The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-10-20
MEAT FAMINE
IN GERMANY
|.
Price Has Jumped skyward and Hun
dreds Of People Are Being Fed
by the Many Charitable
Organizations.
BOLOGNA rs POOR
People Living on the Swiss Border
Can Take Little Walk and
Get Their Meat at Rea
sonabIe Price.

by Karl Won Wiegand, Berlin Cor
respondent of the tinted press.I /
BERLIN, Oct. 19.-Germany is in |
the throes OF meat famine and at {
the same time in the grip Of general
high prices for the principal food
staples, such as has never before OBJ
tanned in the empire The imperial
government, the governments OF the
twenty-six different states which
make up the empire, anu the munich
pal authorities from the communal
councils Of the little villages to the
big cities are all wrestling with the
problem.
The poor are being forced to sub
stitute other food for meats, and have
not enough of the less nutritious sub
stitutes. The result is feared in the
general health figures. Homes for the
homeless" are overcrcwded. Charita-
Bile organizations and municipal and
communal authorities are swamped
with applications for aid.
/ In Berlin there has been an average
] of 5000 applications nightly for a
bowl of soup and piece Of black
4 bread at the home for the home
1 less and the Salvation Army head
quarters. The city authorities have
reopened the municipal fish market
started last winter at which sea FISH
in limited quantities are sold at cost
!. prices Four places have also been
opened at which second rate meats
: are sold to the poor at low prices.
Il Second rate" hardly describes
these meats. They are meats upon
which the government inspectors have
: passed as not being injurious to
health" but cannot be sold in the
regular meat markets. The injunc-
ton is given to ''cook them WE'LL,
Statistics show that the general
cost of living has increased 4O.3 per
cent in Berlin since 1896, and that the
I increase varies from 81 to Al percen,
;. for the various parts of Germany.
The socialists and also some Of the
: other political parties, attribute the
unprecedented price of meats, to the
\ protective tariff. Frozen and all can
ned meats are prohibited entirely
: The domestic supply OF cattle is in
, sufficient to supply the requirement!
OF the country Practically a prohibit
: tive tariff upon imported cattle exist!
! in most of the states of the empire
u Advantage has been taken Of this sit
/ uation to boost the prices IF cattle
!. and meats.
IS Hams sell at 81 to Al cents pound
q. porterhouse as high as 70, veal steal
50 to GO cents, rump steak A cents
round steak ranges from 20 to 81
n cents and roast beef A. Pork, which
has always been fairly reasonable
has been going up steadily and is nov
from 20 to 35 cents, price which nj
German workingman can pay. TIL
has also been inflated corresponding
10 ly. What is worse, inferior meat
to are now used in making bologna.
n. Along the Baden-Swiss frontier
as hundreds of Germans cross the lin
at daily and buy Argentine meats i
ar Switzerland The law permits tn
OF bringing into Germany of not NOR
IS than four pounds at time and tina
SIS for personal use. The cheapest meat
3. ON the German side are 80 cents. o
st the Swiss side it is but IS. AS r.
1g suit of this difference of prices, liv,
iy meat smuggling is being engas
ne ed in and it is estimated that NOR
ke than a ton a day is being brougl
IS across the Baden line in small pacl
Nh ages.
ne The socialists are agitating agains
Y. what they characterize the "starv;
OF ton policy" of the government Sc
So eral hundred mass meetings hay
been held demanding the convenin
of the reichstag to afford relief /
opening the boundaries to importe
n cattle and meats. The reichstag wi
convene in regular session the latte
80 part of November.
1t is charged by the socialists tn;
the present tariff policy upon foe
products, exploits the greater part
. the population of Germany for Il
nv benefit of the "Agrarians" or lars
nj landowners in Prussia Most of thei
-. are hereditary mobiles who have bet
- all powerful in the government. TIL,
an have successfully frustrated all z
20 Temps to reduce the tariff.
ID The present condition of affairs
~, Germany appears to have come abo
aw by high protective tariff and Il
re- changing of the country from an ag
cultural nation to an industrial Oh
in a few short years, coupled with
great increase in population II
+ high tariff failed OF rs purpose to d
4 velop agriculture and check the NOV
l ment from the land to the cities. TIL
| has been further intensified by Il
| drouth last year and cold wet SUI
| mer this year, which has left Ge
1 many in a position of not being alb
j to feed herself.