Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-07-25
FOOD AND THE WAR

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The statement recently made by Food Administrator
IL aoover that the United States had sent to the European
e sllies ten million tons of food during the past year, and
e. gould be able to increase this to twenty-one million
ii pms during the coming year, while Germany and her
= lilies are in the throes of famine, brings forcibly to
ssa1nd the influence of food on the war. and the utter
allure of Germany to cut off the food supply from her
.ss5dversaries.
ssa 1t has always been perfectly plain that the success
sf an army depended, among other things, on its ability
zap maintain proper connection with an abundant food
upply. In this war, more than in any other that has
sSver been waged, it has been apparent from the first
shat the food supply of the nation was so intimately
sselated to the food supply of the army that it was i'm
#pssible to distinguish between the two, for in this war
s.aore than in any others, the contest has been between
cations rather than between armies in the field. Ac-
s%ordingly, the effort of each side from the beginning has
seen to deprive the other of food.
%M Everyone will remember the hypocritical protests
sssSsf Germany in the early stages of the war that the Allies
gN'ere trying to put into effect the brutal and inhuman
agasohcy of depriving the civil population of Germany Of
GOOD Germany had already made ruthless war on
issss5omen and children at sea and on land. She had
devastated Belgium, and, when she was in full possession
9sgEsf Belgium. with the exception of a tiny corner, and
not a Belgian soldier remained in all the territory
.sashat she occupied, she took the bread out of the mouths
.s4fs the old men and the women and the little children Of
and used it for the feeding of her armies. Yet
ssssyhen the Allies interrupted the transportation of her own
t...saupplies Of food, which were to be used either directly
ssaS@or her soldiers or to take the place of that which her
folders had consumed, naturally the protest fell on
.SSsSsseaf ears, and the embargo on German commerce Of
4%very kind has continued, and is in force today.
Al British shipping was the agency which Germany
Esssss3eared most in connection With the food supply. The
british navy kept the ports of Germany sealed up, and
sssssritish merchant shipping, augmented by neutral ship
ssiing from all over the world, carried a vast flood of food
~-nto British ports, there to be distributed to wherever
TT was needed. Germany undertook to stop this flow Of
ssood by the use of the submarine. Her boast was that
Fsvithin six months she would have starved Britain, and
with her France. into submission by the destruction Of
sss3er shipping. She has destroyed vast quantities of
chipping, and in doing so has committed murders untold.
ssSS8ut during the past year, when she was doing her very
worst, there has been carried to the Allies ten million
icons Of food stufs, and the quantity will be doubled this
ss,ext year.
mi There has never been a more dismal failure than
That of the German submarine. Those boats are being
sxAlestroyed faster than Germany can build them, and
ss4seAAilied shipping is being built faster than Germany can
S~ssNy1estroy It. In none Of the Allied countries is the pinch
sssPf famine felt. There are shortages in certain lines Of
Hood, but the actual pinch of hunger is not felt, nor is
ss&here any prospect that it will be. On the other hand,
people of the central powers are starving, and fresh
ssHytdences Of that fact are made manifest every day. The
hfScondition in the Austrian empire is deplorable. Food
Riots are in progress almost every day, and the desper-
sktion with which the recent Austrian drive, futile as it
3Mkvas, was undertaken is accounted for by the promise
Hs3sDf the army authorities that If they broke through the
italian lines they would find plenty of food beyond. The
aas4tprospect Of something to eat made the starved soldiers
iSputa forth their best effort. And when the Austrian gov
aa24kkrnment appealed to Germany for food, it's appeal
brought forth polite expressions of regret, but no food.
aM The Germans and their allies are not to be brought
aA21Ao submission by starvation alone, but hunger will be
r. bone of the elements which will aid in fastening the re.
5&suIt. Hence It is important that while the war lasts
aEWa prevent our enemies from obtaining food from
h abroad, and see to it that our own people are properly