The Washington times., 1916-12-18
GERMANY'S FOOD
SUPPLY SHORTENS
Condition IL Growing Worse
Every Day, Says Swiss
Writer.

LONDON, Nov. 30 by maiD Ger.
many's food supply is growing worse
every dSy, according to Swiss who
has lust returned from Berlin ana
writes his Impressions In an nfticie
contributed to the Tribune OF Luserne'
These Impressions are particularly
interesting in view OF the fact that
the writer was not a casual visitor to
Germany, but lived there for long
time working at his trade in an tBtab
iishment dealing In oil sorts OF nsceS-
The economic situation In Berlin"
he SAYS, "grows worse from day te
day, Every one forerees In the com
Ing spTing much moro severe prices
than have been experienced In the last
months, and ! u for thn psi,n aesn1n hsss ,ns.
latterly resolved to return 10 their own
countries to escape the gloomy futuro
that threatens Germany.
Fat and Butter Needed.
"what is most needed In fat and but
ter, and II is just thepe things which
are controlled by innumersble police
ordinances, which are enforced with
almost ridiculous obstInacy, whom one
sees tho results. Thus, when q gov.
ernmental edict hxed the maximum
price OF butter much less than that
which really prevailed that commodity
disappered from the market In q mo
ment as " by ,enehantment. -
draw the edict the precious article
reappeared without moments delay,
but at such a price that, the women
OF the people could not refrain from
:ssSwns :sSS sAfr fae; snssss ss ~ sy,5osn DsnE the
soluble. and all the measures taken
must In the end prove abortive.
worssen Livisg High.
"Thc state OF feeling among the
people at large does not correspond,
m one might suppose. with. the gen
orally disauieting situation. That Ia
TO be explained by the fact that the
working class, the men who earn a
Germany may be led TO demonstrate
and create-trouble, and which would
II would seem, be the frat TO suffey
from the scarcity OF provision. 10 less
affected by the war than other
eissses OF the population; IT, .,o,. .r
paid on the average $50 mark per
hour, which IL the equivalent OF II
marks tt.32) per day OF ten hours
They have never earned 80 mucn DC
fore. and they indulge In al, sort, %, .,
could never dream.
consequently, they mako no com
plaipt OF their lot. and they rather
regstd the war as q benefit. Ths
tendency 20 waste became, indeed
such that q special law was passed
ordering the, masters to put aside q
portion OF the mems wages and pay
them into savings banks.
Lack OF Metals, Fee.
"The lack OF metals In making u
self felt more and more. and has
sometimes led to disastrous eonse'
quences. In 1918 most German fam'
lies, having handed over all the COP
per utensils which they possessed
had replaced them by others OF sine,
In certain cases the employment "i
this metal In extremely dangerous
During the fruit season In Bsrun
when Jam IL made, there was q sue
den outbreak OF illness, and severAl
violent deaths presenting all ths
symptoms OF poisoning. After aus
medi inquiry a notice was pos,eu
keepers 20 use only enameied vessel,
for cooking fruit. The hunt ioI
metals, nevertheless. goes on 81 tn.
same, and recently all the restAursn,
keepers had to give up TO the army
all the pewter covers OF their oee'
afh. want Of Indi. rubber is also
little by little producing cuTious con
sequences. The motor driving vehi
cles now use only wheels with stse
spokes and wooden tires. The noiss
made by these motors when they ar
driving fast IL most disturbing.