GERMAN FOOD SUPPLY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3141, 20 July 1917, Page 8

GERMAN FOOD SUPPLY

• AMERICAN, AUTHOR'S STATEMENTS IS THERE STARVATION? As the statements of ail eye-witness, the disclosures, of Mr. H. B. Swope, in his book, "Within tlio German Empire/ 1 as to the internal condition of Germany in the closing months of last year aro interesting. A T ot unnaturally Mr. Kwr.po has imbibed Iho notion that he would hear preached iu Germany .as to the p*rtoutness of the country's food organise, lion. "Germany," ho says, "iu not.starv, ing, and sho docs not intend to starve. She is further away from that. dang/H'point than' she has been at any t:-m« since the /British blockado tightened about her.' Her food supplies are not varied, but she. has enough to provide for actual needs, and still leave a margin of reserve. ?ior is the Umpire suffering from a serious lack of the necessaries of life apUrt from food, such li^ 'clothing, hortsing materials, paper, chenntals," coal, wood; and the other essentials of everyday existence. Many things that mnko for-com't'ort are not to be had, but while their- presence might tend to niako life pleasajiter, .their- absence does not threaten its continuance." This optimistic view, whether it represents facts or not, is naturally that which official Germany would naturally impress upon a foreign'inquirer.

Tlio greatest scarcity, it appears, is in the supplies of butter,, cheese, : sugar, cocoa and chocolate, tea, fruits such as oranges, lemons, and bananas, and eggs. There are . others, ; but .these' are things the average German- is accustomed to m plenty, and the lack' of tliat plenty has (.allied him. inconvenience, although not, Mr. Swope says, to the extent of threaten, ing- his health. Vegetables aro to be-had in .plenty, and so are fruits of the sort that Germany raises, or that she can draw from her southern, allies, such as apples, melons, pears, grapes, and • tlio like. Every great staple of life' is to be obtained only by card. Ono must havo cards for bread,' butter, meats, fruits, potatoes, fats, sugar, and recently the system has been extended to include milk,' cream, and eggs. One may have meat only five times a week,' butter or flits only twice a week', and in the beginning of iast October the Empire went on a onc-egg-a-pcrson-per-wcek basis. Bread, lish, and vegetables were to be had every flay.

"Upon niv arrival at Iho Hotel Adlon in Berlin,"'says the writer, "I was provided with meat and bread cards. Tho bread cards had little tabs on them, each calling .for 25 grams of Ivriegsbrot (war bread, niado of a mixture of wheat flour, corn flour, and potato meal, looking anil tasting like our ordinary ryo bread). Each tab was good for a slice of bread. A roll required twtf-labs. or SO grams. Tho meat cards entitled one to a slice and a half, or 75 grams daily.. Tho meatless days are Tuesdays and Fridays. In compensation, the days upon which oiio can'obtain butter are also Tuesdays and Fridays. Fats for fryiug can be ob. taiued on Mondays and Thursdays." livery family is* given a card calling for the ((nantity of moot lo wlffth its size entitles it, and thesß cards are used on stated days at tho various markets. Tlio bakers, too', sell by weekly arrangements. Each consumer is entitled lo 1000 grams of baked bread, or 1700 grams of- bread aud 250 grams., of meal or Hour, livery consumer is entitled to fit) grains of butler -and 30 grains of olconiar-gai-ine, or vegetable fat. Every person has the right to draw '.lib. of potatoes it week. If a household wanted to, it could uso all its card rations in one day. Then for the rest of tho week it would lmvo to live on the things the purchase of which is still unrestricted:

Virtually all the food supplies of tiermany liavo been commandeered, by tin; Guvornment. . The farmers • and sloekraiscrs of each, district must turn over at a lixcd prico all their produce. The Government ...insist that' tho farmers' output shall never be less than a fixed .minimum. - Tho (jutetion of farm labour has been. partly solved by tlio employment of war prisoners. ..In discussing tho prices of . food supplies, .'tho German economists point oht that all that is paid, goes into tho-jiockcts of home-raisers, whereas, -they, say, England aud France must spend their money with outsiders.