Part 31 (1/2)

The New York _Journal of Commerce_, quoting statistics of the U.S.A.

export trade for the first ten months of 1915 under a headline, ”Increase to Neutral Europe Equals German Loss,” shows that ”whilst s.h.i.+pments to Germany fell away 31,400,000 for the period named, the gain to the neutral nations on the north of Germany was 32,000,000.”

What could give more confirmatory proof?

On January 24th, 1916, the _Morning Post_ received a further cablegram from Was.h.i.+ngton, U.S.A., containing the elucidating facts that in the ten months from January 1st to October 31st, 1913, Germany imported from the U.S.A. 9,898,289 lbs. of cotton-seed oil, the Netherlands 31,867,327 lbs., and Norway 6,174,033 lbs.

In the corresponding ten months of 1915 the figures were: Germany, nil; the Netherlands, 93,153,175 lbs.; and Norway 24,110,269 lbs.

Other statistics follow, such as cotton-seed, meal and cake, etc., proving beyond all shadow of doubt that neutral countries were importing far more goods and foodstuffs, etc, than their usual average imports plus the total previous imports of Germany in addition.

A careful a.n.a.lysis of the leading American exports showed, almost without an exception, the striking fact that the prices of peace exports were very much lower in 1915 than in 1913; whilst the prices of war exports all showed large and heavy advances.

Deducing from these figures, leader-writers came to the obvious conclusion that _Germany was enjoying unrestricted imports for which Great Britain directly or indirectly paid_.

Returns from other parts of the world merely corroborated, adding proof upon proof. By way of example the Brazilian official trade returns during the first nine months of 1913, compared with 1915, show the following exports to the countries named:

1913. 1915.

Sweden 389,475 2,844,787 Norway 63,562 594,900 Denmark 105,637 715,387

In addition to the export figures given and those quoted from the U.S.A.

should be added the enormous quant.i.ties of corn, etc, re-exported from Liverpool and other British ports under special license issued by our Government.

It is therefore reasonably arguable that _our Government has used our Fleet to convoy our Merchantmen in freighting foodstuffs, at our expense, to feed the Germans_. By this incomprehensible tolerance home prices of food in the United Kingdom were directly raised to a high figure and neutral countries were directly helped to pile up fortunes by _bleeding and pinching our own peoples in order to feed their enemies_.

On January 21st, 1916, in the House of Commons Major Rowland Hunt asked the Foreign Secretary ”whether the Foreign Office had been aware of the state of things demonstrated by the American trade statistics and if so could he say how much longer our Navy was to be crippled by the Foreign Office, the war prolonged, and many more thousands of our men sacrificed?”

Sir E. Grey: ”I understand that the subject is to be discussed next week. I must, however, say that the statements in the question are grossly unfair and entirely misrepresent the facts of the case. I reserve any further statement I have to make until next week.”

From December 16th to 30th, 1915, just on 25,000 tons of iron ore were openly _consigned to Germany_ through Rotterdam and Holland; as to which see further on.

Here is a sample report of the sales one day at Esbjerg (Denmark) cattle market, December, 1915:

”Cattle sold to-day numbered 1,450 head, of which Street, of Hamburg, bought 141; Dar Neilsen, of Kiel, 330; Franck of Berlin, 440; an Austrian buyer, 327.”

This leaves 212 for Danish buyers. No wonder best beef was then half a crown a pound in Denmark!

Incidentally great quant.i.ties of the fodder with which these cattle for Germany are fed come from British ports and possessions.

Our Government was fully, persistently, and impressively advised by the Secret Service agents of this continual and enormous export of cattle and beef direct to Germany in January and February, 1915. Yet it apparently did not lift a finger to attempt to stop or divert it throughout the year following, or at any time.

Sweden, which normally imports 734,720 lbs. of meat in November and exports 2,961,280 lbs., imported during November, 1915, 8,016,960 lbs.

Holland, which usually imports in November 1,843,520 lbs. of meat and exports 11,874,240 lbs., imported in November, 1915, no less than 17,973,760 lbs.

In the light of these figures it seems idle to say that our blockade was tightened or in any degree effectual.

In the House of Commons on January 19th, 1916, Mr. Booth put the following question to Lord Robert Cecil in reference to these exports.

Mr. Booth: ”Is the n.o.ble Lord aware that the Germans in New York toasted the health of the Foreign Office at Christmas time?”