FOOD CONTROL IN FRANCE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3013, 26 February 1917, Page 10

FOOD CONTROL IN FRANCE

HOW IT IS DONE (By W'. L. M'Alpin, in the "Daily Mail.") M. Joseph Thierry, who became one of tho Under-Secretaries for War/last year, was recently appointed Food Controller for Franco. It must not be supposed, however, that France has waited until now to organise the supply and distribution of her food. From information given me by the Ministry of Commerco, it is apparent that as far back as April, 1915, as soon as it was evident that corn and flour were becoming insufficient for the needs of the population, measures were taken by tho Government to make up for tho deficiency.

By a decree dated October 16, 1915, the Customs duties on corn, which had been suspended the previous year, were re-established, and the monopoly of importation of that cereal was thus placed in- tho hands 'of the State. At tbo same timo the Minister of Commerce was authorised to make purchases abroad of corn and flour for the supply aof tho civilian population, and civil population, and civil and military experts were placed at tho' disposal of tlio Minister to aid him in tho execution of his functions. From that moment it was the Minister of Commerce who assumed the formidable task of .buying tho whoat necessary to complete tho stocks availablo in Franco. Ho secured the shipping facilities indispensablo for this purpose, and by a ® agreement with the Government was able to effect tho shipment of the wheat at profitable freight rates. He further improved tho wharfage arrangements at various ports in Franco and speeded up by rail and canal. Finally Jie established a system for the distribution of wheat and flour all over the country, which has given the most satisfactory results. Under ,tho authority 6f the Ministry every prefect was empowered to requisition tho stocks of bread-stuffs necessary for the inhabitants of his department, to fix the maximum prices at wliioh provisions might bo acquired, and to ; prohibit excessive profits in' transactions in these commodities. Thanks to these solutary measures, bread, which ivas rapidly advancing in rmee, returned, to a figure very little higher than that at which it stood bofore the _ war. Another wise decision of the Minister of Commerce, with tho object of husbanding the nation's resources and obtaining the greatest possible yield of nutriment from flour, was the manufacture of Standard Bread. Farmers were forbidden to feed their cattle on corn, flour, or bread.

(Sugar organisation. 'The sugar shortage was among thonumerous problems which had to b& faced at an early' stage of tie war. As most, of the sugar beet is grown in }he districts occupied by the enemy, it soon became evident that the country could not supply anything like the quantity required. A first lot of about 100,000 tons had to ha . purchased abroad, but the next lot was bought through the British Government, so as to prevent the two' countries from competing against one another in. the open market. All the purchasing of foreign sugar for France is now done by Great Britain. From tho beginning tho French Government made every efFort to stimulate the production of sugar at homo. _ It supplied formers with seed, special manure, and labour, and also from tho front some of the epecially trained workmen who bad been employed in the refineries. An official committee also fixed the prices at which refiners were to purchase the beetroot, the idea being to make sure that tho farmers were getting sufficient profit to encourage them to cultivation of beetroot. This result has been attained, the surface under beet-. root cultivation having increased by 10 per ccnt.; and tho 1016-17 French crop is estimated at 220,000 tons, this being nearly double last year's amount. As regards distribution, there is a special committee in the chief town of every department to estimate local requirements. These estimates go to a central committee in Paris, which gives out the sugar in proportion to the quantities available, local refining facilities, means of transport, and the like. As the result of two years' experience this system is in good working order, and there are only occasional local deficiencies in the sugar supply. Tho latest effort of France to keep down the cost of living is shown in respect of coal. As in the case of sugar, a very large part of France's resources happen to bo in the invaded districts, and this fact, coupled with the constant rise in freights and the virtual dependence of France on England for her coal supply,' has sent up prices to an alarming extent. Good quality coal costs £8 a ton, when it can bo obtained, usually a matter of groat delay and difficulty. Quito recently the Government brought in a Bill establishing not only maximum prices for coal, but an ingenious sys- j tern of allowances to the French mines and deductions from tho import prices, so as to equalise as nearly as possible the prices of French and British coal. I This measure has still to go the ' Senate, but is almost ccrtain to be 1 adopted. j

j National Economy Measures. In many cases local authorities have themselves dealt with the food question in various forms. There are potato cards at Dunkirk, tho prices of reiik havo been regulated at Bordeaux, and there are sugar cards at Arcis-sur-Aubo and at Ncuilly, one of tho principal suburbs of Paris. It should be observed, however, that tho Ncuilly system is not at all like what prevails in Germany. It is simply a measure of local self-defenco. Tho Ncuilly grocers discovered that people who did not live in this favoured locality wero in tho habit of coming i« them and buying sevoral pounds of sugar at a time, with tho result that very soon tbero wnu none left for the genuine inhabitants of Ncuilly. Tho

latter complained to tho Mayor, with the result that any resident in Neuilly can now obtain an unofficial sugar card, which iio presents to Ins grocer, wlio inscribes upon it tho data and amount of the purchase. 'Phis prevents undue accumulations in private hands, and at tho same time protects local supplies, as tho grocers decline to Bell sugar to anyone unprovided with a card. Apart from the control proper, there is the great quostion of national economy in the use of food generally. All sorts of saving devices have been put into practice already, or are coming very soon. To reduce coal imports as much as possible no Paris shopkeeper can use electric light after 6 p.m., except on Saturdays. Cafes, restaurants, and bars have to close at 9.30, instead of 10,30, and theatres, music halls, and) picture houses are restricted to sis days, instead of seven. A very substantial (reduction has 'been effected in the lighting in the Paris "Metro," and circulars havo been sent round to all the clubs and l meeting-places suggesting that an effort should be-'made to reduce the uso of electric light by one-half. So as to prevent a drain on the flocks and herds of France, it is proposed to institute two meatless days 'a week, There is at present no real scarcity of meat, but the French have an eye to requirements after the war. Fauoy bread and fancy cakes are also to be taboo, on tho principle that flour and sugar must be used exclusively as articles of food. The Government lias also been asked to limit the sale of petrol to private purchasers, so as to oheck the use of motor-cars for pleasure, which is considered inappropriate in the present circumstances.

• The efforts of the Government havo been usefully seconded by a body called; the Ligue Nationale des Economies, which has distributed' vast quantities of small leaflets pointing ot£fr- in the plainest and language the reasons which make it imperative to save the various necessaries of life as far as possible. The French, however, havo had economy so thoroughly implanted in. them from the oradle that those counsels are accepted with a much better grace than would be tho case in some other countries.