Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-18
.CONTRABAND TRADING
GROWING IN GERMANY
Persons With Money and "Conncc-
lions" Able to Secure Much That
Government Prohibits.
NsELFIsH SUPPORT FADES
People No Longer Consider 1t In
patriotic to Obtain Delicacies and
More Food Than Authorities Al.
low-HOmeS Often Searched.
by Karl Won wIEGANp.

COPENHAGEN, June IL (by. maid
Moncy-enough money-will accom-
pliSh wonders. even in the severely
rationed Germany And II there is one
thing that is plentiful in Germany to-
day. II is money.
Money and connections" enable
person to eat better than his neighbor.
And despite the severe prosecution by
the authorities. the profits of contra.
band trade" in certain articles of food
are so great that at no time during
the war has this trade been greater
In Berlin than during Germany's lean
est weeks this spring. With even un-
skilled labor getting go cents an hour.
with every member OF the family who
wants to working. everybody has
money and is willing to spend it-for
food. 1t takes time to make Con
nections" and to get ION to the ropes"
in the matter of getting more than
your share of the food
During May about 10000 pounds of
butter and lard disappeared in Berlin.
think 1 got some of it. Instead of
two little marbles of butter once a
Week in the Adlon. 1 had butter every
day, and plenty. 1t cost. however.
$3.50 a pound, and then went up to So.
breakfast of the dry bread and the stuff
christened coffee" One lady whom I
knew bought fifty pounds Of butter at
one time. for which she paid s125.
The same lady obtained 200 pounds
of fairly white -four at SIS, cents a
as high as SIS cents pound
SUGAR AND EGGS BRING
HIGH PRICES IN BERLIN
"Contraband" eggs were to be had, If
YOU knew how to get them. at Is to
20 cents each. Sugar, beyond the
amount the government proposed you
should have, could be obtained now and
then at So a pound. \ little coffee was
at times forthcoming at SIS, and tea
at 81.
Contraband meat was also to be had
but that was still moro difficult Just
before / left l was invited to dinner
At the house of an opera songbird
The "centerpiece" on the table was a
nice pork roast for the four Of us. 1t
cost SIS. There was also real tea and
real coffee and butter Up to the time
| left, JaQucs Mayer OF New York.
was still giving his generous dinners
to about thirty Americans. the cost Of
which would not have been less than
81 10 for each plate
Housfraus, however, are not the only
foragcrs Many of the guests at tho
Adlon and other private hotels have
private pantries," with tea. butter.
eggs and sugar in their rooms. Some
also have hams, bolognas and sausaEes.
and even sides OF bacon in their ''pri-
chef and an occasional slice Of bacon
or ham TO the floor waiter. always as
sures the transformations preparation
OF these highly priced additions" to
the regular breakfast. 81 luncheon or
$3.50 for four course dinner. 1t IL
not unusual in the dining-room. or in
a restaurant, to see persons take from
their pockets small, round nickel box
containing butter for the day, possibly
second one with few Jumps of
sugar.
LOSE UNSELFIsH SENTIMENT,
AND "HAMSIERS" ARE MANY
year ago many Germans who now
hamster, as this Illegal obtaining OF
food is called. would have considered
it highly unpatriotic to take more food
than the ration cards call for; but the
duration OF the war has tended TO de-
stroy much OF that unselfish sentiment
There has been much searching of
houses. and number OF times sides Of
bacon, hams. boloenas and other AR
ticles of food have been under mat
tresses and even between fine quits i'm
beds AZ
1t was the general belief among the
working classes of Last Berlis' and
North Berlin" as the Older sections of
.he Naisers capital are known, that
houses in the fashionable west had
pantries full of foodstuns which led 70
the rear during the strike in the mid
uie or April that the West" might
be Stormcd
Generally speaking, found that the
tood situation in the country and In
the provinces was very much better
than in Berlin and some of the other
large cities. 1t was also better in Ra-
'aria than in North Germany have
seen numerous letters from people in
small villages saying that they were
gctting along very well and wore NOT
suffering. nor even enduring, any great
privations. On the other hand. in Rer-
I'm know families OF the better mid
hle classes where, like Mother Hub
BARD. the hausfrau went to an emntv
cupboard many morning and had
nor me slightest idea what she could
provide for the family COR the dav
especially this spring. whom potatoes
were unobtainable for a time.
GEESE; AND HAMS SELL.
AT real. "DELICACY" PRICES
Gacnze Schmalz. or goose fat" for
nc bread is delicacy few can oh
tain with geese selling at SIS TO SOC
each.
Goose breast. to many German, "a