New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-10
Britain's Food
Situation Serious
But Not Critical
Recent Alarming State
ments Partly Justified, but
Tend TO Exaggerate
BY ARTHUR s. DRAPER



London. May 9.-The food situation
or the U-boat situation. for they are
the samc-is Serious but not critical.
This seems to be the best phrase for
summing up the purpose behind the
many activities now going on to IN
crease the supply and decrease the con-
sumption of food in the United King
dom.
All war is a gamble. with both bel
ligerents trying to reduce the elements
of chance. England is neither starving
nor has she Q bountiful supply OF food.
The recent alarming statements which
paint the situation darkly are justified
from one point of view, but are calcu-
lated 10 exaggerate its seriousness.
They are intended to impress the
people with the necessity of the strict
est economy. so as to reduce the Gle
ments of chance. l. is possible that
Germany may win with her submarines,
but far from probable. SO long as
there is that possibility it is the duty
Of the government, the nation and the
Allies to see that nothing is left TO
chance
Some of the offs"
Take these arbitrary figures: II we
say that Germany now has one chance
out of five Of starving England and
winning the war. the people will not
rest content until the odds become one
to ten. II we say that England has
100000 tons of grain, or two months
reserve. and that Germany is sinking
monthly 100000 tons. or one-third OF
the amount required, then at the end
Of month this reserve is cut to
SOC, 900 tons, and in siS months she Is
completely exhausted. But if the CON
sumption is reduced one-third and the
sinkings do not increase, the reserve
remains stationary.
There are two big offs" here. That
is what is worrying the far-sighted.
They want no "ifs" when the stakes are
so hi"h.
know the figures on grain reserves:
! know the rate of sinkings, and !
know the leaders here consider that
every ounce Of help Amcri;a can give
is needed.
The government homes 70 carry on
the war without adopting compulsory
rationing, because such system re-
quires big. intricate machine with
many operators. But they will set IT
up either if the sinkings increase or
consumption fails to decrease. they
are STUDYING the food barometer as a
pilot watches the compass.
June Will Test the Country
It is a high authority who tells me
the situation IS SERIOUS, though not
critical" He says that June is bound
10 test the country to the limit. Then
the submarines will have the benefit of
the longest days Of the year, while food
imports will be at minimum. There
are seven or eight weeks intervening
between now and the time of the ar
rival Of the Indian grain and the har-
vesting of the supplies OF the home
grown garden products.
II would be possible to introduce
compulsory ratiOning during that
period. but only under the greatest
difficulties. Most newspapers attack
Lord Devonport. the Food Controller.
I gliding tina, he should begin rstioning
the country Immediately. IT is inter
csting 10 note that there is not "a single
complaint against the system of com
pulsion. The Westminster Gazette
sums up opinions thus:
but If the public are told that econ
omy is imperative, not to prevent inn
mediate starvation. but to accumulate a
reserve which will be as necessary after
the next harvest as before II. and which
NAV even be a condition for carrying
US safely through the period Of danger
before the new British and American
effort against the submarine develops,
and II the new food economy organiza-
ton presents this as an object OF the
highest national Importance. VIC are
confident that there will be general
orderly response throughout the whole
country.
What the Public Should be Told
What the public has to be told is
not that il will stRrve next week. but
that II IL wants 10 win the war, and
win IL in any clean, conclusive way, It
must secure the position now and set
to work TO expand the margin of food