The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-08
GERMANY'S FOOD PROBLEM.
&c krlegsbrOd" and "BlutbrOd" and the
shortage in the stan Of Life.

y ''f' III Nv fh'NfAN Va . - '''a' 2
stock of staples Of life. grain, meat,
potatoes the Government has been
steadily working moro of its food sup
plies into u mobile form for the army,
which in German eyes naturally and
properly takes precedence OF the regu-
lar demand of the civil population.
This shortage has caused a sudden
rise in the cost Of living that has sur
prised and disconnected the German
people. \ thorough censorship pre-
vents the publication Of disagreeable ,
facts. hut much significant detail is al
lowed to filter through the DEGREES OF
the Minister II Agriculture and Min
lister of the Interior. through official
dispatches and articles in periodicals
devoted Ia discussions of the trade in
raw materials and groceries. German
difficulties In the matter of foo are
clearly not due 10 lack of foresight, for
She empire has been organized OF the
assumption that 1t will have to feed
Itself in war. The ideal OF a sclf-sup-
! porting people was nearly achieved as
regards tho food Of the nation, and at
the outbreak of the war Germany pro-
duced nearly 30 per cent. Of her re-
Quirements. To-day in coffee. cocoa
and sugar Germany is we'll stocked;
tea she will doubtless import as she
requires II. now that the railway to
Constantinople Is completed.
\ shortage of 10 per cont. Is not
famine. particularly when the inge-
nuitv Of chemists in producing new
foods Is considered. hut a careful
ANALYSIS Of tho several causes of the
increased cost of living goes to show
that II will Increase beyond the cal
culdted ratio, and If Il loo tho pros
poets are clearly very serious.
Take. for example, the price OF
bread. the main staff Of life for mill
ions in city and country; what are we
20 think when we learn that ny Gov
eminent decree all classes arc limited
10 a little moro than five ounces =
day? Tho best German writers say
that this meagrc allowance is borne
with pride. but they also admit that It
is something more than "A ~precaution-
AIRY measure against future shortage.
They conccde tina nothing is gained
by disputing the unpleasant fact that
the "kriegsbrod." a bread made OF rye
or wheat adulterated with potato -four
and cellulosc. is an inadequate food.
u TPstl4HE Up1WPPn IHP lines OF INC
last official report on "krieGsbrod"
published by the Imperial Health DO
partment at Berlin. we are able to d''-
Germ that this food IL very LITTLE
cheaper than rye bread and that 1t
Is mainly useful as a means of facili-
tating baking. The reason for the
high price of this bread is that the po-
tato contains "A great deal Of water.
about - per cent. whereas rye and
wheat contain but II per cent. In
other words. tho baker must use about
five times as much potato -four when
he makes a loaf Of "K~rieEsbrod' equal
in size To "A loaf OF rye or wheaton
bread. The increased proportion ~
water in potato -four. of course. helps
tho baker in making the dough. and
il also saves yeast, and tho German
chemist Kiihl has rockoncd that this
economy Of yeast means a saving of
many millions in money. lie has Go'
through a possible foo crisis by max
ing a new ard as u Is said a very
palataDlc. bread of mashed potat
dried carrot flour. uga salt an
skinned milk. A loaf OF this bread is
not dear and Is described as rarticu-
LARRY light and delicious.
There IS. however. one thing ahou,
this bread which completely mystlfe.
: German chemists namely now is IL
: deficiency in fat to be supplied when
% there is the general shortage OF fat &c
consider Fat Is the most necessary
> article of food. That i j. consumed
on "A huge scale in Germany in norma
times all civilized industry fully uu.
Gerstauds. The shortage * a~ggravatc,
10y the us" "f immense supplies o.
: butter. oil, Lard for tho army and ever
y i,r the prisoners OF war. As suhSIi
tIteS for lard many things have beer
, suggested, such as beef fat. rape see,
, Oh. and ol from acorns, now manufac.
turcd on a gigantic scale.
Unfortunately for Germany u IA.
: been found that though chemists car
" make substitutes for lard they Cauno
q iluproylsc the fat and nitrogen needle.
" IN tn" manufacture Of bread. TIL
d~.ihculty has lately been met VII,
characteristic German t~horouEhucss
= As fruits are known to contain fat an,
nitrogen. the Government has pub
Ishcd a decree Communicating tn
!, fruit trees. and school children hav.
u Ail'litN tblllS Nl!' llhtA StdSpA I
help i'm gathering the crops.
There Is also a continual appca. /
" housewives for economy IN butter an
for work IN preserving fruits, :
u far the prospect OF making good tn
ldch uf butter and lard seems ROSY
% but II ~ the unforeseen d|is,ocatlo-l
y of trad" caused by the war that con
q ,lnue to threaten Germany wit
famine. For butter She has AWAY
depended greatly on other counlr!"!
importing annually from Russia lNO,
goo tons of butter and 10000 toUs &
f. Germany VII have to face l. the iu
cyi,ahlc rise in the pr.Co os NIX an
is cream and their fats.
- Any who wants the pam trut
about the present position of German
4 should turn To the work of the chem
!s' EatHbacher on The Feeding 9
m Tho German P"opl" and tho tngl.S
Is starvation Plan and take Ia hear
r what Professor IIanaucr saws ~ II
. article "Will cur Food Supple
Last These writers recommend III
pr drastic plan of Professor IIofmeist'
il 20 use the blood Of slaughtered ANNA
to make bread. According to III.
haChcr's estimate, S3,t>a tons OF tn
blood ar" annually available.
The haunting doubt which troubl,
" Germans * seen in these desperate d.
vices of the masters of chemistry.
Z - nNtIant thnf tho naf|nh ~ GartN,tS1