Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-05-15


Practically coincident with the pub
lication here of cablegrams telling OF
the rejoicing occasioned in Germany
at the prospect of obtaining some OF
the food supplies supposed to be ex-
istent in the territory nominally I'M
der the control of the Ukrainian Rada,
which made peace with the central
powers on February 8, reports found
in belated copies of German, SWISS
and London newspapers reaching inns
country showed that, under the sys-
TEN of distribution prevailing In Ger
many, the masses of the kaiser's SUB
jects were not likely TO benefit very
much by a small increase In the stock
of foodstuffs.
While the items printed in the Ger
man press do not indicate that there
is any probability of the German ma
ton being actually starved into sug-
costing peace negotiations in man
ner acceptable to the allied countries,
the suffering of the poorer classes has
become almost UNDESIRABLE, and, as
has been mentioned in cablegrarns
from neutral countries, is principally
responsible for the peace agitation
that is occasionally intensified by
strikes and their suppression by the
iron hand of the Prussian militar-
lists.
Buy Products Secretly.
At the time of the Neukolin scandal
in December. ii was brought out that
the big munition manufacturers of
that Berlin suburb. with the eonni-
vance of the government, had secretly
bought large supplies of foodstuffs at
prices far above the legal maximum,
and had resold them TO their en-
ployees at still higher rates. The pub
LEGATION of these revelations in the Ber-
liner Vorwaerts gave the German news
papers of a semimoderate or liberal
tendency a chance to criticize both the
government and the agrarians and mu-
milton makers for their diversion of
much-needed supplies from the masses
of the people for the special benefit of
a favored clique.
In self-defense, Herr Won Waldow.
the food dictator, has announced that
he proposes to tighten the control of
the handling of foodstuffs. He talks
of heavy punishments for profiteering
middlemen, sharper control of the
trade in so-called "seed." sharper con-
troll of Illicit cattle dealing, stricter SUI
pervision of railway traffic-because
enormous quantities of foodstuffs are
transported under false declarations
and, finally, better cooperation be-
tween the civil authorities and the
war food bureau Of the Prussian min
istry of war, which is largely respon-
sfble for the promotion of secret trad
ing in the interests of the war indus
tries, but at the expense Of the ordi-
nary civil population.
This press controversy tends to con-
firm cabled reports early In the win
ter suggesting that the shortage Of
food In the towns, and the consequent
evidence in many places Of extreme
privations are out Of all proportion to
the actual state Of supplies in Ger
many, as a whole. The Frankfurter
Zeitung, In review of the whole sub
ject. not only demonstrates that gov
eminent lack of control is at fault, but
shows that the whole aspect of the
food situation has been falsified by I'M
reliable harvest statistics. The paper
says that the harvest returns repre-
sent the grossest forgery that has ever
been seen. and that, as regards pota-
toes. of which 1t says there is an enor-
nous supply. the statistics based upon
the returns of the producers probably
show less than one-half of the actual
yield.
False Harvest Statistics.
The situation Is said to be nearly as
bad as regards the statistics of the
grain harvest, and there are districts
In which thrashings have shown re-
suits double the estimate based upon
acreage. Hence the large quantities
of food at the disposal of the prof.
teers. The Frankfurter Zeitung con-
cludes:
"Secret trading and exorbitant prices
go together, and they are the most
dangerous enemies of security. There
are at present no articles which are
not the objects of the most impudent
profiteering. The bread ration in the
towns has been reduced to a level cor
responding to the results of statistics
which are absolutely false: meanwhile,
the mills go on turning their secret
supplies of grain into -four, which is
then delivered to people who gladly
pay ten times the officially established
price. 1t is just the same with but
ter, fats, eggs. and vegetables as with
-four and potatoes. What we need is
a firm hand"
In order to influence the agrarians
by moral suasion to release their food
stores. the government is taking large
parties OF farmers on tour In the great
Industrial districts. They are seeing
the conditions OF work In the principal