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Show Kmm is CONFIDENT OF FIKM German Socialist Leader in Reichstag Predicts Ultimate Ulti-mate Success of Central Cen-tral Powers in War. f STOCKHOLM, via London, March 27. Dt. Albert 0. W. Suedekum, one of the best known leaders of the majority Socialists in the reiehstag, in an interview inter-view here with the .correspondent of the Axsociated Press, said that those who thought the submarine war was going go-ing to bring England to starvation in Bix months were deceiving themselves. HS-Hou) however, that such a result Us not necessary for German victory, ir which, he declared, was certain, with indemnity. Dr. Suedekum said he was convinced that England hitherto had been sending send-ing only enough troops to the continent to keep her allies contented, but that now it was necessary for her to change her course. He declined to hazard a prediction on the result of the possible farticipation of America in the war on he side of the entente, but added: Anyhow, America has been virtually vir-tually in the war practically sinee the beginning. If it had not been for American ammunition the war would have ended in 1915. In reference to a statement attributed attribut-ed to former Ambassador Gerard that the food situation might affect Germany's Ger-many's military strength, Dr. Suedekum said: There is not the slightest danger of that, even in the improbable' event of the war lasting a year or two more. If other foods fail, we can increase our meat rations. We have 17,000,000 swine today, and the normal number before the war was only about 19,750,000. We have about 7,500,00 cattle, against a peace normal of about 8,o00,000 or 9,000,000, If necessary, we could butcher all but a minimum number of brood animals. The extreme cold of the last weeks made it impossible to transport trans-port potatoes, and we had only one or two pounds weekly for each consumer con-sumer in the big cities. If the people peo-ple had been required by regula- . tions thus to limit consumption they I would have considered it impossi- blei' j"when faced by hard neces- ' rtthey did it, with the result that ve have an additional month 's sup-ply sup-ply of potatoes on which we never -.-reckoned. It is true that we are 'aiiort of food, but we are not starv- Scoffs -hi Secession. In regard to the split in the Socialist Social-ist party, Dr. Suedekum said: i The small minority which broke away fiom the old party is merely j a sort of safety valve for blowing off the pressure of discontent. There iB bound to be a certain number num-ber of disgruntled individuals and malcontents in every party, even in normal times, and naturally much more so in time of war. These people must have an outlet for their discontent and the seceding Socialists furnish this outlet. The secession movement is of no consequence, conse-quence, the seceders themselves be- -ing split into various groups. I predict tbeee divisions will disappear disap-pear with the coming of peace. Dr. Suedekum is recognized as an expert on municipal problems and is well known, in the United States, where he delivered a series of lectures in 3910. At the outbreak of the war he went to Italy to try to persuade the Italian Socialists to support Italian intervention in-tervention on the side of Germany. Later he wad decorated with the iron cross for his services at the front. |