BRITISH HOUSEWIVES' BREAD RATIONING PROBLEM

Chronicle (Levin), 1 August 1946, Page 6

BRITISH HOUSEWIVES' BREAD RATIONING PROBLEM

- As providers for the household women are especially virulent against bread rationing, but the bakers are the most distracted members of the community, says the London correspondent of the Wydnev ilorning Herald. A woman baker told the Housewives' Lcague reeently that the baker must be an expert mathematician to iigure out the daily family allowances. Bread, flour, cakes, scones and buns are to be put on a new "points" scheme cailed "bread units" or "B.U. " for short. The housewife must know, lirst, how nmny B. U.s she can get for her family; secondly, what she can buy with a B.U.; lastly, how she gets her B.U.s. She may spend her B.U.s on bread, flour, buns, scones or cake, as she chooses. Bakers say that there will be no cakes on tlieir counters. This will put a great army of pastrycooks and confectioners out of work. It is .estimated that the breat rationing scli'eiiie will save from 5 to IU per cent. of Britain's wheat stocks, but it wjll also mean eularging the expenses of 'the Food OfliCes. Lroni 1500 to 2000 new clerks will be needed to cope with the new arrangenients. The schedule for the family as issued bv the Food ilinistry is: — Child uiuler one year, IIoz a week (2 B.U.s); child from oue to live, Ilb 12oz (f B.U.s); child from live to 11, 31b •Soz (3 B.U.s); adolescent, 11 to 13, 51b Ooz (12 B.U.s); nornuil adult, 31b 15oz (0 B.U.s); expectaut niotlier, -ilb 13oz (11 B.U.s); nianual worker (woman), 41b 13oz (11 B.U.s); nianual worker ^man), 01b Ooz (15 13. U.s). From this the arithinetical problein for tlie woman with a husband and family of live or six children, all of diH'ereut ages, can be easily undorstood.