The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-26
GOVERNMENT BREAD HAS
BEEN INSTITUTED IN E-OLLAN-
(By Associated Press)

Amsterdam, June 25.-"Govern-
ment bread" and dread cards on
June this year became an institu-
tion in Holland for the period of the
war from which the people of the
Netherlands suffer much while only
looking on. The Dutch. however,
are not compelled to eat government
bread or to take bread cards nor re-
strain their appetites by order. The
system here is based on the philan-
thropic principle and is introduction
does not imply any fear Of a shortage
of flour or bread.
The idea of issuing bread cards
arose owing to the ever-increasing
number of people in Holland whose
resources have been reduced since
war broke out in Europe. The draft
Ing into the army of thousands OF
the breadwinners in preparation to
defend Holland against any attack
on her neutrality and the decreased
opportunities for those who remained
at home OF finding employment as
sequel othe lack Of raw materials
in various trades, have rendered the
poor as a rule poorer, while those
persons possessed of means have be-
come wealthier, since they have been
able to take advantage of opportuni :
ties of making profit by laying out
their cash.
Immediately after the beginning
of hostilities the Dutch government
requisitioned all grain and since
then all imported grain was con-
signed to it. Many bakers took ad-
vantage of this fact and the price OF
bread in Holland has risen enor'
: mously since August. This increase
naturally has hit the laboring class
more than any other class of society
as manual workers always consume
a larger proportion of bread thar
do more Well-to-do people.
! In order to allay some OF the dis
: content of the poor brought about D.
0 the increased cost of their prim
8 necessary, the government recenti
: requested the municipalities all owe
the country to ask the bakers i
their various districts to indicat
whether they were willing to max
and sell whole-wheat bread at al
! proxmately 2 1-2 American cents
# pound instead of nearly cents, tn
J. usual store price at this moment
a Large numbers of bakers agreed
,s do so under the impulse of propos'
i. by the government to supply the
In with whole uncrushed wheat throue
x the municipalities at price averal
ing 9 forins ($3 500 per 100 xii
" grams or about 22O Americs
or pounds. The price varies conside
re ably in different places, according
H. the cost of labor and fuel. In Viaa
dingen, for instance, 1t Is only
rims (s2.8O) while in Roermond
is 13 forms SO cents ($5. 400. i
condition attached is that the ba
" ers furnish pure whole-wheat brea
to which may be added only yea
salt and water. From every loo XII
he grams of whole-wheat the bake
,ly may make 40 Kilograms OF pres
I'd. which they sell for 1880 horl
on ($6.72).
me The bread is sold at the low pr
nd of 2 1-2 American cents pouno
tly families which apply to the local
rks thorities for bread cards. NO
eat strictions are placed on the amo'
ms. of money earned by family wh
desires a bread card, but only
pound of bread is furnished ga
oN for each person over two years
belonging to the family.
ia The extent of the poverty IN
Ex- towns may be judged from the
her that many thousands OF fami
son have applied for bread CARDS
Amsterdam, for example, nearly