The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-19
THAT'S ALL
If You Have 1t, You Can Buy
Food in Berlin.
And Everybody Is Spending 1t
for EatableS.
EGGS AT rs CENTS EACH
Pork Roast Cost a Correspond
ent Only SIS.
Wealthy People Have Food
Hidden Away Now.
EGGS AT Is CENTS EACH
BY KARL Won w1EGAND.

Copenhagen, July 19.-Money-
enough money-will accomplish won
ders-even in the severely rationed
Germany. And if there is one thing
that is plentiful in Germany today it is
money.
Money and connections" enables a
person to eat better than his neigh
Dor. And despite the severe prosecu-
ton by the authorities, the profits of
"contraband trade in certain articles
of food are so great that at no time
during the war has this trade Deen
greater in Berlin than during Ger
many's '1eanest weeks" this spring
With even unskilled labor getting 30
cents an hour, with every member of
the family who wants to work work
ing everybody has money and is will
ing to spend it-for food. 1t takes
time to make connections" and to
''get on to the ropes in the matter OF
getting more than your share of food.
During May about 10000 pounds of
butter and lard disappeared in Ber-
lin 1 think 1 got some of it. In
stead of two little marbles of butter
once a week in the/Ad1on. had but
ter every day and plenty of it. 1t
costs, however, $3.50 a pound and
then went up to So. 1t was an appe-
tizing addition to the breakfast Of the
dry bread and the stuff christened
COFFEE" One lady whom 1 know
bought fifty pounds of butter at one
time for which she paid SIPS. The
same lady obtained 200 pounds of fair
ly white flour at SIS cents a pound,
while others I knew had paid as high
as 85 cents pound.
Eggs at 25 Cents Each.
''Contraband' eggs were to be had,
if you knew how to get them, at 10
to 25 cents each. Sugar, beyond the
%, nj I1A ant
should have, could be obtained now
and then at So a pound. A little cof-
fee was at times forthcoming at IS
and tea at 81. "Contraband'' meat
was also to be had, but that was still
more difficult. Just before L left I
was invited to dinner at the home of
an opera song bird. The center piece
on the table was a nice pork roast
for the four of us. 1t cost SIS. There
was also some real tea and real cof-
fee and butter. Up to the time left,
Jacques Mayer of New York was still
giving his generous Sunday night din
ners to about thirty Americans, the
cost of which could not have been
less than Sc to So for each plate.
Hausfraus, however, are not the
only 'foragers." Many of the guests
at the Adlon and other private hotels,
have private pantries'' of tea, butter,
eggs and sugar in their rooms. Some
also have hams, bolognas and sau-
sages and even sides of bacon in these
private pantries." A generous tip to
the chef and an occasional slice of
bacon or ham to the floor waiter, al
| ways assures the unostenstatious prep
| aration of these highly priced ''addi-
TONS to the regular breakfast, two
| dollar luncheon or two dollars and a
| half four course dinner. 1t is not I'M
| usual in the dining room or in a res
| taurant to see persons take from their
nnCxnfG a small I1iPEa1
tanning butter for the day, possibly,
| a long one with a few Jumps of sugar.
They Search Houses.
| A year ago many Germans who are
now ''hamster'' as this illegal obtain
| ing of food is called, would have con-
sidered it highly unpatriotic to take
more food than the ration cards call
for, but the duration of the war has
tended to destroy much of that I'M
selfish sentiment. There has been
much searching of houses and num-
Der of times sides of bacon, hams
bolognas and other articles of food
have been found under mattresses and
even between fine quilts in beds.
1T was the general belief among the
working classes of least Berlin" and
north Berlin as the old sections OF
| the kaiser's capital are known thai
pantries full of foodstuffs, which led
to the fear during the strike IN che
middle of April, that the west" Nigh,
| be stormed.
Generally speaking I found that
| the food situation in the country and
in the provinces was very much bet
ter than in Berlin and some of the
other large cities. 1t was also better
in Bavaria than in north Germany
have seen numerous letters from
| people in small villages saying thai
they were getting along very well and
were not suffering.