FOOD CONTROL IN FRANCE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 251, 16 February 1917, Page 2 (Supplement)

FOOD CONTROL IN FRANCE.

HOW IT IS DOXR By \Y. L. McALPIX. Parts. M. Jeseph Thierry, who became one of the I'nelcr-Seeretari s for W:ir last year, lias now I ceu appointed Food Controller for Frame. It must not be sir pascal, however, that France ha» wai cd 1' id il 110 v to organ' o the supplv and elistr but ion of lochl. Frem information give me by the Ministry of Commerce', it. is apparent that as far back as Ajiril 1015, as -oati ov it \e:is evident that corn and fl mr were l.ecoining iiis'iflic'en l for the nerd u o r t ; op pelation, iceas-.res were tikou !>v the (iovrniiie nt to make up tor tie; <'e lit leil' V. By a de ice ib ted Octob r 'O, 10 S, the ('listen:-, dul'e., on corn, which bad t ceil suspended the previous year, w re re-est.abl'shed, and the monopoly of importati> 11 of teat cereal was thus pl uel ir iho bands of the State. At the same time the Minister of Commerce was an tborised to make pure-bases abroad of corn and flour for the supply of tho civilian population, anl civil and military experts well 1 p'aced at the d' posal ol tho Mini dor to aid him in the execution of his functions. l> 1 1.-il mriii>»nl It u* . flu, \tmi«.

ter of Comm. rce ulo as-umed the fo - liUclablo task of buying the wheat necessary ta completo the stocks available in France 1 , lie secured the shipping facilities ndispen-able for this purpese, and by an agreement with th* Govcrnm. Nt wa> able to effect the shij)uicnt of the wheat at profitable rates, lb. further improved the whaifage ar-rangeine-uts at the various jioits in Franco and speeded tip conveyance by rail and cand. Finally he establi he l j n .system for tho distribution of wheat 1 and tlour all over tho country, which ■ has given the l lie >t -ati-fact' ry results. I I uder tho auth rtyof t 1 0 Ministry every prelect was e nipoworc I to requisition the stocks of bread-stuffs necessary for the inhabitants of his department, to fix tho maximum pri cs at which provisions might be acquired, and to prohibit o\it\s-ive profits in : t ran a-'toils in these eomin;:ditie«. ' Thank-, to these salutary measures, 1 bread, which vva.s r.ipidly advancing in ( price, icturiioel ta a figure, very 'little j higher than that at which it stood hefore the war. Another wi ... dee id nof ! the Minister of Co:i;merei», with the e>bici t of bi'.sband'iig the nation's r. - ! rouno- and obtaining the l greiles[ ji s- ! sibit• \i<-Id of nullime.iit fioin flo r, vet ! the manufacture l id' Standard Bread, j Farmers we ro forbidden to lesal tic ir (■ iti le <ii corn, fl ur. (>': bread. Si (; Alt ORSAN ISATION. The »ugar .vitori-age wa* aniojiji tl».'

iiumerou-, problems which had to be ■ faced at an early stago of the war. As I most of tho sugar beet is grown in the districts o ■< upicd by the < nemy, it soon beraine evident that the country could pat supply anything like the quantity refjin'l'ttl. A iii*s-t lot of about 100,(XX) toils had to be purchased abroad, but tho next lot was bought through the British (iovornnicnt, so as to prevent tho two countries from competing against o::e another in tho open markit. All the purchasing of foreign sugar for Kranee is now done by Great Britain.

From the beginning the French Government made every dfort to stimulate tho production of sugar at home. It supplied farmers with seed, sp. c-iail 11 a. nure. and labour, and also reca'ied from the front some of tho specially t:aii-.e.l v.o kii.e.i who had been employed in the refineries. An < flicial committee also lixed the pries at which rewere to purchase the beetroot, the idea being to ma.io sure that tin* faTmers were getting sufficient profit to eneeurage th. 111 to continuo the cultivation of le-troot. This result has I ceu attained, the stirlace under beetroot cultivation having increased by 10 per cent.; and the 1016-1" French cro,) is estimated at 220,0')0 tins, this being nearly double last year's amount. As tegartls distribution, there is a special committee in the chief town of every department to estimate local req ire men s. Tluse estimates go to a 1 cntral coinniitt o 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 tlus system is in goad working order, and there are sugar cards at Arcis-sur-lictencie- in the sugar supply. The late-t effort of France to keep <lov.n tho cest of Jiving is shown in re-pe.t of cial. As in the case of sugar, a \cry large part of Franco s resources happen to bo 'n the invaded districts, and this fact, coupled with the constant rise in freights and the virtual dej.enden e of France 011 England for her coal supply, lias sent up price 1 to an alarming extent. Good quality <oal costs £8 a ton, when it can be obtained, usually a matter oi' great delay and difli ulty. Quite recently the Government brought in a. Bill establishing not only maximum prices for coal, but an ingenious s.stem of allow, ntcs to the French mines and deductions frofti the import prices, so as to equalise as nearly a» possible the price of French and British coal. This measure has s'.ill to go before the Senate, but 's almost certain to he adopted.

VYHONAL ECONOMY MEASURES

In many cases tho local authorities have themselves dealt with the fool question in various forms. There are pctito cards at Dunkirk, the prices of milk havo been regulated at Bordeaux, an dtheio are sugar cards at Arcis-sur-Aubo and at Neuiily, one of the principal suburbs of Paris. It should be observed, however, that the Neuiily system is not at all like what prevails in Germany. It is simply a measure, of local sclf-dcl'ence. The Neuiily grocers discover, d that people who did not live in this favoured locality were in the habit of coming to them and buying fe\eral pounds of sugar at .1 time, with the ic ult that very soon there was none left for the genuine inhabitants of Neu'llv.

The latter complained to tlie mayor, with the result that any resident in Neuiily can now obtain an unofficial sugar card, which he presents to his grocer, who inscribes upon it the date and amount of the purchase. This prevents undue accumulation in private hands, and at the same time protects local supplies, as the grocers decline to sclj sugar to anyone unprovided with a card.

Apart from the control proper, there is tlie great question of national economy in the ussj. of food generally. All sorts of saving devices havo l>een put into practice already, or are coming very soon . To reduce coal imports as much as possible 110 Paris shopkeeper tan use electric light after 6 p.m., except on Saturdays. Cafes, restaurants, and bars have to dose at Ih.'iO instead of 10.30, and theatres, mus'c-hails, and picture houses are restricted to six days instead of seven. A very substantia'; reduction l.a-i been effected in the lighting in the Paris "Metro," and circulars havo been sent round to all the dub,

and meeting-places suggesting that an dtert ' lun lld le 111 a.de to reduce the us > of electric I'gbt by one-half. So as to pievi nt too greit a drain on the flocks and herds of France, it is proposed to iint-itato two meatless days n week. There is at present no re 11 scarcity of meat, but the French have an eyo to requirements after the war. fancy bread and fancy cakes are also to be taboo, on the principle that flour and. sugar must he used exclus ve'y aarticles of 1 cod. The Government has also been asked to limit the sale of petrol to private purdiasers, -0 as to 1 be k the use of motor-cars tor pleasure, which is considered inappropriate .11 the present circumstances. Tho efforts of the Government hive been usefully seconded by a body called tho l.igue Nationale des E onomi s. which has distributed vast quantities of small leal!: ts pointing out in the plainest and simplest language the reasons which makes it imperative to save the varloi s lirca ss Ties of li'e r.s far as p )'- si le. The French, however, have had economy s () thoroughly imp'antcd in them from the cradle that these coiiu-f-el.-i are accept el with ;i much .better graro than would be the case in some ' titer countries.