Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-27

IL causing CONTINUAL lutTedSt VI tHt tOsI VI
living in countries whose governments are
striving to reduce it by every means in their
power. Western Europe is today being
literally drained Of food and merchandise
which it urgently requires for itself by the
combined operations of this international
prottecring camarila.
TNHE center of this sinister activity is at
l. present the German territory bounded by
AlSace- Lorraine, the Bavarian Palatinate
and the Rhneand, and though it is not
pleasant to say it, it is unfortunately true
that some allied authorities of occupation
not American-do not seem to have done all
that lies In their power to prevent its de-
velopment. This district, which also in
cludes Frankfort and other large towns just
outside the occupied zone, has been happily
dubbed 'Profteeria' by the Germans. In
"Profiteeria' the commercial adventurer and
crook rules supreme, and get rich quick"
is the international motto of the land. No
where has reconciliation between former foes
been so rapid and efusve as here, where
German and Entente spectators have sealed
bond of fraternal friendship for the
criminal exploitation of their countrymen.
Huge stocks of food and every kind of mer-
chandise, accumulated within the occupied
territory by Entente profiteers, are delivered,
at an enormous profit, into the eager hands
of the subtle profteers of Germany, who,
in their turn, realize profits no less vast
in reselling them to the miserable German
consumer. Thus, both the humanitarian and
political motives that prompted the allied
governments to raise the blockade of Ger
many are being defeated, for the goods that
are pouring into Germany from western
Europe have been made an object of frenzed
speculation, and are, therefore, still luxuries
for the rich, while the ma aiority of the Ger
man people are as badly fed and insufficiently
clothed today ms it ever was during the last
years of the war.
TIME American authorities in the occupied
l. zone have been criticized recently for not
facilitating the resumption of trade between
America and Germany. However justified
| this criticism may be where legitimate, hon
est business is concerned, there can be little
| doubt that other allied authorities have gone
| too far in this respect since the raising of
| the blockade. The elevated and incorruptible
| patriotism of the French nation is above
| suspicion But France also has her
| profiteers, whose lust of gain dominates all
| national considerations and who basely sell
| the rich produce of their fair country to the
| Huns that ruthlessly devastated it. Their
| unpatriotic avidity has, in a large measure
| cOntTlDuteu 10 prevent llNlHR from becoming
| cheaper in France after the conclusion of
| peace. and while they are amassing untold
wealth by the sale of food to German specu :
lators, the French people, though still up
| held by their fine national spirit and pride
in victory, are daily growing more restve
over the ever increasing difficulties of ex =
,istence. Frankfort is crowded with repre- :
| sentatives Of French provision firms and
Partisan merchants offering for sale, in un-
limited quantities. from their stocks in oc e
cupied German territory, rice lard, coffee,
flour, tapioca, canned beef, margarine, con :
densed milk and other provisions of every
conceivable variety, Although wine com :
mands exorbitant prices in France the
worlds greatest wine country, trainloads of
claret, burgundy and champagne are con
stantly smuggled more or less secretly into
Germany. Enormous profits. estimated at
many milliards, are realized by these un ;
patriotic traders, and their cupidity is still
unslaked.
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