The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1917-04-20
Food Supply, Not Fighting, to Be
Deciding Factor In World
War.
BURDEN Put on BRITAIN
Mvse Provide for France and Italy
Neutsais Surfer From otrinosney-
PestiIenee and Suffering In
Many FERNS viii Follow.

A<OnuOus-Ou Lue OpeuluB Uuy VI TIC
current session Of parliament Admiral
Lord Charles Beresford made the cnlm
observation that II the war should con-
tinue another year Europe would stare
famine In. the face. He did not con-
fine his word Of impressive warning
to the Central Empire; he spoke Of
Europe, and included neutrals as well
as the belligerents Of both sides.
One need not go far afield in these
days to hnd many thoughtful men seri-
Ously contemplating that possibility.
Somebody once said that the world
lived about e hours from the brink
Of starvation. Europe Is the smallest
and most intensively cultivated CONT
nent, producing more than half the
worlds wheat. Its aggregate of live
stock supplies makes II far away the
greatest meat producing continent; yet
It is unable to feed itself and for its
deficiencies draws upon the SURPRISES
of the rest Of the world.
Great Britain draws a larger proper
ton Of Its foodstuffs from abroad than
any great nation, yet because 1t has
wealth and shipping and universal bust
ness relationships its dependence upon
the rest of the world makes 1t the most
Of European countries In
this matter of food supplies.
There will be no second Punic war;"
Mr.. Bonar Law, chancellor
of the exchequer, from his place on the
benches day or two after
Lord Beresford had urged his warning.
That phrase has passed into current
usage. like Mr.. Lloyd Georges great
speech warning the nation that 1t must
choose between great sacrifices and
great disasters; 1t honestly held up to
the picture Of possible nation
NJ ruin. Carthage, like Great Britain,
was maritime country dependent on
far away lands for necessaries. Across
the narrow seas rival rose to dispute
Ito dominion of the sea, which meant
lts right to live. No one war or two
wars determined that issue. In the
end Carthage fell.
Question Of Feeding.
When Mr.. Bonar Law said there
would be no second Punic war he was
telling his British public that England
must 10 completely establish her Sc
curity and hereafter hold 1t 30 firmly
that no further dispute should be pos
sible. When we place that alongside
he words Of Lord Beresford It IL pos
sible to understand the vital character
Of the struggle whose climax Is ap-
with the opening Of the
spring campaign Of 1917.
II IL become, as almost everybody In
Europe now begins to see. question
the economic resources Of the
Central Empires or the maritime power
Of the allies can longest stand the
strain. Can Germany and Austria feed
from within longer than the
entente can feed itself from Without
The military decision Is going to be
secondary to this economic determine
ton. II one side can feed itself longer
than the other can that side will win.
It was looked upon at the end Of the
wars first year as great struggle in
military attrition. Today 1t is just as
widely recognized to be q war Of eco
nomic attrition.
The essence Of such a struggle is the
problem Of feeding the warning ma
lions. OF them all England has in her
soil the largest possibilities Of increas-
Ing agricultural production.
Mr.. Lloyd George declared in his
speech that 5000, 600 or 100000 acres
of available agricultural land remained
unused. Beyond this great areas have