Evening star., 1917-01-17
FOOD SITUATION
IN GERMANY WORSE
Correspondent of Associated
Press Tells of Bad Conditions
Prevailing in Berlin.
TEUToNs DENY MENACE
By the Associated Press

=
1.-THE food situation in Germany has
grown much worse during the last six
months, according to the experience of
an Associated Press correspondent who
has returned from a trip to Berlin.
Potatoes are so scarce that this weeks
per capita ration in Berlin was less
than four and a half pounds. This Is
attributed in part to the farmers with
holding shipments until February 15.
when higher prices will be permitted.
but 1t is not denied that the potato
mand.
No cheese has been on the market
since August and eggs are unobtaina-
BILE, except surreptitiouSly, at 16 to 20
cents apiece. Berlin's daily milk sup
ply is about $4,000 litres. against a
normal 100000, and 1T is impossible to
buy clothing, shoes, stockings or blan-
kets except by permission of the police.
This latter, however. may be merely a
precautionary measure, as the shops
appear well stocked with clothing.
Hardships in Larger Towns.
Chief Burgomaster Wermuth, as well
as the heads Of other cities. complain
that the larger towns are compelled to
suffer unnecessary hardships because
the system of distribution of foodstuffs
has failed in many respects.
In some cities the situation seems
to be better than in others and a Ber-
lin business man told the correspond
ent that he had spent Christmas week
in Rhine city where he got plenty
of meat and bread without being re-
quired to show bread card or meat
card.
German View of Situation.
BERLIN. January 17.-Germany's
food prospects at present are equal to
those during the first two years Of the
war. says an Overseas News Agency
statement which reads:
"In reply to recent attempts to mako
out Germany's food situation as criti-
cal. or even dangerous. the following
figures are given on the best Of au-
thority:
The German grain crops of the pres
ent year exceed those of the preceding
year by 100000 tons. Of which 1,500,-
600 tons are bread corn. This fact
proves that Germany, for which last
years crop was sufficient, will be able
to get along even better with the crop
of this year. This also is demonstrate
ed by the extra allowances made for
youths and hard-working persons.
Potato Shortage Offset.
"As to the potato crop, which is con-
siderably inferior on the average. the
deficiency will be covered for the most
part by the excellent beet crop. At the
same time. the allowance for mailing
purposes has been decreased SO per
cent. which permits Of the setting aside
a M rlof ft<v1 80
titles of barley that the shortage of
potatoes is more than offset.
2 The stocks of horned cattle in Ger
many have increased since the begin
ming or 1915 more than 100000 head or
81 per cent: of hogs, almost 1000, 600,
or 2s.4 per cent. These figures indicate
that Germany is entitled to count with
certainty on an increase in the supplies
OF milk and fats. and this all the more
as the booty from Rumania guarantees
at least an increase in fodder supplies.
THE possibilities of provisioning Ger
many are, therefore, nowise inferior to
those of the first two years of the
war"
Prussia's Economic Situation.
At the session Of the Prussian diet
yesterday the Prussian minister. of
finance. DIR. August Won Lentze. speak
ing on the budget. pointed out the sat
isfactory evolution of the economic life
Of Prussia as demonstrated by statis-
tics. According to the minister. an
parently exclusion from the worlds
trade has created especially favorable
conditions in domestic trade and trans-
port during the war. says the Overseas
News Agency's report of the speech.
Thus the yield from the income tax was
more than 100.00O,000 marks higher
than was estimated in the budget. The
receipts from state railroads were al
most 10 per cent higher than those of
1913, which were exceptionally favor
able.