Evening star., 1917-01-21


the most precise of all home manage
ment. One does not have to bother
ones head about the amounts of sup
plies necessary to purchase. One buys
according TO the coupons upon ones
allowance cards. just so much each
Week-and there is no way in the world
TO increase the share. One novel fea-
tUre of the card system is that it forces
equal division between the rich and
the poor There is just enough of
many things when equally divided, and
a little favoritism, slight disturbance
of the delicate balance determined by
the cards would bring about starva-
tion for the needy, would sap away
Germany's power for resistance.
Necessary If One Eats.
Native or stranger. one must have
the necessary pasteboard documents to-
day in Germany to eat. Visitors and
those who live in hotels and restau-
rants and cafes are burdened with a
less formidable assortment of cards
than that needful to the maintenance
of private household. These receive
bread cards and meat cards. a fresh
bread card every day and meat card
four times a week. The coupons on
these cards are torn Off by the walters
before bread or meat is served. The
body of the old card must be return ed
each day in order to establish a right
10 fresh card. There is no way to
beat the system. to get an extra piece
Of bread or an extra slice OF meat.
Cards to the private household are
generally issued weekly. some month
ly. others every two months There
are bread cards, upon which flour, also,
fs purchased. meat cards. butter cards
soap cards, sugar cards. egg cards.
milk cards potato cards. cards for the
purchase Of clothing. and other cards
At the present time. the cards enable
their holders to draw a sufficient ra-
tion; but there is not a surplus crumb
that may be wasted. Living in the midst
of this frugal German housekeeping,
one is almost tempted to believe that
we Americans waste enough, day by
day. to feed this whole nation strain
Allowance Of Bread.
Card rations are modest. One is all
lowed about five and half pounds of
bread a week. which is about five slices
of bread a day. There are two slices
of bread. or two small war rolls for
breakfast: slice of bread for lunch
con. and two for dinner. This al
lowance is sufficient. and every mouth
full of IL Is enjoyed. When you cross
the border to Copenhagen and see
heaped-up baskets of bread standing
about unguarded on the tables. you
become as nervous and fdgety at such
prodigality as you would become in
America il you found your favorite
lunchroom serving champagne instead
of ice water.
The meat allowance varies from a
quarter OF pound to pound and a
half a week. The individual allowance
of potatoes varies. between five and
eight pounds a week Each Individual
draws between one and four eggs
every fourteen days The allowance of
milk is one-half liter per day. pro-
vided one has been successful in get
ting a milk card. and provided that one
reaches milk depot before the sup
ply has been exhausted. The children
have the first call on milk.
Style Out of Fashion.
One must possess a card to justify
of stress. one is not supposed to fol-
low fashion. and style has gone out of
fashion. Neatness and simplicity
characterize the dress of German wom-
en- today and the summer frocks and
the winter costumes of years ago have
been reouisitioned to do service anew
throughout the weary months of war
one of the great services performed by
the orga nized German club women was
the collection OF all the old clothes of
the empire, for distribution among the
poor. Collection stations were opened
in all the cities and towns. darkened
Earrets. fragrant chests and dusty
closets were ransacked. and the finds
were sold to the poorer people at the
years of war, one does not see a single
rsgannufiin in the German cities.
Soap. on account Of the fat shortage
is a highly-prized and scant luxury.
In some cases the washing OF clothes
has become a purely physical process
the dirt is beaten out. A clay-like SOAP
is used for washing clothes and clean
Ing house. The toilet soaps are gritty
20 to 80 cents. and works largely by
friction.
Soap a Gift From SWANS.
Whenever business takes a German
across the border into Copenhagen, he
brings back a small quantity of SOAP
or butter. The soap of normal quality
has acquired unique value from it's
scarcity. value that can be only un-
derstood by suffering from the effects
of such a shortage. An illustration will
serve to make something of this value
plain. In the old days in GERMANY.
even as in this country, the young man
made shy offerings TO the girl OF his
choice of costly flowers and exneDsIye
chocolates. Today. she gives him a
brighter reception than ever of old IL
he is able TO make her a proud presen-
tation OF genuine cake of soap. 1t
would have been an Offering Of oues-
tionable deiicacy in peace times; today
IL is a certain testimony of true es-
TEEN.
OF foods. there are OF course many
kinds which may be bought without
cards. Garden vegetables and fruit.
may be purchased at will and In auan.
tity- Goose. chicken and game do no,
count as meat. and. so, one may din.
his NIL upon them seven times a week
n be can afford them. Strangel,
enough. goose and chicken are MOI
much more expensive than is meat
They cost between one dollar and :
dollar and a half pound Rabbit ant
Nenison are also relatively cheap.
Fish. likewise, is sold without cards
and the herring is reassuming his fif.
teenth century Importance as an artici.
of diet.
Loss of Time in Purchases,
One great drawback the card svster
flk t..