New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-27
People Begin to Realize
Whole Allied Cause
Is Imperillcd
More Submarines
Than Ever at Work
Hundreds Of Craft Are
Laying Mines in
Sea Lanes
BY ARTHUR S. DRAPER


(By Cable 10 The Trlbunel
London, April 26.-By June every
European country, with the possible
exception Of England, will have adopted
compulsory rationing, as we'll as some
form of food cards This applies both
to neutrals and to belligerents.
The probabilities arc that England
will be included. though it is possible
the government will delay rationing
until July.
make these statements after talk
with an official familiar with every de-
tail of the food situation. Nothing
has brought home the seriousness oil
the food situation so well as the Ad-
miralty list Of the sinkings in the last
week. None Of the warnings Of Lloyd
George, Sir Edward Carson and Lord
Devonport impressed on the people the
need of economy so much as the report
o. the loss of ffty-fve British ships In
one week.
With the store windows filled with
bread and cakes, groceries, fruits and
candies, and with many people enjoy
ing the greatest income of their lives
large part of the country has contin-
ued to smile wisely and consider the
disappearance Of the potato and the
shortage OF sugar as merely interest
ing incidents of little actual conse-
qUence.
Britain's Life at Stake
In the last week people have begun
TO understand that the German oten-
siye on the sea is not of secondary I'M
nortance, that Great Britain is involved
in two major campaigns, that she can
rot succeed on land without winning
on the sea, and that on her supremacy
at sea depends her whole life.
Better weather and longer days have
given the submarines the opportunity
they were awaiting. More U-boats
than ever before are now at work tor
pedoing and laying mines. The Ger
mans seem to have concentrated on
mine layers, probably because, though
the mine layers power of destruction
is more uncertain, it can work with
less risk. as it does not have to rise to
the surface. There is no question that
the campaign has been greatly intensi-
fed.
Since the Admiralty has introduced
the practice of giving numbers without
exact tonnage, it has announced the
loss of 1863 ships of over 500 tons, and
scventy-two under that tonnage. In
these figures ships in the government
service are not included. Then there
is the loss of other Allied as well as
Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and
Spanish ships to consider.
In little over two months German
torpedoes and mines probably have de-
stroyed more ships than in any four
previous months.
Urge Truth as to Losses
There is strong agitation for re-
vision Of the Admiralty decision not to
reveal the losses in tonnage, opponents
of the system holding that ii is more
important to impress the public with
the seriousness of the situation than
to withhold information which might
help the enemy.
"The Times" says: "The sense of Sc
ourity engendered is dangerous because
it is false and a bad preparation for
the trials which are certainly coming.
1t would be far better to tell the whole
truth"
"The Telegraph" declares: mo sue
cess on land can compensate for failure
at sea. The whole Allied cause is i'm
perlled as long as the losses at sea
exceed the production of new ships 1t
is useless TO lean on America, antci-
pating that she will solve our problem.
America will assist, but nothing she
can do will save US from the conse-
quences of lack of effort on our own
part"
"The Post" is even more pessimstic,
announcing that British sea power, as
understood prior to the war, no longer
exists"
British shipyards never worked under
greater pressure than to-day. But Great
Britain needs every ton that America
can launch. She needs il now.
The Food Crisis
Thousands and thousands OF men and
women are working every spare mo-
ment in their gardens. Some are even
digging and planting by moonlight
But these gardens will not begin TO
yield until the middle of June. De-
pendenee or this seasons crops is dan
gerOus, because the weather may be
against a good harvest.
That is why the Food Controller is
building the machinery for compulsory
rationing, meanwhile beseeching the
people 10 practise economy and hoping
that America will appreciate Of what
tremendous Importance its economic
assistance will be.
In many homes bread is no longer
eaten, not because il is impossible TO
get but because people can afford only
a substitute. At most public dinners
bread is either omitted from the menu
or oatmeal crackers are substituted.
Many people have stopped using sugar
in their tea or coffee. Potatoes from
the Canary Islands are being sold at
so cents a pound. and all other kinds
are being used only for planting.
IL seems highly probable that the
government will soon prohibit the
brewing OF ale, while much Of the
bonded spirits may be commandeered
for the manufacture of high explosives
Pickled herring, Swedish turnips, gulls'
eggs and many other foods seldom
used in Great Britain are now being
utilized.
The pinch Is bound to come, but its
severity depends largely upon the help
America gives. War does not wait.