Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-06-27
Gan Wn TIE VAR
only By FIGHTING
6ermany's Nor kniss' Food Short.
age ls Considered.
ZONES OF WAR PREPARATION
First Step 10 Actual Military Mebiilza
ten; Second, Establishing War
Industries; Third, increase
In Human Energy.
BY JAMES n. COLLINS.
Erom the Committee on Public Informa
tiOn. Washington- N ~

A traveller recently out of Germany
told of an experience in a German city
Of 1900 population. This city had
left, for treatment Of civilians. one
physician and u surgeon, all other
medical men having been drawn into
the army.
How do you manage to attend all
the sick:" asked the traveller Of the
physician.
Il simplify by paying no attention
to people over fifty-five years Of age"
was the doctors answer.
Which is to say, that Germans past |
thls age. being of no military use to
the state. and Of probably the least
economic use. are automatically set
aside. and in sickness take their own
chances Of recovery or death.
This story was told to DIR. Alonzo
Taylor of the United States food ad-
m%inistration and department of agri.
culture. Doctor Taylor was attached
to the United States embassy ut Ber-
lin during most Of 1916. and under
Ambassador Gerard had neutral In
spectlons Of German prison camps In
charge. Herbert Hoover has said that
Doctor Taylor's scientific knowledge
Of dietetics, and his practical grasp Of
war food problems, is wider than that
Of any other person he knows, and be-
hind this technical knowledge Is q
thorough acquaintance with the Ger
man state and the German people, as
well as the food problem Of the central
powers and the allied nations. Last
autumn Doctor Taylor was a member
If the American commission sent
abroad to further our cooperation in
the war. and deal particularly with
the problem Of food.
The point Of the story above Is the
different interpretations that may be
put upon 1t. Regarded simply as an
other interesting insight into the de-
~privation which Is now believed to
prevail In Germany. it would be taken
by the average American newspaper
reader as one more indication that
Germany Is desperately pressed fol
every necessity Of life and that this
internal situation must soon cause
her to "crack."
But Doctor Taylor looks at 1t In al
entirely different way.
FIfty.Fjve the Dead Line,
"That story simply indicates hov
far the Germans are willing to 60 t.
win" he says. If 1t is necessary t
abandon all that part Of the German
population above f1fty.nve years O.
age. they intend to do 1t. They arr
willing to take other measures a!
coldly practical as that to pull through
So far as hunger, suffering, death, ant
toll are concerned. these cannot safe
" be regarded as factors in Germany
defeat. She has pulled through be
fore. and will pull through again. Tn
only way to defeat Germany. in IN!
opinion, Is by a straight military de
clsion on the western front"
Since the second year Of the wal
accounts Of German food shortage hav'
been staple reading In the America
and English newspapers. These hay
been based upon German ratIonin
regulations, articles In the Germal
press dealing with food shortage. In
formation brought out Of Germany b
travellers, and other data. The sui
feet is one that has been CAREFUL
studied by trustworthy investigator
In great detail. Much Of the informs
ton obtained has undoubtedly bee
sound, yet Doctor Taylor regards mos
published accounts Of German hunge
as mischievous. II not as deliberat
enemy propaganda. Largely throus
his Investigations the United State
food administration has adopted tn
policy Of discountenancing reports
German hunger.
: 1.-THE Germans are unQuestiOnabl
on very short rations," he adds. "b'
know the German mind, the Germa
state, the German press. The obed
ence Of the German mind to the &c
man state and the latter's control
; the German press are 10 complete To-
, even admitting German food shortaf
to be as grave as reports indicate, q
published information on this subje
coming out Of Germany is still artful
. colored for military ends. That mu
never be lost sight Of. Germany vi
} unquestionably have q hard pinch
{ food this summer. but she 10 going
4 pull through again 10 far as food
b concerned, and all plans based upt
!. that a. 4 factor IN the military stu
. ton rest on an unsound basis. n
Germans are suffering. No matter
{ the winning Of this war we cam
. afford to give any thought whatev
to their suffering from hunger-tht
submarines give none to the SUM
ings Of our allies.
. Must Win BY Fighting.
d When We ourselves entered the v
= Z year ago, German food shortage y
= accepted % one Of the apparent 4
= tors which would help "a win. Twel
}, months experience hss brought
y awakenlng to tho American peop
. We now know that allied ccuntrl
. sss hard pressed for food. We ha
~s.s own country the sslex o. !