The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-07-06
CAN WIN THE WAR
ONLY BY FIGHTING
Germany's Nor Allies Food Short.
age Is Considered.
ZONES OF WAR PREPARATION
First Step is Actual Military MobiIiza
ton; Second, Establishing War
Industries; Third, Increase
in Human Energy.
BY JAMES H. COLLINS.

| ~FNH@S SSIkttN0s
lFrom the Committee on Public Informa
ton, Washington, d. CO
A traveller recently out of Germany
told OF an experience in German city
or 1900 population. This city haC
ieft, for treatment of civilians, onf
physician and one surgeon, all othel
medical men having been drawn into
the army.
How do you manage to attend I'LL
the sfck?" asked the traveller of the
physician.
i simplify by paying no attention
to people over fifty-fve years of age
was the doctors answer.
Which is to say, that Germans past
this 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.
Ihis story was told to DR.. Alonzo
Taylor of the United States food a,i-
mlnistration and department of agri-
culture. Doctor Taylor was attached
TO the United States embassy at Ber-
lin during most of 1916. and under
Ambassador Gerard had neutral In
spections 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
any other person he knows.
The point of the story above is the.
different interpretations that may be
put upon it. Regarded simply as am.
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 for
every necessity of life and that th2
internal situation must soon causM
her to "crack."
But Doctor Taylor looks at 1t in az.
entirely different way. IS
Fifty-Five the Dead Line. .
"Ehat story simply indicates h~kN,
far the Germans are willing to go 81
wiz he says. IF it is necessary q
abandon all that part Of the Germ III
popI'ation 0tr fire Fl 5vg,i iaT
age, they intend 20 do it. phey
willing 10 take other measures
coldly practical as tLat to pull throua
So far as hunger, suffering, ueath, aS,. !,
toll are concerned, these cannot safts
ly be regarded as factors in GermanyE.
defeat. She has pulled through BEL
fore, and will. pull through again. The :
only way to defeat Germany, in M i
opinion, is by straight military de 7
cision on the western front" y !,
Since the second year of the war I
accounts of German food short - b
been staple reading in the A ter +,
and English newspapers. Tn
been based upon German ratio-s +
articles In the Ger
press dealing with food short7Le +
formation brought out of Geruuny INA,
travellers, and other data. The sul !.
ject is one that has been Clrefuyy !.
studied by trustworthy invest cat W.
in great detail. Much of the inforn
ton obtained has undoubtedly BED n,
sound, yet Doctor Taylor regards mo4t
published accounts of German hunes
as mischievous, If not as Geiiberat /
enemy propaganda. Largely thr6ug
his investigations the United state !,
food administration has adopted th
policy of discountenancing rep0rts ( l5
German hunger.
"The Germans are unquestior bl III
on very short rations," he adds 70. ii
know the German mind, the Gerpa !
state, the German press. TIL osed tf
ence Of the German mind to aa ca
man state and the latter's &C ire. 4
the German press are so compl tla III
even admitting German food a., .t.j !
to be as grave as reports indi, e
published information on this aA4a Ii
coming out Of Germany is still id
colored for military ends. TIL le I
never be lost sight of. Germa " I /
unquestionably have a hard hr
food this summer, but she is g ND
pull through again so far as j M 8fy
and all plans baset a4]
hat as a factor in the military elf
lion rest on an unsound basis Fe
Germans are suffering. No matt KaIy
the winning Of this war we 8gtIc
lfford to give any thought VIII BAe4t
% their suffering from hunger r
give none to the
ngs of our allies.
When we ourselves entered th tlr /
/ year ago, German food shortae Isl
accepted as one Of the apparen A.
ors which would help us win. Z rs I
months experience has brougt Ia
weakening to the American D fgle. /,
front, 5uttoned Jacket a NoveItya
Rare is the jacket that buttors
naight down the front. Sometimes
~ ItnY, 10 oiyaf Go ,noda In thts xx,ov i