The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY' 3, 1915. FEELING THE PINCH

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2375, 3 February 1915, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY' 3, 1915. FEELING THE PINCH

Germany is beginning to feel the pangs of economic strangulation. Her energetic efforts to create friction between Britain and the United States in connection with the contraband question prove unmistakably that the unceasing pressure of the British Navy is making itself felt with increasing acuteness both as regards the feeding of her people and the supply of war material. It would, however, be extremely rash to jump to the conclusion that a state of starvation, or anything like it, is at present in sight. Still, there are indications that distress is widespread, and the outlook is sufficiently. serious to compel the authorities to take drastic measures with the object of husbanding the country's food resources. A cablegram which we publish in another column states that Berlin bakers have been ordered to reduce the output of bread by onefourth,- while the Cologne municipality has forbidden the manufacture of wheatcn bread. except under a doctor's prescription, the use of rye bread being made obligatory. Such precautions show that the food supply is ■ far from plentiful, and some of the newspapers declare that the situation iB much 'more serious than people believe. The outlook in Austria is even more gloomy. Austria's preparations for the great struggle lacked the scientific thoroughness which characterised those of Germany, and almost from the outset industrial chaos has prevailed. Now we are told that a decree has been issued limiting the amount of flour and rye. in bread to one-half, the remainder to consist of barley, rice, potatoes, or other substitutes. Such measures as these, however ■ necessary _ they may be, cannot fail to give rise to feelings of discontent, and must tend to crush the warlike enthusiasm of the people. As a matter of fact the probabilities are that the war has already lost whatever popularity it may have had in Austria - at the commencement of hostilities, and signs are not wanting that the possibility of defeat is slowly, but surely,. dawning on the German people. Owing to the inoreasing scarcity of certain kinds of food, the Ger-, man authorities have been giving tho people a great deal of advice as to what they should eat. The Frankfurt Medical Association, in conjunction with the Municipal Food Commission, recently drew up an interesting memorandum on this allimportant subject. The memorandum is characterised by that thoroughness and attention .to detail for which the Germans have become noted:

The consumption of meat, it says, should be restricted, especially in the case of children, and it could quite woll be reduced by one-half. The flesh of full-grown animals should be preferred, as tue young ones are needed for breeding purposes. Cod, herrings, and other such fish are an important substitute for meat. Eggs should bo economised, for only a small proportion of the demand can be supplied by Germany herself. Milk and, its products are excellent food. Peas, lentils, and beans are mostly imported; they are now very dear, and difficult to obtain. Ifait of all kinds should not be U6ed so extravagantly as is generally done in German households. The Btocks of wheat are diminishing; rye is plentiful'; it is, therefore, advisable to restrict as much as possible the consumption of white bread and of cakes, and to oat only rye bread. The people are assured that the mixture of twenty, per cent, of potatoes, as prescribed by tho Government, keeps the bread fresh longer and makes it more tasty. In view of the fact that potatoes are plentiful the authorities lay great stress on their merits as a food, and they also point out the value of vegetables. Boiled chestnuts, they say, arc nourishing, particularly for children. "Milk, milk-soups, porridge, etc., should serve for breakfast, as they did in olden times." That it should be neccssary to issue elaborate instructions of this sort is a most impressive sign that the pinch is being severely fqlt, and that the Government is extremely anxious

regarding the food supply. The expectation of a short, snitrp, and triumphant campaign, with which the military clique entered upon the struggle, has now been shattered, and the failure of the original plans has compelled the Government to take drastic steps to enable the country's economic resources to bear the strain of a much longer war than was anticipated. It has been asserted that Germany's food supply is adequate for a year's campaign ; but the war has now only lasted six months and yet the stra'in is already severe. The wheat harvest fell below the estimate, and the price of wheat in November was 565. Cd. per quarter, as against 365. 6d. in England. The Ifconomist states that difficulty has been reported in securing adequate supplies of horses and fodder for tho Army, and an order, issued on December 12, urging economy in the use' of gun ammunition, contains the signifioajit admission that German industry, working at full pressure, is not able to provide the Army indefinitely with 'munitions. The economic position of the Allies is enormously stronger than that of Germany, Austria, and Turkey, thanks mainly to their overwhelming superiority m sea power. It _is quite impossible to starve Russia; ftie ports of France are kept open; and the British Empire has practically no anxiety as regards its food supply. These facts provide an absolutely oonvincing answer to German attempts to belittle the part which the British Navy is playing in the struggle. But it would be a tremendous mistake if the Empire should rely upon starving its enemies into subjection. This point is touched upon in a very able article in the Bound Table (an extract from which will be found in another part of this issue)' in which it is stated that the Germanic nations are, as time goes on, bound to suffer more from economic exhaustion than their principal enemies; but, says the writer, "it may well be that the issue of the struggle will be de"cided in the next three or six months, and, if it is,. it will have been decided, not by any economic or financial considerations, but by the force of arms on sea and land." Half-and-half measures cannot succeed. "Moderation in war," as Lord Fisher says, "is an imbecility." Britain and her.Allies must, of course, take every advantage of the economic difficulties of their enemies; but the great thing is to defeat them decisively in battle.