New-York tribune., 1915-03-14
FEARS OF FAMINE
GROW in GERMANY
Housewives Being Mobil-
lied and Taught Strict
est Economy.
BY GORDON GORDON-SMITH.

by GORDON G0RDON-SMITH.
Basic. Feb. 27.-There is no longer
the slightest doubt that the anxiety
IN Germany regarding food supplies is
daily becoming more acute. In spite OF
the fact that it IS increasingly difficult
for neutrals to circulate in Germany
and that the military Gordon on the
frontier is daily being drawn tighter,
the reports that filter through to Basle
are more and more pessimistic.
The gigantic problem of rationing a
nation Of seventy million souls is evi-
IDENTIFY taxing the official organizati IN
to its uttermost capacity. Regulation
follows regulation and decree. decree.
The whole administrative machinery
national, provincial and municipal, is
working at high pressure.
Housewives in all cities and towns
are being modified. They are berg
Convoked 20 meetings where culinary
experts explain TO them how to pre-
pare palatabie meals with the most un-
promising materials. The "kriegs-
kochbucher" war cookery books are
pouring forth from every publishing
house. They would already fill
library; all the newspapers print
menus Of meals which can be pre-
pared from the simplest ingredients.
Municipalities are arranging cookery
classes to pOpularize the new culinary
methods.
At Frankfort on-the-Main evening
classes are being held to show the
utility of a patent cooking oven. q
,rn2al Erfrbap' H. :
been established. where free demon
strations are given daily. Bureaus are
also established where housewives may
so 10 receive advice on all points con
tributing TO economy. The government
has further engaged a staff OF lecturers
and demonstrators. who visit such VII
lagos as are not able 10 support the
expense of special bureau.
The new regulations by which bread
can only be served out 20 people III
possession of bread ticket is prov.
lrg a source of great worry to hotel
and restaurant proprietorS. These can
only furnish bread to such Of tn .
guests as are holders of bread tickets.
Guests in hotels have to waste hours
of their time in procuring these. As
the hotel proprIetors have to keep
careful account Of all the bread dis
lIADultNs NUt4I dQO4N4Oli ~ AuNii hSNHi
bookkeeping causes much extra labor.
But German hotels and restaurants
are not the only establishments tina,
are being wheeled into line by the
all powerful police. A "ukase' has
gone forth that all the night restau-
rants in Berlin must now close at
o'clock in the morning. instead of be
ing kept open till daylight. As many
of these establishments only opened
their doors at midnight, the present
regulation spells blue ruin" for them.
The all powerful "PolZei-Pras dent
of Berlin has also ordered that all -
o'clock teas" shall be closed. These
fashionable rendezvous Of Berlin So
cIety ere declared to be too frivolous,
and not in keeping with the tragic
epoch through which Germany is pass
ing.
/ But a paternal government has an
eye to everything. Though the spend
ing of money on frivolous amuscments
is forbidden, the leges are warned
against any false economies. One OF
these is TO forbid any attempt to save
money on gas bills. Many people have
taken TO cooking on spirit lamps
and burning oil for lighting, purposes
This. the authorities declare, IS
mistake. The manufacture of gas
gives birth to numerous by-products
I of immense use 10 the army. The cltl-
zens of the capital are therefore DIS
/ couraged from doing anything 10 re-
! duce their gas consumption.
With the approach Of spring. the
ouestion of field workers is becoming
acute. With all able-bodied men be
tween eighteen and fifty years shoul,
dcrinp a rife. the problem OF rural
labor becomes daily more diihcul''
This is proved by decree signed by
the Minister Of Education, authorizing
all school inspectors and rectors TO
accord leave Of absence 10 all children
of both sexes who are wiling TO WORK
in the fields.
Another blow to German industry IS
the falling off of 30 per cent IN the
brewing Of beer. This Is Httle Tess
than national catastrophe. ~ IS que
10 the decree requisitlonlng all me
Grain and flour in the empne. ms
Includes barley. without which Munich
win he unable TO brew the beer when
IN the past has been source OF
wealth TO the Kingdom of Bavaria.
The decree issued by the Italian
Government fol bidding the export OF
cattle and pigs, slaughtered or ailVe'
is vot another blow TO Germany. Ac-
cordinr to the Swiss-ltalian conven-
tion. signed shortly before the wal
Italy could forward in sealed wagons
any merchandise she pleased "lthou'
any customs examination by the SWISS
authorities or the of pay PaymSSnT thousands Of
800 of beef and pork were daily pour
;Oo O, INTO Germany from Italy. The
mrobibition order will close this source
Al The same time the Norwegian
,,o,,o,rment has issued an order for
b;dding the expectation Of the raw ma
teTiaI | for manufacturing margarine.
As II the export of margarine itself was
prohibited some time ago, this IS yet
another source of supply closed to
Germany.