Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-04-08
No FAMINE IN
GERMANY, But
FOOD IS SAVED
Teuton Officials Expect Supplies
to Hold Out With Proper
Conservation.
LIMIT TO BE PUT ON BEER
Brewery Output VIII Be Cut to Save
BarIey-Prisoners Used on Farms
Meat Is PIentIfuI-Cut Down
on Cake.
BY OSWALD F. scHUETTE.

BY OSWALD r. SCHUETTE
Correspondent OF the Chicago News.
Berlin.-Germany's Official conserva-
ton of her bread and grain supplies
Is not regarded here as a promise of
famine. 1t is only an episode in the
all inclusive care with which the Ger
man government controls the price of
eggs in Berlin with one hand and
with the other fights against eight IA
tons in arms. For Germany's food
supply is, according to all available
statistics, more than large enough to
feed her 65,000,000 until the summer
harvest, even without importations.
1t was only under the abnormal con-
ditions created by the war that the
government found any danger that the
grain supplies would run short. OF
every other item, practically, in the
national bill of fare there seems to be
surplus, particularly of meat. But
bread is such an important item in the
life of this nation that it's conservation
becomes necessary.
The allowance which has been made
OF nine Kilograms approximately 20
pounds) to an individual each month
Is certainly most liberal one. There
are probably few families of five per-
sons IN America that consume 100
pounds of bread or -four a month.
Meat Supply Is Abundant.
AS far as the other food supplies are
concerned, the most important feature
lies in the abundance of meat. for
years the German empire has done all
in its power to encourage the increase
of animals on farms. The result is
that at this time the cattle total is,
approximately, 100000, while the
number of hogs has reached a total of
25,0OO,000. In fact, it is this relative
ly large number of farm animals that
has been the greatest peril to the suf-
ficiency of the grain supplies. There
fore, the farmers are being ordered to
slaughter the hogs particularly, and
to convert them, as far as possible,
into smoked meat, which will be avail
meantime, eating any deeper into the
national bread basket.
Two interesting items contributed
to making radical steps necessary at
this time. The first was the fact that
the government prohibition against
feeding grain to cattle and hogs has
proved almost impossible of enforce
ment. The government authorities de-
clared that the larger agriculturtsts
obeyed, but the small farmers insist
ed on regarding their cattle as house
hold pets. Against this even the iron
hand of the German government was
powerless.
The other item that contributed to
compelling action at this time was
the changed condition brought about
by the sending of millions of men
from the city to the front This turned
the handling of the household treas
ure completely over to the wives. It
must be stated parenthetically that in
Germany this is not as customary as
in America. The government author
tiles say that as result there has
been great increase in the consump-
ton of bread and other -four products
and a decrease in the consumption of
meat and similar food.
They say that this came because
the soldiers sent home virtually all
their meager pay. But to this was
added the additional subsistence pro-
vided by both government and mu-
nicipality. They found that with this
the housewife discovered it was pos
sible to eat meal or two day in the
thousand and one cafes that dot every
big city until the consumption of flour
began to soar at a surprising rate.
Never So Much Cake Eaten.
The government officials tell you,
with seriousness which demonstrates
at least their conviction, that never in
the history of Germany has so much
cake been consumed as in this win
ter. In fact, they refer to these cafes
and bakeries as the internal enc
mics" of the empire. When the war
broke out the pig that insisted on eat
ing grain had this distinction, but
since then his slaughter has been de-
creed.
Another restriction is in immediate
prospect. This concerns the amount
of beer to be produced by the brewer
les. For the breweries are great con-
sumers of barley. Barley is needed,
not for human consumption, but to
feed farm animals. And the govern
ment has determined that food for
farm animals is far more important
than beer for human beings.
From a food standpoint Germanv's
salvation really lies in the enormous
supply of potatoes furnished by last
years Grip. Exact statistics are not
available, but the government consid-
ers the potato production as mex.
haustible. For this reason potatoes
are being used in bread and in every
possible form for human and animal
food. The surplus Of sugar beet also