Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-06
WILL SELL FOOD
TO GERMANY SOON
Allies and U. S. Recognize
Danger of Unemployment
and Hunger.
MUST GET lNDEMNlTlEs

Allied nations and the United states
soon will sell food to Germany, let her
buy raw materials. and then levy heavy
indemnities upon her, according to in
formation received in Washington by
persons in close touch with peace con-
ference negotiations.
Though no part of the 00,000,000
asked for by President Wilson to buy
foodstuffs for devastated nations will
so for food to the enemy countries, of
course, it is possible that the United
States soon will sell foodstuffs to the
central powers.
Why Course Is Agreed Upon.
This course has been practically
agreed upon, it is believed; not
through any effort on the part of the
United States. but as the result of
growing realization among the allies
and the pronouncements of allied
statesmen that Germany cannot be
crushed economically and at the same
time be in position to pay lndemnl-
ties.
In addition. England and France
both sell heavily to Germany, and the
operation of economic laws has LED
to the demand in both those countries
that German trade be resumed. II
this were not done, it was argued.
neither European nor American work
men could continue to get nigh
wages. nor could the Industries of
these nations be restored to their pre-
war activity.
May Lift Blockade Soon.
1t is possible, as a step toward this
end, that the blockade against Ger
many may be lifted before the peace
treaty is signed, though such course
has not yet been determined.
Belgium, the worst sufferer, perhaps.
from the Hun ravageS, was one of the
first nations to call for a resumption
of industry in Germany. Her motive
was to keep the Germans employed
and ward off the unemployment, hum
ger and disorder which might result,
in consequence of suspension of Ger
man industry. and react upon her own
people.
In the specific case of a great plant
at Dusseldorf subsidiary of an
American corporation, though 1t was
German owned after it's seizure as
alien property, the Belgians urged
that the factories be not closed down,
and that the distribution of the prof
it's be adjusted later.
Want German Plants Opened.
Recently English and French states
men have urged that German plants be
permitted to operate, to prevent unem-
ployment, and the consequent disorders
among the hungry and starving which
might spread throughout Europe.
Little is known here vet about the size
of the indemnties to be levied on Ger
many. 1t is generally considered, how
ever, that Lloyd Georges figure of
$12O, 200, 900, 600 is far beyond crippled
Germany's ability to pay. Germany's
own effort to crush French industry by
levying billion dollars indemnity after
the Franco-Prussian war is being cited
as an evidence of the fallacy of trying to
crush nations industries. France was
able to pay off this indemnity in a COM
paratively short time, though the Ger
mans had hoped that the size of the
sum would keep her neighbor financially
and industrially crippled for some time
to come.
Conditions Exaggerated.
Confidential reports here indicate
that conditions of anarchy in Berlin
and throghout Germany are not SO
bad as have been pictured by the Hun
progagandists in the effort to sub
Stantiate the German requests for i'm