FOOD OR BOLSHEVISM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1967, 22 April 1919, Page 3

FOOD OR BOLSHEVISM.

CONDITIONS IN GERMANY.

AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT.

The following report, the publication of which has been authorised by the Supreme Council of Supply and Relief, has been compiled from the personal observations of 14 British officers who visited various parts of Germany during the period 12th January to 1211* February, 1919, to carry out special investigations. The chief places visited were Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Hanover, Leipzig, Dresden, Madgeburg, Hanover, Leipzig, Dresden, Magdenburg, and Sassel: Employment and Labour. —Unrest and disturbances arc diminishing owing to the more stable political conditions and the firm adopted by Noske, the Minister of National Defence, whose position has been very much strengthened against the Spartacus movement by the large combined Social Democratic majority in the newly-elect-ed National Assembly. At the same time unemployment, accompanied by an inevitable rise in the cost of living, is on the increase in Berlin. This increase is estimated at 5,00(1 a day, the number of unemployed being over 200,000. In Hamburg (he number is 72,00,0, in Munich 32,000, and in Leipzig 22,000. This great and constant increase in unemployment is due to-the rapid demobilisation of the army and of war industries, collided with the inability of peace industry to get started owing to the dearth of raw materials and coal. Concomitant causes arc: —

(a) Reluctance oa Ihe part of Capital to embark on fresh enterprise. •

(b) High prices and wages prevailing.

(e) Lack of will to work on the part of I lie workers, partly due to idleness and the high unemployment grants, partly lo the physical ami mental inertia engendered by malnutrition.

Tins increase in unemployment forms the most dangerous element in Ibe present situation, especially where the huge industrial centres are eoneemod. Unemployment am) hunger are the chief predisposing causes of Bolshevism, and, if these are removed, (here is no chance of; Bolshevism gaining foothold in German v.

Goal and Transport. —All over Germany, except actually in the coalfield areas, industry is ,-tagnaiil; and shutting down altogether owing to the lack of coal. The Silesian and Saar Valley coal supplies have been entirely cut off; coal is still being raised in Westphalia, but over a million tons are Availing at. the pit mouth for Jack of transport facilities. RailvA'ay transport has been crippled throughout the country owing lo Ihe enormous quantity of rolling stock losl since last Xovember. To the number 1 Imnded over under the terms of the armistice must be added a great' quantity abandoned and lost on all fronts, especially in the East, since last Xovember. This applies more especially to locomotives. At the same time the facilities for repairing locomotives have decreased considerably owing to the lack of essential raw materials. Throughout Germany the average percentage of locomotives undergoing repair lias increased from 17J- to 40 since August, 1914. In the Hanover railway district the number of locomotives in peace time was 1800, of which 1450 were in continual use, at (lie lime of the armistice 1300 Avere on charge; and on (Jill Pohru-. ary, 1919, only 850 remained, of Avhieh 35 to 40 per cent, were Avorn out and incapable of repair. Many of the best heavy locomotives have had to be handed over to the Allies; consequently the passenger traffic lias had to he reduced to 29 per cent, of the 'normal. Transport rlifficullies in the north-cast of Germany have been still further enhanced by the cessation of the coasting I rude between the Baltic and North Sea porks since (lie armistice. c

Food. —The shortage of staple articles of food throughout the country is such that the mass of the population are living upon rations which, while maintaining life, are insufficient to nourish the body adequately. Mothers and young* children are particularly affected. Malnutrition has increased the mortality and diminished (lie birth-rate. It has given rise to now diseases fe.g., war oedema and “mangoldwurzel .disease”), besides aggravating the previously known ones. It is difficult to confirm the accuracy of the official statements as to the dates on which the present food stocks will be exhausted. These dates vary for different districts in proportion to the local transport and agricultural conditions. Saxony, for instance, is in a particularly unfortunate position, being an industrial district cut off from her normal agricultural resources. In general the following terminal dates given by the Central Food Office in Berlin arc probably generally correct: Breadstuff's, beginning of April, 191!); potatoes, end of May, 1919; fats, end of March, 1919; the meat ration can be continued indefinately at the cost of slaughtering all milch cows and breeding stock. In Saxony, however, the official date for the cessation of potato stocks is the middle of February: in Bavaria, the end of February; and in Hamburg, the end of March. The above estimate of the continuance of the meat ration seems to he optimistic considering that in Hamburg and Hanover cows in calf, milch cows, and draught oxen are, being already slaughtered, a’s well as

eight-day calves. Given normal weather conditions during 1919 the coining harvest, is expected to yield only half the average pre-war crop.

General Conclusions. —The general impression of all the visiting officers is that the need for revictualling Germany is really argent. The country is living on its capital as regards food supplies, and either famine or Bolshevism, probably both, will ensue before the next 'harvest if help from outside is nd{ forthcoming. The need for fats is especially urgent. The present so-i cial and political condition of Germany is sufficiently stable to guarantee the orderly distribution of food under the existing rationing machinery. It is still impossible ta gauge the period within which Germany’s military power could revive, although there is no immediate danger on this score. The allotment of food stocks should bo carefully controlled, but, provided they are handed over to the authorised representatives of the Central Government at the port of entry or frontier station, there seems no reason for anxiety as to their ultimate equitable distribution.

In this connection it" is interesting to note that 30,000 tons of bacon and approximately 5,000 tons of condensed milk have been sold to Germany by the British Government in accordance with the deci-i sion of the Inter-Allied Supreme Council of Supply-and Relief.