GLIMPSE OF STARVING HUNGARY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2984, 23 January 1917, Page 6

GLIMPSE OF STARVING HUNGARY

ADVENTURES OF A FOOD DICTATOR

EXASPERATED PEOPLE

Recent cablegrams have referred to tlie diro condition of Hungary's starving population. Here, from the Budapest correspondent of the "Morning Post" is a glimpse of the troubles of the Hungarian Food Dictator : — Baron Jvurthy, tho Food Dictator of Hungary, has hit upon quite a novel method in pursuanoo of his avocation. Disguising himsolf as an ordinary man in tho street—a difficult thing for a Hungarian nobleman to do —ho has taken up a position in different queues for hours at a time and listened to the conversation of poor women, _ old men, and children waiting for their turn to get a quarter of a pound of sugar or a pound of flour. Ho dressed as a labourer, and went to the markets in the Budapest suburbs, bought potatoes at double the maximum price, was thrown out of a milk shop where he begged for a pint of milk for a sick baby, went about for two days to got half a dozen eggs, heard everything and with his own eyes saw everything, and when interviewed by newspaper representatives on the subject of his adventures declared that ho could get nothing at tho fixed prices, whilo some things he could not get at all. .He also declared that it is astonishing how tho poorer classes nianago to exist under present conditions (this was in November), how they find money merely to pay for tho vegetables they con-, sume, and, lastly, how they can endure the unscrupulous profiteering of the majority of tho tradespeople, who, he declares, with very few exceptions are rogues. The New Haroun Al Raschid. It is a curious thing that a nobleman and Food Dictator, ranking with Cabinet Ministers, should find it necessary in order to get his information, to go about like tho legendary Kings pi old, who wandered about ill the guiso of shepherds, unknown to their evil counsellors; for the purpose of finding out the grievances of their peoples. Baron Kurthy was not a popular man when lie asstuned his present important office, but this romantic procedure of liis has rather -tended to inspire confidence in the people. They know ho cannot change the situation so far as the scarcity of food is concerned, but at least he condescends to stand in the same queue with his washer-woman, and that is a good deal more than thoy expected of him. The newspapers make a feature day by day of descriptions of the coming terrors, and aro appealing to every 2onceivable authority to look upon tho misery of tho peoplo and do something. The "Posti Naplo" issued a most lugubrious appeal. . The writer says: "It is a necessary condition of the successful prosecution of war that big cities of a belligerent country should; not present a picture of despair Hid misery, for the battles of the 'Hinterland' are lost if this is tlio case, and theso 'battles are just as important and decisive as those at the front. Wo do not want fancy skotches of the happiness and contontment of the people, which are as false as anything can be. Wo want food and organisation, for there is not another city in tho world where tho people are harassed and exploited and steeped in misery as tlicy, are at Budapest."' The article continues in this strain for a column and a half. Unless things improve during tho next two months, it declares, "the coalition of the poorer classes will bo absolutely hopeless." The Food Dictator, when interviewed, was also very possimistic with regard to tho future, declaring that peoplo ought not to expect impossibilities of him, "for ono cannot organise things which do not exist." All lie could pro. mise was that all the foodstuffs that could bo collected would be equally distributed, which is not a verv encouraging prospect for tho terribly hard! times which aro at hand. Lawlessness Triumphant. Onco moro during tho whole of tho past weok no potatoes wero to bo had, although thoso constitute the chief food of tho peoplo, and whenever this is tho caso, that is to say, about onco a month, the bitterness and desperation of tho women know 110 bounds. Incidents such as I described somo timo ago of tho looting of provision shops aro now of everyday occurrence,' and the police refuse to interfere, on tho ground that tho people aro justly incensed, and aro not to be blamed- for attacking tho shops of profiteering tradesmen. As a matter of fact, policemen aro no bettor off than ordinary working men, and they aro'as much embittered against tho shopkeepers as the public in general. Tho small dealers in many cases are perfect martyrs, and their shops are being closed by tho score/ It is expected that by Christmastide tho scarcity will bo so "great and prices so enormous that a whole division of cavalry mil not bo able to keep order in Budapest. Prices have risen over 50 per cent, during the last four weeks, and it is expected that beforo long Ehey will soar to an even higher love). Especially is this the case with the food of the poor —flour, potatoes, and vegetables. A pound of peas costs' 65., and beans are not to bo had at any price. Lard and fat are luxuries far beyond the reach of the poor, and oven horseflesh is only for the woll-to-do.