El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-06-26
NEUTRAL DUTCH
FORGED To Use
BREAD TICKETS
Poverty, Caused by War OF
Other Nations, Spreads
in Holland.
GOVERNMENT is
RELIEVING WANT

4 AMSTERDAM. HOLLAND. June &c.
~ Government bread" and bread
cards" on June 1, this year be-
came an institution in Holland for the
period Of the war, from which the peo-
pie OF the Netherlands suffer much
while only looking on The Dutch, how
ever. are not compelled 10 eat govern
ment bread nor TO take bread cards nor
restrain their appetites by order. The
system here is based on the philan-
thrOpic principle and its 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 drafting into the army Of
thousands Of the bread winners in
preparation to defend Holland against
any attack on her neutrality and the d.
creased opportunities for those who re-
manned at home OF finding employment
as q sequel 10 the lack Of raw materials
in various trades. have rendered Inc
poor as a rule poorer, whole those per-
sons possessed Of means nave become
Weather, since they have been able 10
take advantage Of opportunities OF
making profit by laying out their clsh-
Price of Bread Raised
Immediately after the beginning OF
hOstilities the Dutch government requl-
sitioned all grain and since then all I'M
ported grain has been consigned 70 Il
Many bakers took advantage OF tnls
fact and the price OF bread IN hollAll1
has risen enormously since August
This increasing naturally has hit the
laboring class more rnan any olher
class OF society, as manual workers al
ways consume a larger proportion G
bread than do more well 10 DO people
In order TO allay some Of the dlscon-
tent Of the poor brought about by the
increased cost of their prime necessary
the government recently requested me
Municipalities all over the country 10
ask the bakers in their various dis
tricts 10 indicate whether they were
willing 70 make and sell whole wheat
bread at approximately y American
cents a pound instead Of nearly
cents. the usual store price at this mo-
ment- Large numbers Of bakers agreed
TO do SO under the impulse Of pro-
posaI by the government TO supply
them with whole uncrushed wheat
through the municipalities at a price
overaging 9 florins (S3-6O) per 100 kllo-
grams or about go American pounds
The price varies considerably IN dlIIer-
ent places, according to the cost OF "a
Dor and fuel. In Vlaardingen. for N
stance. it IS only norins (S2.S0) while
in Roermond it isis firms 80 cents
ts5AOl. The condition attached IS that
the bakers furnish pure whole wheat
bread, to which may be added only
Yeast salt and water. From every 100
kilograms of whole wheat the bakers
NAV make 40 Kilograms Of bread,
which they sell for Il 1850 (S6-72)-,
Cuts the Price.
The bread is sold at the low price Of
. - American cents a pound to fam
lies which apply to the local author
tiles for bread cards No restrictions
are placed on the amount Of money
earned by a family which desires
bread card, but only one pound OF
bread is furnished daily for each per
son over two years old belonging TO the
family.
The extent Of the poverty in the
towns may be judged from the fact
that many thousands Of families have
applied for bread cards In Amsterdam.
for example, nearly 10000 family bread
cards have been issued; in Rotterdam
30 OOO- in The Hague 10000 and in Ley
den 1900.
Before the war the normal price q
white bread in Holland was IS Dutch
cents Gust over Z American cents) per
Izilogram or little over two American
pounds; now il is % Dutch cents, OF
over II American cents.