Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 147, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 June 1918 — Famine Stalks in Petrograd [ARTICLE]

Famine Stalks in Petrograd

Hams at S3OO Each, Eggs 75 Cents Each, Are Examples *of Food Scarcity. BRITISH COLONY SUFFERING Its 500 Members Appeal to Foreign Office to Send Supplies—Relatives Rob Each Other of Food. London. — A. dispatch to the London Times from Petrograd says: “The famine in Petrograd is becoming positively alarming. There is practically no food in the markets or in the shops. Two-thirds, if not more, of the latter are permanently closed for want of goods of all kinds besides food stuffs. There is no flour, no sugar, no potatoes, cheese, or milk, no grain or groats, and very little meat. All is under control unless accidentally or privately obtained. The principal necessaries of life have to be got when possible through friends and chance acquaintances at enormous cost if you have money to pay for them, or as meager rations, doled out by the au-

thorities, and absolutely inadequate for subsistence. The present ration of indigestible black bread, half baked, with as much moisture as possible left in it to increase its weight, is oneeighth of a pound per day, and often that is not forthcoming on account of the hopeless disorder and universal thieving habit. Rob Without Compunction. “Relatives and dependents rob one another of food without compunction. . Hunger has no conscience. If a morsel of anything is left on the plate for later consumption it will disappear as soon as you turn your back. Every scraphas to be put under lock and key after each meal. In my own case, the house committee which receives flour from the town authorities for distribution to us tenants could not account for nine poods (324 pounds) of flour, so .that we all had to go without any bread for two days. “In spite of special commissions and stringent measures against hoarding and speculation, profiteering goes on to a great extent among all classes. In fact, food is a far more valuable commodity than paper money and secretly circulates instead of it. All conversation indoors and out is about food and how to get ft Half the working day is wasted in pursuit of sufficient to eat

“As an illustration of how far disorganization and greed can go, .1 may mention the fact that no fewer than fifteen carloads of rotten hares were recently brought into town and several attempts made to foist them on the municipal executives; but they were finally rejected and condemned. Good Imres are being sold at £2 10 shillings apiece (nearly $12.50, according to the rate of exchange before the war.) Hams at S3OO Each. “Prices of other articles are quite fabulous. Hams are offered at £4O and £6O each. Butter costs 42 shillings a : pound; cheese, 3 shillings a pound; ; white flour, 30 shillings a pound; eggs, 3 shillings apiece; carrots, 5 shillings a pound; potatoes, 6 shillings a pound. With the exception of occasional limited sales most of these articles can only be obtained privately. “In these circumstances the British community in Petrograd, which is now reduced perhaps to about 500 persons who are unable for various reasons to leave Russia, felt obliged to induce . the British consul and the incumbent of the English church to wire to London for a few edible supplies to help s tide over this serious crisis. I am j told that a telegram to this effect has ■ been sent to the foreign office, but so far no assistance is forthcoming. We do not want luxuries, but a few cases of crushed oats, for example, some sugar, margarine, and flour, would be a god-send. “There has been no essential improvement of Internal affairs here. On the contrary, the situation in many respects has been going from bad to wprae.”