Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-20
GERMANY ADOPTS
STERN WAR DIET
AUAAMU vHI III III Hill 4
Citizens Practice Rigid Econ
omy, Though Soldiers Are
Provided With Ample Food.
REVIEW OF CONDITIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN.

BY FREDERIC j. HASklN.
BERLIN. November S1.-Mark Twain.
describing German production of cream.
said that the enormous Heidelberg
cask was first filed with clear spring
water. into which one drop OF tactical
fluid was introduced. upon which the
mixture was SKINNED for cream. But
even the lively imagination of Glenn
ems would be hard put to give an AIDE
Quate idea of the German war table.
For nearly two years Germany has
been living upon n Spartan fare, occa-
sionally drawing its belt notch or
two tighter. and sturdily vowins that
substitutes are just as good.
1t is astonishing how easily and how
quickly one accustoms ones self to this
stern war diet 1t is also astonishing
to discover what an infinite number of
superfiuities deck the table of peaceful
civilization. Sauces, puddings, cakes,
pastry. salads and southern fruits are
all things to no purpose. Milk. butter,
sugar. white flour, meats and lard are
really luxuries. Stripped of all its futile
frivolities. sufficient diet for the main
tenance of health and vigor can be
formed of a few herbs and roots (hotl-
ed. together with fish and clear drink
ing water.
Not the Same in All Sections.
The food situation is different in the
Various countries of the central Euro
pean alliance. The most frugal and
simple war table is that served in Ger
many. Austria, too. has been forced to
keep house very simply. In Hungary,
on the other hand. large cubes of but
ter are still served with white bread.
and liberal portions of delicious gou--
lash. Visits to the cafes of Budapest
are still productive of tempting cakes
and other vanities. But to enjoy a
normal feast, the inhabitant of central
Europe has no other recourse than to
cross the borders to Copenhagen or
Stockholm.
This situation, let 1t be said in pass
ing. has caused remarkable trans
torma ton in these two northern cities.
Copenhagen and Stockholm are now
the Paris and Berlin OF Europe the
Asylums to which all Europe's fun.
frolic and folly have fed. Before the
war Stockholm was a small, quiet, dig
hfhed capital, renowned alone for the
SURPRISING beauty Of it's situa ton. To-
day It is afiash with womanly beauty.
Sewels and fine gowns; it is always
estir with the feverish pulsing of smart
life and night life; its air is surcharged
with the fascinating mysteries of in
Sernational intrigue: it is gay, roman
tic. cosmopolitan. imposing and seduc-
tive And just as great is the change
that the war has brought to Copen-
hagen. In pre-war days it was a dull
phlegmatic city of business. Today
Mammon and Cfrce hold splendid court
there 1t has grown prodigiously pros
porous. Mad motors and taxicabs career
through it's streets all night long Its
avenues and squares are black with
the hurrying throng, and each night
Vfvoli draws broadway crowds In
search of Irritation. champagne and
Elements of German Diet.
But to return to the German war
liable War bread, potatoes and herring
are the most important elements of the
German peoples daily fare There are
or course. other things to eat. such as
goose. chicken. venison, beef. veal and
numerous vegetables, but for the great
fnass of the people. whose incomes are
limited, the three foods enumerated are
fhe standbys. Perhaps, however, the
daily menu of a representative less
~ell-to-do family will best picture to
The American reader the stern SIM
olictty of a war table.
The husband kept joiners shop In
smaller Saxon city. His family con-
sisted Of a wife, three daughters and a
son The boy had been called at mobi-
lfzation- Before the war was many
months old all three girls had found
work. and contributed to the family
budget Despite worry, hard work and
extremely simple fare, every member
OF the family was aglow with health
end they bore their share of the wars
hardships philosophically. without de-
preston and without grumbling.
Malt Coffee and Dry Bread.
Every morning this family sat down
70 a pot of malt coffee. sometimes i'm
proved with chicory, and dry bread. On
some mornings a marmalade, made
without sugar, was served with the
bread. On other mornings salt was
eaten with the bread to give IT a taste
The coffee substitute was served with
Out sugar or milk. Now and again the
girls bought saccharine tablets, six
Phfals OF tablets for 20 cents, TO sweet
On the beverage.
Luncheon. day for day, consisted of
potatoes. cooked in their Jackets in
eait water and made palatable with
eabs of mustard. These Iuncheons were
varied with side dishes of carrots, to-
fnatoes, turnips or beans. Dinner in
The evening was the big meal of the
Gay. and 1t regularly consisted. for each
pf the six workdays, of herring, picked
pr dried. with potatoes or bread. This
German family, following a widespread
var custom, never served bread and
botatoes together.
Sundays were feast days. The family
consumed their entire meat allowance
sundays. and, as additional delicacies,
boiled rice or beans, and fruits cook
ed without sugar were served. The
fneat was mostly beef. as there has
peen a shortage of pork. Another Gus
tom OF this family was TO keep the al
lowance of bread belonging to each
member separate, SO that each would
be assured of getting his or her fun
Patton. and also to prevent Quarrels.
Butter, milk and sugar never appeared
On the table.
Desserts Almost Eliminated.
Desserts have been almost entirely
eliminated from the war diet. Before