The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-24
OFFICIALS LATE
TO ACT ON FOOD PROBLEM
Berlin Scientists Say Delay in Finding Right Solution
Caused Much Unnecessary Distress-Working
Population Faced Actual Want.

late. When once the need was thor.
ouGhly realized the measures taken were
excellent. That the flour rations at this
time we're not more generous wes In
the nature OF a wise ~precaution that the
price Of -four nevertheless remained 50
high may be attributed to the hardness
With which the Government had taken
over the supplies Of corn.
Germany produces more potatoes
than any other country In the world. but
the crop Of 1914 was below the aver
age. and II was clear that In spite OF
curtailment Of Industrial consumption
tsicohol. starch. &c.) 100000 tons
must not be used for fodder. as they
had been In time Of peace. for potatoes
had to take the place Of other food
stuns that were lacking.
'For this purpose II was calculated
that ?0.000,000 tom ought to be KEEP,
In reserve. To attain this end the a.
900 900 tons which had formerly been
used as fodder must he reduced to H.
000.0 900 tons Instead OF this being done
during the FRS, months OF the war the
use OF potatoes as fodder actually In
creased and WIS even mistakenly EN-
couraged by the Government.
"A very low maximum price was
Axed for potatoes. which encouraged
waste. and. as In the case OF cereals. "A
serious depletion OF the stores Obliged
he Government to change its policy. II
decided to secure 1000. 900 tons for the
use OF the poorer classes In town aud
appointed a 'Reichsstelle fur kartoTel-
besorgung' 10 deal with the matter. In
buying the maximum price holding god
in any particular District would be paid
and in addition a sum to cover sto-age.
loss by rotting. &C.
1T Was hoped that this addition
tax would be an inducenent 10 tac
farmers 10 sell and would hindec the
use OF potatoes as fodder. t~tnltu-
nately the farmers were not - willing
TO sell as was expected. and the Gov
vas only able to obtain about
a tenth part OF the quantity Il, had re-
solved to buy.
The ultimate result OF the delay in
securing supplies for the poorer classes
was an ever Increasing potato famine
and corresponding rise In prices. In
this matter again had the Government
In good time taken the control OF the
whole potato supply into its own hands
these evil consequences would have been
avoided.
For the first six months Of the war
the condition OF the food suppl, was
not less favorable than On time of
peace. Later on. however. as the cereal
supply began 10 run short and a bread
ration was hxed. the poorer classes lost
about 20 per cent. to - per cent. Of
their staple diet. The price II rye
bread In January. 1918. had risen ~
per cent. and In May SO per cent,
whea, bread &c per cent. to ~
per cent, as compared with prices in
January. 1914. and May. 1914. VIII
other foods prices had risen on al
average by 81 per cent from May. 1914
20 May. 1915.
This is. however. misleading. in that
certain foods. &. lcnt!is. semolina
&c.-which had risen greatly In price
since tire outbreak of war. had beer
consumed IN much greater %Quan,i,ies
than iN time Of peace. So that. taking
this into account, an average rise in
wices % 20 per cent may be estimated
THIS great rise IN prices forced tho
mass of the people TO buy the cheaper
kinds of ood and also to buy smaller
quantities.
"Br!ehy. the situation from February
or March onward was one os enforced
moderation. with health wins result.
10 hundreds Of thousands of overfed
people. but implying for the masses a
weakening OF their working capacity
by hardship which amounted 10 actua'
want, \ few months of such conditions
might do no great harm. but their Ions
continuance would threaten The country
with grave danger