The Washington times., 1917-04-25
WARTIME FREAKS
ANNOY BRITISHERS
Cigarettes Sold One at a Time
After 9 o'cIock-Hairpins
Also Put Under Ban.

LONDON, April 1.-(By MaiL)-
There are some things about the or
ganization of the wartime life OF a
country that seem utterly inexplic-
able. For instance, after 0 o'clock
at night In any public place in Lon
don ones may not buy a packet of
cigarettes. II a group of men sitting
at q table exhaust their supply a
waiter will wheel over to them a lit
tie cart laden with cigarette pack
ages, and each one in the party may
buy a single cigarette. NoN amount
of pleading will convince the attend
ant that he might just as well sell q
package at a time.
There certainly isnT any ultimate
economy of time or service in this
way of doing II. The way people
smoke, men and women alike, IN
public places doesn't suggest, either,
that there is any particular saving
of tobacco. But it's the rule, under
the defense of the realm act, that
legislative marvel which has put into
the hands of the war cabinet a mis-
cellany Of powers which frequently
are exercised in most illogical ways.
Proat Margin wider.
The proprietors of the places eeem
to be thoroughly devoted to the
strict enforcement of those regula-
tions which enable them to make an
additional profit, In the matter OF
cigarettes, for instance. when they
are bought one at a time the price
Is hoisted about so per cent above
the price that would be paid on a
package basis.
The Government has decided that
no more tea and coffee shall be i'm
ported for an indefinite period, in
order to save tonnage. This would
not constitute very severe hardship,
because there are preposterously big
stocks OF both these staples In the
country. But the prices Of both tea
and coffee have been steadily mount
ing up, despite threats of the Gov
eminent to commander supplies and
market them at fixed rate involving a
modest and reasonable profit.
II one goes to a grocer's shop to
buy sugar he will be allowed perhaps
as much as three or four pounds, pro-
vided he makes aggregate purchases
of other articles amounting to 8 shill-
ings or 4 shillings. Soda Is almost
not to be had, and only in very small
quantities, a pound or two at time.
The explanation OF this that an i'm
mense quantity Of soda was destroyed
in a munition works fire and explo-
sion. Soap Is getting scarcer all the
time, and, Of course, more expensive,
too.
Too Late to Sell HalPpfns.
A IT, T. Ha
early evening to ask for some ordi-
nary black hairpins was told after
the attendant had consulted her wrist
watch that II was too late to sell hair
pins. No more vocal or vociferous
complaints are heard about any of
the war time deprivations than these
which relate to hairpins. Quite a
long time ago the further manufac-
ture OF these presumably very neces-
sary articles was prohibited. 1t Is in
sisted that there are plenty in the
country, but somehow when one looks
at the ladies' coiffeurs he gets the i'm
preston that the dear creatures are
economizing q bit.
In fact, the shortage. of hair pins
for the ladies and Of BARRIERS shop
facilities for the men constitute two
of the most universally present evil
dences of a tendency to revert to
barbarism. BARRIERS are scarce, and
hair pins, whether they are scarce or
not, are not always handy.
The feeling cannot be avoided, as
one observes the results, that q ma
tion with an extra days whiskers on
the mems faces and with the wo-
mems hair at loose ends Is making a
bigger sacrifice OF the semblances Of
civilization than 1t would in cutting
out one square meal a day. And,
after all, a little consideration will
force the conclusion that there. is
some ground for this. Whoever saw
a picure of an anarchist unadorned
by a tropical luxuriance of whiskers?
Must show His Card.
II whiskers and anarchy go hand
in hand there must be good reason
for 1t, wherefore the conclusion that
a marked tendency to increase the
percapita use of .whiskers must indi-
cate a corresponding trend away
from the established rules of organ
ICED society.
One of the curious rules Is that
which requires visitor at any OF
the great public administration
buildings to prepare, on entering, u
card showing his name, business, and
the particular person he wishes to
meet.
This card Is submitted to an at
tendant, who ipspects 1t and hands it
back to the caller. He Is then free
to go about his business-and might
scatter detonating bombs all over the
place; but woe betide him II he lose
that credential before leaving the
building, for he must surrender 1t to
the attendant when he does so. Theo-
retically at least there is no way to
get out otherwise.
England's Five Meals Day.
II Is ayerred that "I1iph tea" Ia he