New-York tribune., 1915-12-17
CUT FOOD COSTS,
REICHSTAG PLEA
Budget Committee Asks
Reduction for Vegeta-
bIes and Fodder.
USE OF u. S. MAILS
AROUSES COMMONS
England Has Spoken TO Wash
ing About Parcels for Ger
many. Says Lord Cecil.

Berlin, Dec. 15- The budget com
mittee OF the Reichstag has adopted
resolutions for the regulation and
eheapening Of food supplies. These in
elude . reduction in the maximum
prices for rice and vegetables Of all
kinds and stock feed. and provision for
special allowances OF grain to breeders
Of animals and poultry.
The budget committee also hos adopt
ed a resolution recommending the re
ducton Of the age limit for old age
pensions from seventy years to sixty
FIVE years. Another resolution inoress-
in the war allowances OF the families
% soldiers and the pay Of priyates was
referred for further action.
The committee discussed a proposal
20 reduce the war salaries Of the higher
officers 10 secure funds for increasing
the privates' pay. The Socialists finally
offered a resolution demanding thor
ough revision Of ali military salaries.
The War Minister opposed such
changes, as did DR.. Helferich, secre-
tary of the Imperial Treasury, who re
marked that savings thus made would
be Insignificant.
London. Dec. 16. considerable guam
titles of food are being sent 10 Ger
many by parcel post from America. and
we are in communication with our Am
bassador at Washington on the sub
iect." Lord Robert Cecil. Parliamentary
Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs,
informed the House Of Commons to-day
in reply 10 questions
The Under Secretary added that other
steps had been taken 20 deal with the
matter effectively. Asked If special in
structions had been given 10 the British
navy, Lord Robert Cecil said he was OF
the opinion that il would not be con-
venient 20 specify what instructions
had been issued.
Washington, Dec. 16-Postoffice De
partment officials foresee no seizure Of
parcel post food shipments 70 Germany,
because. they say, no such shipments
arc going 20 Germany from the United
States.
Parcel post service TO Germany was
discontinued d month ago, when the
Holland-America line refused TO accept
further shipments. Officials said the
steps" referred 10 iu Lord Robert Ce-
cil's statement IN the House Of Commons
n ight have had something 10 do with
the refusal.
The Holland America line offered no
explanation a. the time. and. as ar
rangements for continuing the service
a few months after the var began
wero made through the Dutch govern
ment. no explanation was asked.
No parcel post packages for Germany
have been iaterfered with by the Allies,
though much food has been shipped.
officials pointed out that II there had
been such interfer\nce nothing could
have been done sboSt II, since parcel
post shipments are not covered by the
international postal convention.
The citizens committee for food ship
ments 20 Germany and Austria an
nounced in New York last week that II
had delivered TO the United states
Postofice its first packages Of food.
consisting Of condensed milk. lard and
rice. TO be shipped as first class mail.
These parcels, the committe said were
FOR starving children IN Germany ana
Austria.
Recent dispatches from Berlin said
the parcel post service from Germany
70 America had been suspended. owing
10 British interference, but that the
British had refrained from seizing
Dackages from the United States TO
Germany