that it would not be able to mine coal for her any long, CT, and that Holland must send her own citizens to German mines to do that work. Holland. preparing to do this has been met with the problem of transporting the coal af- ter it has been mined. The avail able German man power is being used to supply the military and civ il needs of Germany's own people. and railroad efficiency has fallen to low point through lack of main tenance.
 Sweden faces the same sort of a situation as Holland. She gets her fuel from Germany. but will prob ably not be able to get it for the coming winter in satisfactory amount. Already she has been pleading with the United States to send her both coal and food. Denmark's situation ;, I,od hrxt