The sun., 1917-07-02
GERMANS FED
|. ON US. EXPORTS
Britain Says 100000 Troops
Can Live on Food Sent
Through Neutrals.

WASHINGTON, July 1.-Evldence tnat
Germany is obtaining vast quantities Of
food from the European neutral coun-
tries has been presented to the United
States by Great Britain for the Ameri-
can Governments guidance in determin-
ing an export control policy. Much of
this food, the British statistics purport
to show. is replaced by the neutrals with
imports from America.
From Scandinavia and Holland, the
British information sets forth, enough
fat is going into Germany to supply T.
700. 900 soldiers-virtually the entire
army of electives in the Empire. Ger
man imports from these countries, it is
declared, reduced to calories. will equal
the total ration Of 2.50O,OOO troops. the
size of the German army in the west.
Coal Given for Food.
German purchases OF foodstuffs abroad
are made through the Government
Department of the Interior. which
has organized a special division to buy
from the neutrals. In the early days
OF the war the German Government
/ stimulated importation Of food by ex-
! cluding imports from operation OF
maximum price laws, but this drew such
vigorous protest from German pro-
ducers the practice was stopped Now
the German authorities are said to be
| using coercion, exchanging for foodstufs
| bought in the neutral countries coal and
other commodities necessary for main
tenance OF the neutral countries.
To some extent these coercions have
I 49,. lriNt Ntah tn
i tion OF their blockade. but with the entry
OF America into the war the British be-
lieve an arrangement can be made fol
| supplying the neutrals with most OF
! their necessary requirements from tho
allied countries.
All the northern European neutral,
have made regulations limiting more Of
less food exports TO Germany, but pro
/ ducers and merchants, the British con
tend, are violating the laws because o
high prices they are obtaining. Som,
merchants. they declare, have mad
millions from this trade.
what Figures show.
The British data carry the follow
ing table In metric tons, as representing
the minimum of food exports from Scan
dinavia and Holland to Germany in 1916
Butter, $4,000: meat, 115,S00: porl
products, 6s,s00; condensed milk. 10000
fish, 407 cheese. S0,500 eggs 46.400
potato meal, 179,500; coffee. $500
fruit, $4,000; sugar, 1900, and vegeta
bles 215,000.
American oil cake exports to the neu
trails. the British brief says, And thei
way into Germany through the sale b.
neutrals OF dairy products. The Unite
States, II is declared. now holds in 1t
hands the power to prevent all export
OF butter and cheese from neutral coun
tries into Germany by refusing to licens
ration and foodstuffs shipments.
These figures illustrate the minimum
exports. They are all of which there |
accurate knowledge. How much NOR
has been sent secretly into Germany b
the neutrals is not known.
A food expert and uietician said o
these figures to-day:
when these substances are calcu
lated for their food values and apple
to the entire German population W
learn that they contain for each ind
vidual in the empire l20 calories day
about per cent of the per capita res
ulation ration. In protein these impoI
tations furnish about 10 per cent. OF tn
intake.
Fat Ration Is Prize.
ut Is In fats in particular that tn
figures become impressive. 1t must b
recalled that fat is the scarcest food
Germany fat is most highly priced II
deed fat is the only food the lack {
which was seriously apparent in tn
diet of the German people. The In
portations above stated contain litt
over FIVE and one-half pounds OF II
per capita year, corresponding
about one-quarter OF an ounce dali
, which is almost one-quarter of the dali
; fat intake of each German at the preseI
! time.
. obviously strict enforcement Of II
: blockade through control of the expor
of the United States to Holland ar
. Scandinavia would necessarily result
= elimination OF these foodstufrs from Ge
: man diets. II there be anything In Il
= theory of the blockade it must be mat
= strict II 1t is TO be effective, and ce
:. tainly the facts presented constitute
definite basis for embargo on expor
on the part OF the United States. The
embarRoes need not in the least enda
!, ger the food supplies OF Holland al
;. Scandinavia for their own people Su
= an embargo Is merely to prevent the
n citizens from furnishing foodstuffs
! the German people,"
- 90 InCT AC EDEMCII