Evening star., 1917-10-18
FRANCE IN DISTRESS
FOR WANT OF FOOD
Appeal Made to United States
for Relief of the Heroic
Republic.
HAS SUFFERED IN SILENCE

France is in dire need of food.
Bad as is the food shortage in Great
Britain and in Italy, the situation in
France just now is engaging the at
tention of government officials. par
| ticularly of Food Administrator Hoov-
Ier. Chirman Hurley of the shipping
d. Baker.
| This government is in possession OF
information direct from the Ftsnch
government pointing out conditions. 1t
Is likely that a full statement of the
case will be made officially. The rem
edy is thought to lie in two direc-
| tions-one, increased tonnage for ship
ments of foodstuffs to France. and.
| second. volunteer economy in eating
on the part of the American public.
Especially does the latter remedy de-
mand fullest publicity, it has been de-
cided
Hitherto this lack of food in France
has not been emphasized, partly be-
cause of the attitude of the French
| themselves. When the French mis-
sion headed by Rene Niviani was here
ask nothing for itself: the Frenchman
does not hold out the hand" This
characteristic French pride has stood
in the way of disclosing true condi-
| tions in respect to food.
Exact Information Withheld.
Then, too, exact information about
| food has been Withheld on the ground
that it might give aid and comfort
to the enemy. But the allied govern
ments-and more recently the United
States-have arrived at the conclu-
sion that there Is little object in sup
pressing the publication of facts in
allied territory which are perfectly
well known to Germany.
Thirdly. there was a political rea-
son-the uEwilingness Of some French
statesmen to disclose the need Of
pair the position of that nation in the
peace conference. There is no longer
the shadow of doubt that all the al
lied nations fully realize that France
for three years has borne the brunt
of the war, and her position among
The allies Is fully recognized
Within the past few days announce
ment has been made officially from the
food administration that the United
States has come to the relief of France
by substantial shipments of sugar.
Along with this statement was a reiter-
alton of the appeal to the American peo-
pie to economic in sugar SO that larger
amounts might be released for allied
use. Our consumption of sugar yearly.
per capita, which was more than ninety
pounds, now ranges about eighty-four
pounds and Mr.. Hoover urges that 1t
be cut down to sixty-seven pounds. He
believes this can be done merely by re-
ducing our purchases OF sweets and
sweet drinks by one-third. Such sac
riflce is negligible beside that of France,
which recently had her allowance of su-
gar per year per person cut from eight
cen pounds to twelve pounds Until the
shipments from the United States ar
rive there will continue to be an actual
bodily requirements of the French peo-
pie.
Need Wheat and Meats.
Beside sugar. the French are in sore
need of wheat and meat The problem
of supplying this need partly Is a ques-
tion Of tonnage. The extent of the ne
cessity is not generally known. In the
year beginning September / last it has
been estimated that the deficit In whea It
needed for French civilians and soldiers
will be from 100000 to 5000. 900 tons.
Always an importer Of wheat, France
has had these importations dwindle
while she has been unable to keep up
her own production, which. before the
war. was in the neighborhood Of 9.00o.-
600 tons year.
One reason she has been worse OF
than Great Britain, even. is that her
man power is lower, her drafted men
are not free to work in the wheat
fields. as have some of Great Britain's s
conscripted soldiers, and the few left
at home to do the work have been with
out implements for the work. which, be-
fore the war, came from America.
Neither has France been able to aug
ment her supply as Italy has done to a
small extent by eastern shipments, or as
Great Britain has been able to do. also
to a limited extent, from her colonies.
Soldiers Bread Allowance Cut.
Even the French soldiers bread allow
ance has been cut from one and half to
about one and third pounds day. The
milling standard, 70 in this country
meaning that seventy-two pounds of flour
may be made from one hundred pounds of
wheat-has been raised in France to Rs.
which increases the weight. but not the
nutritive value Of the bread, and adnnix-
ture of other products is permitted Bread
given to the army is better than that to
be had by civilians.
France has been subsisting to a marked
extent on vegetables. but the supply OF
these is lessened by the labor shortage.
French cattle herds have been decimated
Formerly England sought TO help supply
France with meat. but early this year that
supply source was cut Off because Of the
extreme SnCFtdSc III I&b6iaio- SaelIc icSu
is as scarce as human food in France
Shortage of milk cows has entailed hard
ships on families. because milk could not
be obtained for babies Liberal as have
been the contributions of this country to
relieve French orphans, these money con-
tr.butions do not meet the problem when
the money cannot be exchanged for milk
Conditions in Other Countries.
All this does not minimize the food
shortage in other countries. In Italy the
milling standard has been raised ever
higher than in France. 1t was so at the
beginning of the year Now 1t is 80. Dark
bread is being sold which is not palatable
and much of 1t is not highly nutritious
Rations Of the army have been cut dcwr
by 20 per cent. The sugar allowance has
been reduced to but one and tenth
pounds per person per month: Even ther
| there is no assurance that the allowance
will be delivered AS in France the sugar
! allowance, as well as the flour allowance
| simply means that no one may purchase
| more than the stipulated amount Re
! tailers in Italy must display prices of al
| foodstuffs-
! There is virtual embargo on export.
! of foods, cattle are being killed off rap
/ idly, yet meat is not to be had in many
localities. and its use. SO far as the aver
| age citizen is concerned, Is so surrounded
hibited.
Recently the sale Of corn for feeding
hogs has been forbidden. and hogs ar,
being slaughtered on a large scale.
Italy also is short OF coal Her peo
ple have none for the winter The op
erations of her army are being serious
~ handicapped for lack Of it This Goa