Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-01
NOW LONG WILL THE WAR LAST

NOW LONG WILL THE WAR LAST
"Jud" welliver. coming back from
the war fronts where he has been 'af-
forded exceptional facilities for seeing
conditions" predicts a long war. He en-
poets il to continue three years or
linger and says Americans must LOOK
forward to great sacrifices. Mr.. Wei
liver was sent abroad by the New York
Sun.
That is one side OF 1t. The New York
Times. one Of the greatest news pur-
veyors in the world and with eXcep-
tional facilities for getting at the in
ner facts in an editorial of last week
predicts a rapid economic exhaustion
of the central powers which affords
forecast radically different from that
offered us by Mr.. Welliver. The
Times also brings forward in support
OF il partial prediction evidences which
corroborate and justify the forecast
that the war can not continue for any
long period of years. While the cor
don of the allied armies is drawing
tighter famine is advancing to fight
the battles of the allied nations. The
Times gives a summary OF current
testimony as to the internal economic
condition of Germany and Austria that
is much more convincing than the
opinions of any observer. The sum
mary:
If current testimony as to the in
ternal economic condition OF Germany
and Austria be occasionally collected
a summary of it may have more
force and meaning than are found IN
the separate bits of evidence whlcn
appear from day 10 day. Several re-
cent reports relate to perilous and IN
creasing scarcity of food in Austria
Major General Hofer, head Of the food
office. in an address at Salzburg on
Aug. Is, reviewed what he called "a
year Of starvation" in the closing
months OF which food from Rumania
had given temporary relief The early
potato crop, he said. had been COM
plete failure, and there was so little
fodder that cattle must be killed Hun
gary's minister OF justice has issued an
order that the number Of arrests must
be as small as possible, owing to lack
Of fod for prisoners.
A Swiss newspaper recently pub
lished an article written by "a high
4 boz
the war should continue thru he winter
Austria and Hungary could not hold
out, because soldiers and civilians
would starve. In the richest agricul-
tural districts of Hungary the crops
had been almost completely destroyed
by cold weather and rain Only small
quantity of grain had been received
from Rumania, as nearly all the fail
way cars were needed for the army
Deputies speaking in parliament have
predicted famine if the war should 60
on for more than three months. One
complained bitterly because the gov
eminent had taken from the people OF
Dalmatla all their wheat and three
fourths of their cattle Sheep and goats
were gone, and it was difficult to get
food from the sea, because all the fish,
ermen had been forced into the army.
Men were dying Of hunger. Facsimiles
Of medical certificates printed in pro-
vincial newspapers proved this. Many
of those who survived were mere skel-
etons, without strength enough for
work.
Germany's new food controller,
Herr Won WaldoW, said in the reich
stag three weeks ago that he thought
Germany could hold out, but there was
very little fodder for cattle or pigs;
therefore a majority Of these must be
killed before winter. He admitted that
temporary increase Of meat supply
caused In this way would be followed
by severe shortage On the 18th he
gave notice Of the food departments
decision that all pigs weighing as much
as thirty pounds must be killed al the
end Of the pasture season. Dwellers
in German cities are asking the gov
ernmen to prevent farmers from feed
ing potatoes TO cattle.
There are many published COM
plants that the, ration of potatoes,
living on 1t are too weak for labor.
Lack OF oats ana DaTly, one beTilN
paper says. deprives the people Of
something supplemental by which
alone they tided over last spring"
There Is new evidence of coal short
age. Many city shops are closed as
soon as darkness comes on, and
thruout the day whenever artificial
light Is needed on account Of the
weather. In Stettin there is no light
ing of streets at night. Exports Of
coal to neutrals have been cut down
to almost nothing. except those which
go to Switzerland in return for loan.
With the embargo fully enforced on
neutrals who have been feeding Ger
many thru O crooked brokerage how
long will the war last?