The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 1915. TRAFFIC IN CONTRABAND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 89, 16 August 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 1915. TRAFFIC IN CONTRABAND.

Despite the outcry made hy Germany regarding the favoured treatment the Allies are receiving hy way of supplies from the United States of America, recent revelations show that food supplies and munitions for the German army are being sent in large quantities from the United States hy way of South American ports and thence through neutral countries. Secret Service men. working. on the matter ever since the blockade of German poyts was established, and the North Sea declared a war zone, have information that large quantities ol powder. cartridges, small arms, some field

pieces, equipment, accoutrements, and food supplies in enormous quantities have been sent to the German army or to German ports. Jt is beyond any question that an outstanding feature of the campaign has been the thoroughness of the German preparations for all the eventualities of war. This, of course, shows more clearly than over that they and they alone had plotted and planned for war, in utter brutal selfish disregard of other nations, and yet with colossal impudence and cowardice these rogues still Jay the blame for war on England. One writer claims, however, that when an exhaustive and impartial history of the great war comes, in the fullness of time, to he written. two .things" will stand out clearly: First, that as organisers for war the Germans showed themselves unequalled, if not' unsurpassable. Second, that as diplomatists they are the greatest bunglers the world has ever seen. It might have added that as liars they stand absolutely unrivalled in all history. 'ln the matter of obtaining goods through neutral countries, as usual, Germany's underground influence has been great and her plans well laid. The traffic appears to have been carried on through merchant ships of neutral countries. In every instance the procedure of shipment has been practically the same. Cargoes have been consigned to persons in countries on both the east and west coasts of South America. Here they have been unloaded and stored away long enough to disarm all suspicion or to become apparently stock of the Company. Within another month or two months, according to the character of the cargo, it has been reconsigned to merchants, or agents in the neutral countries—Denmark, Holland, Norway, Sweden, and before her joining the Allies, to Italy, in some cases goods were sent to Spain and 'Portugal, and from there transhipped

through Italy ami thus to the interior of Germany. Italy, being now one of ilu> belligerents, lias closed one route, but Denmark, Holland, Sweden, and Norway are still prolific sources of supply lor the Germans. From latest advices it almost appears that a road through Switzerland is also being found, and by a steady traffic in contraband, Germany is minimising the effects of the Allies’ blockade. But the net is being drawn closer, and fraud and duplicity working its own undoing.