RATIONING IN SWITZERLAND

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 148, 12 March 1918, Page 8

RATIONING IN SWITZERLAND

EXPEDITIOUS AND SIMPLE SYSTEM

EXAMPLES FOR ENGLAND

If compulsory fond rationing becomes necessary in Ureat Britain, tho Food Controller, before adopting any system, might study with advantage the simple and expeditious methods which work so admirably in Switzerland (wrote tho "Daily News's" special correspondent from Berne recently). Butter, sugar, flour, among tho, principal foodstuffs, rice and macaroni among the less essential, are now rationed, and at the beginning of the year lard certainly and possibly milk will be added to the number.

Every man, woman and child of every rank now in Switzerland is entitled to a fixed quantity monthly of each of the foodstuffs mentioned. These quantities may seem inadequate according to English ideas, but they are sufficient here, and no grumbling is heard. They are:

Bread: About Jib. per person daily. Flour: About lloz. monthly. Rice, sugar, and macaroni: Jib. per person monthly. Milk in certain districts is almost unobtainable, and the allowance to adults, if the Government eventually decides to assume its distribution, will certainly not exceed li pints per head. The • Swiss rationing system has been put into force without any increase in bureaucracy, any extensive use of paper for circulars, cards, etc., and with very little inconvenience to the population.

Bread cards are issued towards the end of each month, available for the following oiie, and sugar cards are renewed every six months. The Government has entrusted to the local authorities the distribution of tickets, of controlling thfi applications made, of prosecuting all abusers of the scheme. On tho laet three days of each month the distribution of cards takes place at the municipal buildings to the inhabitants, in alphabetical order, and there is seldom more than a ten minutes' wait. Fraud is rendered practically impossible by the "liy'ret de famille" in the. case of the Swiss and the "permis de sejour" in the case of the foreigner.

The holder of the card is not restricted to the. allowance daily, but within the limits of the monthly total may vary it according to taste or need. A large consumption of bread early in the month of course means shortage later; an under-consumption during tho month means the withdrawal of unused coupons by the authorities when the card is renewed. The ration for children under two years of age is about 3Joz. daily; a supplementary allowance of the same amount is made to manual workers of certain categories.

Each, inhabitant, except hotel and pension guests, has one of those books, which are presented by mistress or maid when family shoppings done. Each hotel guest lias a bread card, but the rationing of other foodstuffs is done through the hotelkcepprs. Foreigners—for examnle, the British delegates then attending the "Anglo-Turk-ish Prisoners' Exchange Conference at Berne—who outer Switzerland for a short stay are' Riven temporary bread cards. All bread and sugar cards must be give!) up at the frontier "by strangers leaving Switzerland, defaulters being heavily fined then and there bv Customs officials. The British publie as well as the Controller might learn something from tho example of Switzerland. Food here is lees abundant and much dearer than in England, and the economic difficulties generally are infinitely greater; yet there is little serious complaining, no frivolous grumbling.