The Keota news., 1917-04-20
Food Supply, Not Fighting, to Be
Deciding Faotpr h World
vvar.
buae1N PIT M seEm'

Muse prevjde foe FeaRee aA6 italy
Nsvtsals Suffer From etsinesney-
Poseilenos and Suffering In
Many FERNS Wit Fellow.
London.-On the openins day Of the
current session Of parliament Admiral
Lord Charles Beresford made the calm
observation that II the war should con
ttnue another year Europe would stare
famine In the face. He did not con-
fne his word Of impressive warning
to the Central Empire: he spoke OF
Europe. and included neutrals ~ well
N the beiliserents Of both sides.
One need not 90 far a6eld In these
days to 1nd many thoughtful men sssi-
ously contemplating that possibility.
Somebody once said that the world
lived about 72 hours from the brink
Of starvation. Europe II the smallest
and most intensively cultivated cooti-
nent, producing more than half the
worlds wheat. Its aggregate Of live
stock supplies makes 1t far away the
greatest meat producing continent: yet
1t II unable to feed itself and for it,
deficiencies draws upon the surpluses
Of the rest Of the world.
Great Britain draws larger proper
tion of Its foodstuffs from abroad than
any great nation. yet because It has
wealth and shipping and universal bust
ness re3ationships its Dependence upoo
the rest Of the world makes Il the most
Independent Of European countries In
tk1a snnH<ne - R<<>~R
There will be no second Punic war"
thundered Mr.. Bonar Law. chancellor
Of the exchequer. from his place On the
government benches a.day or two after
lord Beresford had urged his warning.
That phrase has passed into current
usage. like Mr.. Lloyd Georges great
speech warning the nation that It must
choose between great sacrifices ana
great disasters: It honestly held up to
England the picture Of possible nation
al ruin. Carthage. like 0rsat Britain,
was q maritime country dependent On
far away lands for neceeoasleG. AcroGs
the narrow seas rival rose to dispute
its dominion Of the sea, which meant
Its right to live. No one war Of two
wars determined that issue. In the
emo sCAItn08e 1ell.
Question Of Feeding.
When Mr.. Bonar Law said there
would be no second Punic war he was
telling his British public that England
must 20 completely establish her -
curity and hereafter hold II 20 firmly
that no further dispute should be pos
sible. When we place that alonsside
the words Of Lord Beresford Il 10 pos
sible to understand the vital character
Of the struggle whose climax II ap-
preaching with the opening Of the
spring campaign Of 1917.
1t 10 become. as almost everybody 10
europe now begins to see. a question
whether the economic resources Of tie
Central Empires or the maritime power
Of the allies can longest stand the
strain. Can Germany and Austria feed
themselves from within longer than the
entente can feed Itself from withoutp
The military decision Il going to Be
secondary to this economic detosmina-
tion. II one side ca, feed itself longer
than the other can that side will win.
It was looked upon at the end Of the
war's nrst year ~ great struegse IN
military attritiou. Today Il 10 just -
widely recognized 70 b 4 war Of eco
nomic attrition.
The essence Of such struggle il the
problem OF feeding the warril4 ~
lions. OF them all England has IL ~
soil the largest possibilities OF increes.