New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-11
Assistant Controller Says
Shortage Might Cause
Loss of War
Potato Supply Will
Last Only Six Weeks
plans to Seize Commodities
Hoarded in Homes
of Lordon
B, ARTHUR 5. DRAPER

.pr cable % Tae Tribune
London. March TO- Captain Charles
Bathurst. Assistan. Food Controller and
,;h.r.l Member Of Parliament, official
/. brought home to the British people
II. gravity Of the food menace when he
made one Of the most ominous speeches
:, he war to-day al q meeting in
gloucester
Battles mign, be won. and yer the
.,r might be lost and an irnoble peace
,,,ed b. the Allies through lack Of
no,ev and food" was his most striking
sitsrance. -.
:, vivid terms Captain Bathurst pict-
.,.d The extreme seriousness OF the
-..,,o situation. "There has been no
ro-s serious scarcity OF potatoes IN
s.-,y wears than at present he de-
..,.d "At the present rate OF con
,gmption England's available supply
,iu have been completely exhausted SIX
weeks hence.
Will Seize Food HOards
arbs Food Controller is contemplat-
,bs most drastic treatment Of the
.,,,.uptible and unpatriotic practice
.fho.-5irc commodities. such as pota-
-. and sugar. He IS even prepared
=. order the police 20 enter and search
=, houses Of the city 20 lay bare TO the
,sblic eve such mean and criminal self
shness
The potato shortage in London TO-
s,r +. worse than ever. Long queues Of
.onsn are waiting before shops be-
n,vsd 10 possess stocks. beginning
,.,,v f, the morning and increasing
.or-,v In many cases the police aave
.,s,n charge Of arrangements. person
,uv distributing the commodities, while
,,rv large stores have been compelled
!, institute a system Of rationing.
Tie Board of Agriculture has now
&,iS,5 to take a census Of all present
and future stocks Of potatoes and e1eE
re. supervision over their sale.
u,soueh potatoes and sugar are the
,,lv ,ommodities in which there IS
decided shortage at the moment the
ores, Of all foods are rising beyond
me reach Of many purchasers. The
government is extending its regulation
Of prices 20 include butter. cheese.
bread and nils
All Europe Suffering
The SUFFERING is not confined 10 Brit
ain BY any means. A year ago Ger
many was reported on the verge o.
starvation. a cry repeated so often that
even the Allie became disillusioned.
Vow. however. there is not the slightest
doub, that the Central Empires are not
only pinehed. but are suffering severe
hardships, and viii continue 20 90 so
until the next harvest.
The debates % the French Seha,'
rave shown that The difficulties DO thar
country are great while Russ IS PROB
EN- is 100 well known 20 need repe-l-
iIou Holland. sweden and Norway,
with their shipping greatly restricted
since Toe opening o. the German SUBJ
marine campo 90. find themselves 30
short Of FOOD that -heIr governments
have been forced 90 adopt drastic regu-
stions.
A. the moment England IS Tar and
away the strongest country .E Europe
economical . despite the considerable
asses 20 hel merchant marine.
The serious part Of 10 ls that Ll-
ropes economic situation cannot im-
prove during the war. Restrictions and
equation may help % tide over Ger
TAN periods OF distress. but the strain
s becoming increasingly great as the
Faf progresscs