The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-01-06
GERMAN DOOM
SEEN IN HUNGER
London spectator" Says
Peace May Soon Be as Ter
riblc as War.
Special Gable Despatch to The suS

opeCio' tdofe DeSpdfcA to The Sun.
LONDON. Jan. 5,-Another and far
more passionate bid for peace is coming
from Germany before Easter. when the
seriousness OF economic conditions and
the terrific food shortage may compel
Germany to end the war This predic-
ton is made by the editor OF the Spec
fdtor in to-morrow's issue. Though
generally conservative in expressing
opinions on the war, he insists this pre-
diction rs based upon Information from
the highest sources. He writes:
We have asked the Allies to announce
TO Germany and her allies and to the
world at large that We mean to apply the
principle Of the Sibylline Books, but force
of circumstances. the power behind the
throne. even Of the Fates, already has be-
gun to apply that policy. Germany al
ready is burning some of the books her
self.
''Peace Terrible as War"
soon peace may be as terrible as
ar: there may be no ships in which TO
bring corn to save the German people
from famine. Only a sudden and uni
versal determination of the German
people not to let themselves be starved
can save them. but that is revolution.
Revolution seems beyond the daring OF a
Prussian."
The Spectators informant, In re-
view based exclusively on German official
statements. says:
"Germany's food situation is un-
ooubtedly becoming extremely serious.
Before the war Germany imported in an
average year about 100000 tons OF
food for men and beasts. Germany Is no
doubt still importing considerable quaint
ties of foodstuffs from her neutral neigh
bors, but compared with the colossal
quantities she imported before the war
these supplies are utterly insignificant.
THE Germans are the greatest potato
eaters in the world now. According to
Government statements the potato har.
vest has been terrible failure. 1t Is
officially asserted that the last harvest
| yielded only twenty million tons
| against an average yield of almost fifty
million tons. Therefore the Government
has announced that the weekly potato
ration per inhabitant has been reduced
| lately from ten to seven. and then tC
Ave pounds a week. or three-quarters OF
| a pound a day.
Can't Walt Too Long.
How insufficient this must be for tn,
average German is evident from the fac
that the daily potato ration of soldiers
during manGuvres is three and quartz
pounds. in addition to which they receiv,
one and three-quarter pounds of brea,
and three-quarters OF a pound of meat,
THE question arises whether German,
| will be able to hold out until the mex
| harvest or whether. like a besieged for
tress. she may have to surrender At dis
cretion for lack of food. Germany can
not walt. of course. until her food sup
plies are dangerously depleted. Europ
contains no surplus food. There is
world shortage, and a deficiency OF ton
mage will make 1t difficult to reprovisiol
| Germany.
"She would therefore have to max
peace in good time. for otherwise tn
whole nation might be reduced to famine
ossibly Germany may find sufficien
food to tide her over in eastern Rumani
or southern Russia Her entire strateg
seems to be directed by her need OF fooC
Possibly she considers her position aes
perate. II the latter should bs. the cas-
her recent peace proposals would hav
, presumably be renewed before long. TIL
statesmen and strategists of the Entent
should therefore watch carefully the foo
problem Of Germany