South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-13
POTATO
SUPPLY IS SHORT
Just Enough to Furnish Each
Person With Half Pound
For Twelve Weeks.

LONDON, April IS. What, q"
asks the English hostess, will you
have for dessert"
IF 1 may" responds the guest, Il
will have a potato
That is not supposed to be a joke.
The food shortage in England has
got beyond the testing stage. 1t is
stern, serious business-the business
Of war.
From statistics compiled by +. L.
Ninden, a London merchant with
government connections, the supply
Of potatoes on hand now is just suf-
fcient to furnish each person with
half = pound per week for the next
dozen weeks.
John w. Dennis, who was recently
appointed potato controller by Lord
Davenport, the food controller. has
been 0usily engaged for the past few
weeks investigating the potato situa-
ton. He found that in March there
were 100000 tons of potatoes on
hand. 80 percent of which were seed
potatoes. From 20 to % percent OF
these potatoes were available for
set aside for the army.
Ireland was excluded in these fig
ures, but the potato situation in
Ireland is even worse than it is in
England.
Potatoes have more than doubled
in price the past year. In the coal
mining regions OF Wales potatoes
have sold at as high as $50 per ton.
but steps were taken by the govern
ment 10 curb vegetable dealers in
that district and prevent their mulct-
ing the people.
Recently there have been lively
scenes in cities Of the British Isles.
In Glasgow 1000 women, aroused
by speeches of socialists. marched
through the streets carrying ban
ners bearings such inscriptions as:
mo Potatoes! No Sugar! What
Next?"
The people are becoming aroused
to the menace of the potato famine
and steps are being taken TO cult
vate every foot or vacant ground.
Vacant lots, parks golk links, ten
mis- courts, race tracks, unused fields
and waste tracts will be put under
cultivation. The pillow and the hoe
have been raised to the dignity of
emblems, to which national homage
is paid.
1t is estimated by Prof Keeble,
Of the Royal Horticultural society,
that about 100000 tons of pota-
toes will be raised this year by small
cultivators As the recorded total
of the potato crop of the whole
country is only a little above 2,O0O,-
600 tons. il will be realized that the
house and allotment gardens are an
important asset in adding 10 the
food supplies which are so urgently
needed.
The German submarine war has
cut down the British food supply,
but it has not been responsible for
the potato dearth i'm the United
Kingdom Bad weather, the failure
Of the crop, insufficient cultivation
and lack of foresight were the con-
tributing causes to the potato short
age.
The government, under the lead
ership of Premier Lloyd George, is
giving the farmers all the help pos
sible. In spite of the constant de-
mand for shells, the government has
decided to lend men from the NUM-
ton factories for work in the fields.
When the planting season is over
these men Will return 10 the factor
les
Women are being encouraged to
enter agricultural work. The gov
eminent is keeping up wages and
steps are being taken 10 insure the
women healthful and comfortable
living conditions.
All over the country in clubs and
hotels ''potatoless days" are being
established In some places there
are more "potatOless days" than
there are 'meatless days"