The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-27
FEEDING GERMANY ACT.
| OF SELF-PRESERvAII0h

London. Dec 26.-'Teace in Ger
many has got to mean food. We mus,
feed her"
Thus Great Eritain's Food Minister
J, r. Ciynes, backs up the statement
OF President Wilson and Food Admin
fstrator Herbert Hoover that world ra-
tioning and strict economy must con-
time In order hat supplies may be
maintained and equitable worldwide
distribution assured
I'VE must control the foodstuffs Of
the world he declared in an inter
view we must prevent Germany, OF
any other country from rushing into
the markets panic-stricken and stsrv-
ing. and so sending up prices to such
a point that onr own workers In the
allied countries would be unable ia
buy nourishment
There's contarion in revolution
II spreads Famine means anarchy
and revolution. Let us be careful The
conditions are full Of peril. Rcvolu-
ton breaks ont here. there aud every
where. We are short of food. There
Is condition of dearth throughout the
world, People who are hungry and
cut Of work don't think calmly and
don't act wisely. We have got to help
the whole world to save itself from
dearth. from poverty and from reck-
Iessness
from statements which have ap-
reared In the press. and from
Information which has come to our
knowledge. there Is no doubt that the
condition OF the enemy countries and
some Of tho neutrais Ia almost on the
border line OF starvation. Indeed II
would not be too much to say that
this factor has contributed greatly TO
the surrender OF the enemy and his
acceptance of the armistice' terms
The matter is one which we cannot
afford to ignore. AS recently stated
in the house OF commons. victory. as
we'll as~war, imposes obligations upon
ss and we cannot afford to disregard
IA mass of starving humanity 1t is a
pleasure to me to have been able. with
MIR. Hoover and the other food con-
trollers ~ the associated powers. 70
set UT ar interalled food council.
through which w have been able to
provide food for the allies. and which
now can be used for arranging sup
plies for the recovered territories. the
neutrals, and lastly, for enemy coun-
tries
"our allies and the recovered ter
ritories will certainly have first claim
on our attention. The emancipated
pennles in Belgium. northern France,
italy and the Balkans IRE already re-
eeiving sunplies through our inter al
lied organization. We must OF necAs-
SIT he satisfied as to the actual condi-
ton OF the German people before send
ing our help - them. One OF the hrst
fohs will be to ascertain and be salts
fed exactly as 10 what Is the position
In Germany and Austria
II observe that IN some quarters X
is suggested that IL is unreasonable to
-expeGL ns-tn- teed-the- Gernan penplc
after the harbarons and inhunan acts
they committed during the war, Put.
IN the other hand. we must remember
that, apart from the feelings of hupan-
ity, whier, I believe. woui6 influence
the bulk OF the people in England and
Amerfca in consid ering this problem, II
is necessary as an act of selfpreser-
walton.
"For. II some such arrangements are
not made. there Will be indiscrfminate
huwing at famine prices the world
over II would mean that we should
he s,ill further under the control OF
trusts and these who are interested
only in getting big prices. II is far
better that, for the common purposes
of mankind. there should be Co opera
tive buying OF the reasonable supplies
for the feeding Of the world"