The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-12-01
NORWAY'S FOOD
SITUATION WORSE
Cutting Off of Commercial Relations
with United States Was the Chief
Reason for Shortage.

Cbristiania, Dec. l. Correspondence o
the Associated Press The food situa
ton in Norway has grown from bad u
worse, especially since the American EN-
barge was imposed. So long as the com
mercial relations could be maintained be
| tween Norway and the United States
the import of food was about big enough
to meet the consumers demands. Except
for the steadily increasing prices OF al
articles of food everything could be
bought as before, the only form of ration
ing being sugar which could only be
bought from government stores two
pounds at time.
As matter of fact, the government
and especially the food minister had
been too optimistic. When cablegrams
from Washington stated that the Amer
lean government was going to place an
embargo on different articles the answer
from the Norwegian government to the
press asking how this would affect Nor
way, was that it only meant that Nor
way should guarantee that nothing would
be re-exported to Germany, and then
Norway would get all it needed
At last, during the last two months
it has dawned on the government that
Uncle Sam means business and that Nor
way cannot expect special favors as ia
vorite friend
After the importation of grain and
-four stopped the government estab-
lished grain monopoly taking charge of
all grain imported and produced here.
The farmers are not allowed to sell their
crops to anyone but the government and
at fixed price. The nation will be put
on -four or bread rations, every person,
adult or child, being allowed 25 pounds
of bread monthly, or 10 pounds of unsift-
ed -four. The people, however, are in
structed to mix potatoes in the bread
dough. With this years crop and the
imported grain in storage, Norway has
enough -four till February or March. 1t
Is hoped here that the United States
will grant export licenses for some of
he grain bought there by Norwegian
importers and the Norwegian government
which now is ready for shipment.
Norway is dependent on imported SUI
yar as no sugar is produced here. The
of sugar is still unlimited. |
andy factories turn out as much candy |
Is before and no sugar is in use here, as
n Sweden.
Last summer an ordinance was passed |
,utting motor vehicles and motor craft !
IN rations of gasoline The result was
hat automobiles were used more freely /
han ever. The American embargo again |
orced the authorities to action and the
ale of gasoline for use in private cars
'as entirely stopped beginning Oct |.
'axicabs were only permitted TO oper
tie from a IN. to s p. M, and the
treets in the city are now as quiet and
rec from noise as they were twenty
ears ago.
The supply of kerosene is becoming
cry low with no prospect of replace
lent. For fishers this is disastrous as all
long the coast they are using kerosene
riven motor boats. The country popu
Ition and the poor people in the cities
sing kerosene for light and cooking are
ard hit, as every family is only allowed
NO gallons month.
The scarcity of fat is felt more and
ore every day. The majority of the !
,pulation have been using margarine j
stead of butter, but now that the raw :
uffs for this product are not allowed
be exported from the United States '
e margarine production is reduced ev (
v week. Grocers have been forced to =
II their customers on allowance, nobody I
ceiving more than pound at once 81