Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 January 1918 — EUROPE FACES DIRE FOOD AND FUEL SHORTAGE [ARTICLE]

EUROPE FACES DIRE FOOD AND FUEL SHORTAGE

Inadequate Supply of Heat Expected to Cause Much Suffering. HOW THE ENEMY STANDS People Have Less to Eat This Winter Than Last, Is Belief—Two Fodder Discoveries—Disaffection in Austria. London. — Europe is going to lead the simple life this winter and for a long time thereafter. There is not a country that does not now realize the real danger of extreme food shortage. But food shortage is not the only or in most cases the worst of the menaces. The nations face and realize as never before the exhaustion of all necessary supplies. Although food will be scarce in all countries, whether belligerent or neutral, It is doubtful whether that will impose as much hardship on people as the shortage of fuel, writes Judson C. Williver in the New York Suu. In Europe’s climate food is fuel to the body quite as much as it is nourishment. Sharply restricted supplies of food, and that of a doubtful quality and poor variety, might be endured If there were plenty of fuel. It is

w’hen the supply of fuel, both outside ‘and inside, falls below the necessities of physical effort that people begin to suffer. Europe has neither carbon for its food nor carhop for its fireplaces,jmd in some respects the northern neutrals are even worse off than the belligerents. Rations of important food necessaries have been reduced by some of them even below the amounts allowed in Germany. England is by far the best supplied country in the matter of food, and the authorities are making desperate efforts to make the population, realize that rationing will soon be compulsory unless food consumption is considerably reduced. The food authorities have announced a policy of accumulating sufficient reserve to feed the country for three months, even if no imports shall be received during this time. Question of Shipping.

In the case of England it is entirely a question of shipping. Big stocks of food have been gathered in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and elsewhere, but there are no ships to bring them here. England is probably better situated in the matter of coal supplies than any other country, but must divide with its allies, France and Italy, and so far as possible some of the neutrals hope to be taken care of from the English mines. The German food situation is puzzling. Apparently the authorities are not nearly so confident about it as they would like the public to believe. The year’s harvest turned out more satisfactory than seemed probable during the period of droughts and hailstorms in midsummer, but on the other hand reserves were heavily drawn upon before the harvest of 1917 was gathered. Reserves, indeed, may fairly be said to have disappeared. The carefully cultivated official understanding in Germany is that there •will be a better food supply this winter than last. The specific statements justifjing this expectation are highly unsatisfactory. The Munich Medical union has declared that there will be less food, except potatoes, this winter than last. Throughout Germany there is apparently a pretty general belief that this is true, and widespread demand is voiced for an increase in the allowance of potatoes. In Germany, as in England, the immediate, result office harvest -was a great increase in the marketing of potatoes with the consequence that in many places there were not storage facilities to take care of them. The fear is expressed that a not inconsiderable portion of the potato yield will be

wasted, partly because of overconsumption in the agricultural areas and partly from inadequacy of storage facilities. So from many German authorities comes the warning that despite a big yield of tubers the coming winter is likely to see conditions quite as bad regarding them, and worse as to many other things than last winter. Ominous Suggestion. The ominous suggestion is made bj some of\the German food authorities that it will not do to be too free with potatoes, because later it will be necessary to mix more potato flour with ce'real flour to stretch the supply. Also as there was a short crop of fodder throughout the country potatoes are likely to be required to feed domestic animals. The fear of such an event has caused widespread demand that more hogs be slaughtered that they may not require _ to be fed with potatoes that the peop!f will need. The number of hogs In the country has been Increasing this year, and the fact gives concern because the pig Is an active competitor of a munition worker or anybody, else In the matter of food requirements. Gerrnan authorities have determined that beyond providing a moderate meat ration the transmutation of vegetable Into, animal food is a dangerously wasteful process. So there is an effort to induce farmers and village dwellers to restrict the diumber of hogs and cattle to the point where it will

be Just possible to raise the absolutely necessary meat ration. The relation of the general economic breakdown to agriculture is indicated in both England and Germany by matters affecting the supply of agricultural machinery. In Germany there is a most serious shortage of all kinds of agricultural tools and machines, because the old ones have worn out and there is neither metal nor manufacturing capacity to provide new ones. In England the complaint particularly concerns the supply of motor flow's. The government long ago promised that thousands of these would be furnished in time to put a greatly increased acreage in cereals under cultivation in 1918. Now when the fall plowing season is on it develops that want of shipping Or other reasons have prevented the delivery of anything like an adequate number of these machines. A Dresden physician who Is quoted as an authority, has recently discussed the German food situation as regards- the requirements and supplies of various classes of consumers. He finds that children up to eight years of age are receiving a reasonably satisfactory ration, but the amount allowed -to those from eight to eighteen is utterly insufficient and that the shortage seriously threatens the physical vitality of the next generation. Some of the German jurisdictions have recently announced that newly married couples will be granted a

double food allowance for the first six weeks of their married life! Elsewhere provision has been made to double the food allowances of nursing and expectant mothers. The effort to find fodder for animals has started the professors on many investigations and inquiries. Doctor Degen, director of the seed testing station in Budapest, claims to have discovered two valuable articles of fodder. He writes: “The searush (JJolboschaenus maritlmus) was known, as regards the part above ground, as a fodder equal in value to straw. Recent experiments have, however, shown that the tubers growing on the roots underground are far more valuable. They come very near to the horse chestnut in the amount of raw protein, raw fat and starch contents, without the bitterness. If they are used for the manufacture of spirits the wash, either wet or drle& can also be used for fodder. “The* pond bullrush (Schaenoplectus lacustris) also contains a valuable underground organ. The horizontal roots, containing a great quantity of starch, form a pfod concentrated fodder. If used in distilleries the wash is not so valuable as that from the searush.. But in t time of need it is a raw material that ean be used for various purposes.” Milk famine confronts all Europe. The situation has long been bad, and grows steadily worse everywhere. There is constant- and increasing conflict between the various state and municipal authorities dealing with the food question throughout Germany. In this regard the Gcftnan situation is much more complicated and difficult to handle than the English. The state and municipal governments in Germany are very jealous of their authority in their respective jurisdictions, and the federal authorities

dare not or cannot Impose unlversi( regulations upon them. In Saxony an rangements have been made to reiiuburse farmers who woujd import from other states cows and heifers In calf. Farmers making such purchases willreceive a premium of 20' per, cent of the pride paid, not to exceed 300. marks. This arrangement has caused violent complaint because the prices of butter and milk are already fearfully high and the consumers complain that the farmers are making Immense profits from producing them. From Frankfurt comes the report that at present milk deliveries In that city amount to about one-sixth those of peace times. Receipts scarcely suffice to take care of the privileged customers, invalids, nursing and expectant mothers, and so forth. A large share of what is actually obtained is produced by the municipal authorities from their municipal dairies and farms. It has been a very expensive method, yet the situation is so bad that the town has decided to extend it still further.

German speaking-Austria has long been jealous of the comparatively favorable food situation In Hungary, and recently the disaffection has become acute. It is charged that Hungary is feeding herself bountifully and leaving the rest of the empire to shift as it can. For whatever Hungary is willing to send into the German speaking regions outrageous prices are charged, and the subject has beep discussed with painful frankness in the legislative bodies of both states. It was said that recently lard from Hungary had been sold in Austria at nearly eight times the pries it would have cost in Hungary. The same genserai situation prevails as to many other Hungarian food supplies.

The Hungarians complain ’g’ith equal rancor that they are charged excessive prices for all manufacture) articles produced in Austria. The two governments have been trying to agree upon a general policy of leveling down the prices of both. But at this point they are confronted by the same difficulty which has been so many times experienced in Germany; no system of price .control will stretch inadequate supplies to the point of adequacy. In Holland the state’s control is be ing extended to almost all food supplies. There are indications that the rationing system is going to be established before winter shall have far advanced. The use of fat and margarine by bakers and confectioners and by hotels, restaurants and clubs in preparing food has been prohibited. The government has guaranteed prices for wheat, rye, oats, barley, etc. As to crops not available for food the areas that may be planned, have been strictly limited; in some cases to not more than 40 or 50 per cent of the plantings of normal years. A premium has been offered for increased areas of land under the plow. The ■government is going to requisition the entire crop of'sugar beets, the factories will convert them into sugar, and this will be turned over to the government at a fixed price for distribution. The price demanded of the public will not be increased.

Although Denmark is, in proportion to area and population, one of the greatest agricultural producing and exporting countries in the world, it is now confronted with shortage of almost everything. The country's nutter production has decreased alarmingly, and there is a demand for rationing. The government is undertaking to subsidize the production of butter so as to teduce prices; that is. to apply to butter practically the same rule that was applied to bread in England. The English government is subsidizing bread to the extent of about $40,000,000 a year, thus making it possible to sell the English loaf of war bread for four and one-half cents. In Norway the government and the local food authorities are working to perfect a rationing system in time to save the country from disaster this winter. At Christiania a big scheme for storing reserves of food has been worked out and some 25 warehouses in various parts of the city are being stocked. Under a law passed last May the government has establshed a monopoly of tiie Import of wheat, barley, oats, rye, beans, r>eas and lentils and other grains and meal us£d for human food except rice and potatoes.