The Washington herald., 1917-07-17
FOOD EMBARGO
MADE USELESS
Exports Council Divided in
Opinion and Grants All
Applications.

The most powerful offensive weapon
in the hands Of the United States
the food embargo-lies paralyzed
through division OF opinion in the ex-
ports council.
Men familiar with the food situation.
of northern Europe have told the
council. with figures to back UP the
story. that a prompt embargo against
the neutral nations shown to have
supplied Germany with fat ration to
sustain every man she has under
arms. will be worth more to the
United States in a military way than
the immediate dispatch Of a half
million trained men to the battle line
Many observers here insist that the
straw which broke the back of Ger
many's internal accord was tho
realization by men of perception in
the TeutOn councils that the right
enforcement of the embargo by the
United States would cut OF a source
of supply without which GERMANY
cannot go on fighting.
Germany now and always has raiseo
sufficient grain to feed her armies
! and her people. On a grain basis she
can 20 on indefinitely without out
side help. But she cannot produce
fats. Fats are necessary IL she Is TO
go on with vigor in the war.
Yet. it was learned yesterday, the
exports council has granted almost
every application that has been made
to it. The council is not making
public the number granted or refused,
or their character.
Just whence the reluctance to use
the embargo comes cannot be learned.
II is known, however, that the State
Department has been fairly beseiged
by the diplomatic and commercial
| representatives. of the neutrals most
vitality affected.
State Department Led
The State Department all along has
been unwilling to offend these neu-
trails. In this attitude the depart
ment is believed to be guided largely
by British opinion. The British block
ade was not only admittedly ineffect-
i've. but Britain has believed in cod
ding the neutrals, particularly Dem
| mark. British statesmen have always
asserted that by maintaining friendly
| intercourse with Denmark, Germany
would continue TO feel that Denmark
was always a place whence a British
| invasion might be feared
The real result of this policy was,
not that Geremany feared Denmark.
but that Germany was fed by Dem
mark.
The Federal Trade Commission is
already busy with its price probe In
this country. Yesterday a dozen statis-
ticians and inspectors were hurried
to Chicago for an investigation OF
meat prices. 1t has been carrying
on inquiries with regard to coal. steel
| and food eemmodities'for some weeks.
Information of EngIand's difficulties
with uncurbed food speculation have
already reached this country. but Eng
land complains of prices which would
be an undisguised blessing here. \ let
| ter from Lord Incheape, manager OF
the steamer line which carries Austria
Ian meat TO England. has been receiv-
ed in Washington. The letter was ad-
dressed to Lord Rhonnda, the Brit
ish food controller. Lord Incheape
says that meat is put aboard the
steamers in Australia at from sS-4
to 10 IL cents per pound. The freight
to England is two cents. The British
consumer pays Ss to IS cents a pound.
1T would be interesting to know
where the difference goes" Lord In
cheape writes.