Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1917-01-18
A AIAN,s EIIiIIT

A MANS FIGHT.
with sort of ghoulish delight
certain writer's are attempting to
| demonstrate that Germany is on the
verge Of starvation. They paint
glowing pictures of women raiding
butcher markets and Of little chill
dren so hungry that they cry and
cannot go to sleep. If the picture
were true, il would be one to call
forth tears. not shouts Of joy. It
would be the tragedy Of all history
if tho victorious armies OF a great
nation had to be called home and
disbanded, and that nation dismem-
hered at the will OF its encmies, be-
cause its women and children were
starving.
II the German civilian population
were really starving, our State de-
| partmcnt at Washington would be
deeply concerned over the matter. 1t
has time and again, in its diplomatic
notes. pointed out the illegality of
the British blockade, designed to
effect this starvation. The State de-
partment has contended that we
could not accede to this stoppage of
our food supplies for the German
civilian population. without violating
that neutrality which we choose to
observe. In this stand the State de-
partment, simply restates the posi-
tion Of Thomas Jefferson in 1893,
when he protested against an illegal
British blockade Of France in lnesc
words:
Wcrc we to withhold from
France supplies and provisions,
we should in like manner bo
bound TO withhold them from
her enemies also%a~ Great Brit
ain may, indeed, feel the desire
Of starving an enemy nation,
but sho can have no right Of do
ing it at our loss nor OF making
us the instrument OF &.
Now possible reason why tho
State department has not gone fur
ther than to insist on paper upon
our right 20 ship provisions to Ger
man civilians through this unlawful
blockade possible reason IS that.
Germany has been able to meet the
situation. Were she actually stary-
ing, Washington would view with
quite different eyes our participation,
by acquiescence, in tho process.
Germans are on short rations, but
no part of the population Is on tho
verge OF starvation. The infant death
rate is lower than in peace time.
Tho supplies OF wheat captured In
| Roumania are tC be ut once reflected
in larger weekly bread allowance.
In addition. the great Roumanian
crop Of winter wheat is in tho
ground. growing under tho SNOW.
! Travellers in Germany report great
herds of young cattle and swine
which by next fall viii alleviate tho
present shortage of meats, fats and
butter. Tho economic situation in
Germany to-day Is fnr better than
year ago.
1t is the irroconcilable American
paitisans in this war who are at
tempting to figure some way in
which tho German nation may be
| starved The Pritish leaders enter
tain no such failacy Lloyd George.
| the premier, long ago renounced
such hopes, and even said that such
a victory was undesirable. He
wanted to win like man. When
minister Of munitions he said, carly
last June:
II Is Germany's military force
that we must beat II is not
enough to force her into sub
mission by economic pressure,
A peace imposed on Germany
exhausted In food and mater
sls only would not be endure
able. II would be a moral de-
feat for the allies. The Germans
could say that they had beaten
us in battle and made peace
only because we had starved
their women and children. That
peace we don't want.
In England they have been work.
( ing and hoping for a victory over
men. II is the Anglo-American who
arc hoping for q victory over women
and children, Tho United States win
have to live with all these belliger-
| euts after the war Is over 1t is to
be hoped that the German people
| will realize ;nat Americans as a
whole are better men and better
, sportsmen than the few OF us. who
go about whining for starvation to
| subdue Germany.
New York Evening Mail.)