The Cordova daily times., 1917-11-24
POSITION CONSlDERED
 SERIOUS


 It is matter of common knowledge among Washington newspaper men that conditions in the Empire of the ancient Romans are far worse than the public has been permitted to know.
 There is practically no coal for pri- vate consumption. It is said that not single fire will be lighted this win ter in any hotel or private home in Italy Pine cones and old newspapers burned in iron buckets give all the heat the public at large get.
 The army is hard hit too. Owing to lack of coal, Italy has been com pelled to quit the making of cannons. She gets her artillery supply from Great Britain, Other manufactures 1 have no coal at all.
 ltaly's pre-war coal imports were S5O,OOO tons. Her present war mini mum is 1,1OO,OOO tons. She has had to reduce that to 69O,OOO tons, and even of this she has been able to get only about 66 per cent. Her reserve supplies have been entirely exhaust | de-
 Drastic food control has failed to solve Italy's foot shortage troubles. Prices are fixed, every person is ra- toned, food products are directly con- trolled by the government.
 Sugar is so short that there is no such thing as cake in the entire ma. tion. In Rome, Genoa, Naples. and Florence they have what they call cake. It is really bread with large proportion of rice flour. Using sugar in cooking is a crime punishable by heavy fine. They have tried to use saccarine, but it is a coal-tar product and very unhealthy.
 Except at rare intervals, eggs are given to no one but invalids and nurs. ing mothers. There are two meatless days week. Even on the five meat l days, meat fit to eat is hard to get There is no such thing as veal. It is crime to kill calves or sheen | Chickens are a rare treat. Restaurants and cafes may keep 1 open only a few stipulated hours a day. Some days a very short time. Salted fish has come into general use.
 There is an acute shortage of all l cereals. Corn cannot be fed to hogs under the law. As this order practic. ally wiped out the hog-raising industry in the provinces of Modena, Parma. Reggie, Emilia, Ferrara and Ravenna. | the hogs were ordered slaughtered by | thousands. This has made the short age of hog meat and fats acute.
 The shortage of beef milk. butter and cheese is keenly felt. Short i'm l ports led to the slaughter of one fourth of Italy's herds, which has ac. centuated the crisis in beef, milk, but ter and cheese.
 Olive oil is used for cooking almost | exclusively. All bread is a very dark heavy war bread. Some of it tastes fairly good, some doesn't. Black bread, soaked in olive oil, is a much used though despised dish.
 This shortage has brought an em. bargo on food exports and practically wiped out the big exporters business in rice, macaroni, cheese and other milk products, fresh and dried fruits oil chestnuts, vegetables, forage and fish preserved in oil.
 Meals in public places are rigidly regulated. The serving of butter or cream, or dishes garnished with eggs IS unlawful. No lunch of whateve, price can contain more than twe dishes, no meal la carte can con tain more than three. Railway res taurants may open only one hour he fore the departure of the first train and remain open only one hour after the departure of the last train. An apple a dav kaape the I..k