Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-16
FOOD IS DISTRESSING
PROBLEM IN GERMANY
Mrs. Ackcrman Tells OF Conditions
In Berlin us She Saw Them
Recently.
ARRIVES WITH GERARD PARTY
Says Germans Have II Despairing BE-
lief In Victory; the Frencli Hope
full COnfiience-Visitin ut Home
OF DIR. Wander Hoof.

Food. food. food Is the distressing
problem or the people OF Germany. &C
cording to Mrs Carl ". Ackermsn.
wife Of Il famous newspaper CORE
spondent. who returned to America in
tho party OF Ambassador Gerard, and
is now visiting in Richmond at tho
homo OF her brother, Dr. Douglas
Wander IIoof
Mrs Ackcrman's account Of hidden
pantrics stocked with food. OF the ar
rest OF unauthorized merchants, OF long
lines OF people waiting to get their
weekly allowance OF provisions and or
efforts TO Slnugglc food across tho
frontiers OF Holland. Denmark ana
switzerland is peculiarly suggestive OF
conditions in Virginia since tho pro-
hibition law went into effect or M.
vember /. Although food is not so
scarce In Germany as drink is In Vir-
sinia. the hunger there Is moro wide
spread and more intense than the thirst
is here.
Tor smuggling two pounds OF oatmeal
ior our baby across tho Dutch from
yer Mrs Alderman told YESTERDAY.
RIO could have obtained a permit if
ne mad had time TO go through the
onicial rcd tape. but he did not. Tn.
outch authorities discovered tho oat
meal. and charged him with VIOLATING
inc neutrality OF their country Befor.
the matter WAS settled. the two pound.
OF oatmeal had cost him about $50.
STAND ALL DAY IN LINE
TO GET FOOD AT BURrArx
ON the same trip that Mr.. Acker-
man was caught with the oatmeal y.
nad TWO hams carefully hidden under
hca,h the seat In the car. while II.
wa, IVES talking with tho officers, the train
lcit, ana the hams wcrc lost
MOST German families now keen to
servant girls whore they used to It..n
one said Mrs. Alderman 1T takes
,he entire time OF one girl to wait In
i,ne to buy food At tho authorized
ann Monday Is -four day in Berlin.
III mo morning until midafternoon
waiting TO he served Other article.
are sold on other days and the whoI.
Week ..c,, passes in the same manner.
-. course you understand the card
system whereby each person is p.r.
'h,tted 70 have a fixed amount. IN.
minimum Tor sustaining life, within a
certain time There arc eleven dif-
serch. articles for which cards must
be obtained. ''u''
at tho time We left. tho food ,pn,,x
vac AT It's lowest Conditions viii re,
p''.eI "hen the spring crops coma on
:" 'epr uarS however. each grown mar
son was allowed one egg month ana
80 p"u'io OF sugar a month. Thers
was allowed about one-half a nound
OF mixed wheat and ryc nour ,
per person. in addition to half a loar
or baked bread day. Each pcr,ou
got onc-fourth OF Il pound OF meat
week In addition to some dried fish.
on'y children could get milk VeKe-
tables made up the bulk OF tho food
and the supply OF them was scarce
BURDEN FALLS HEAVILY
Tine burden falls most heavily upon
the middle classes" continued Nj.
Alderman. The lower classes who
are not too proud can go to tho public
soup kitchens ana get nourishmg stews
with their food cards. The rich can
pay fabulous prices TO the food graf
tors. whom the government tries to
suppress. and get enough to eat. Tie
middle classes have to live on the
bare allowance. AS foreign news
paper man. my husband was able oc-
casionally to go over into the neigh
boring neutral countries and secure
extra supplies.
many that the war presses hardest.
Any OF them will tell you that they
would much rather so TO the trenches
and fight tnan try 10 keep their chill
drcn from starving upon the food they
arc allowed. Conditions have grown
Germany TWO years ago.
My husband docs not think there il
going 10 be revolt in Germany. in
spite Of the suffering" said Mrs. .1ckcr-
man. There was some possibility
OF All outbreaks in the early part OF the
war, but the under nourished people
have so little energy and are SO ac-
customed to want now that there Is
little chance OF them creating 4 dis
turbancc.
CONTRASTS CONDITIONS
IN BERLIN AND PARIs
THE government does everything IT
can to keep them cheerful. Musicians
and actors are given frequent fur
loughs from the army in order that
they may entertain the crowds at
home All the thcatcrs are running.
The wounded are sent to tho great
watering places like Baden Baden, so
that the sight OF them on the streets
may not cause discontent. No great
congregations OF people in the streets
are permitted. and at the first sugges-
tIon Of excitement. swarms of police
men appear"
Paris and Berlin present an exact
~ opposite appearance" said Mrs.
Alderman. II was in Paris before the
war. and passed through again
few weeks ago. There is almost no
change. The streets are full OF people,
going about their business IN caimnesS
and good cheer. There arc lots OF
horses on the roads. Everybody is
sober and anxious in Berlin, and the
streets are almost deserted. All the
horses have been sent to the army,
except those too old or feeble for ger
vice. The German people have de-
spairing sort of belief in victory. The
! French have hopeful confidence.
Irt,,yo "a olfnaon DcHiRnnted,