The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-04
Situation Alarming in Nor
way, Country Being Hard
Hit by U. S. Embargo
GOVERNMENT HAS
GRAIN MONOPOLY
Farmers Not Allowed to Sell to Any
enc But the Government and at
Fixed Price - Scarcity of Fat Felt
More and More Every Day.

Fixed Price - Scarcity of Fat Felt
More and More Every Day.
CORRESPONDENCE Of Associated Press.) |
CHRISTIANIA, Nov l5.-Thc food |
situation iii Norway has grown from
bad to worse, especially since the Amerl-
can embargo was imposed. 50 long
as the commercial relations could be
maintained between Norway and the
United States, the import Of food was
about big enough to meet the consum-
ere demand Except for the steadily
increasing prices Of all articles Of food
everything could be bought as before.
the ONLY form Of rationin9 being sugar
which could only be bought from COY
eminent stores two pounds 1t a time.
~ 4 matter Of fact, the government
and especially the food minister had
been too optimistic When cable
grams from Washington stated that
the American government was gong
to place an embargo on different arti
/ clcs the answer from the Norwegian
government to the press, asking how
/ this would affect Norway, was that it
| only meant that Norway SHOULD guar
antec that nothing would be rc-cx-
| ported to Germany, and then Norway
would Get al il needed.
At last, during the last two months
il has dawned en- the government that
! Uncle sam means business and that
Norway cannot expect special fayors
as favorite friend.
After the importation OF grain ana
4 flour stopped the government cstab-
llshed grain monopoly taking charge
Of all grain imported and produced
here. The farmers are not allowed to
sen their crops to anyone but the GOV
eminent and IL fixed price The ma
ton will be put on flour or bread ra-
tions every person. adult or child, be
ing allowed - pounds of bread month
lv, or Is pounds of msifted flour The
tpeople, however, are instructed to mix
potatoes in the bread dough With
This year crop amt the imported tgrs III
in storage, Norway has enough flour
till February or March. It IS hoped
here that the United states will grant
export licenses for some of the grain
bought there by Norwegian importers
ana the Norwegian government which
now Is ready for shipment.
Norway is dependent on imported
Hagar Is no sugar is produced here.
The consumption Of sugar is still I'M
limited. Candy factories turn out as
much candy rs before and 10 sugar
card IS IN uSe here, IS i'll Sweden.
Last Summer AN ordinance was passed
, putting motor vehicles and motor
craft on rations of gasoline The re
suit was that automobiles Were used
| more freely than ever. Tie American
J. embargo again forced the authoritie.
: to action and the sale Of gasoline fo1
use IN private ears was entirely stopped
| beginning October l. Taxicabs wer,
= only permitted 10 operate from a. nj
! to 2. m. and the streets ii the cit,
are now quiet aud free from noise a.
they were 20 wears ago
u The supply Of kerosene is becomin.
= very low with no prospect Of replace
i ment. For fishers this is disastrou
as all along the coast they are usin.
y kerosene driven motor boats TIL
country population and the poor peo
: pie in the cities using kerosene 10
!. light and cooking are hard hit. as ev
= cry family is only allowed two gallon
y a month.
= The scarcity of fat is felt more an,
=, more every day The majority Of tn
= population have been using marga
rine instead of butter, but now tina
. the raw stutfs for this product are no
= allowed TO be exported from the Unite,
" States the margarine production is re
- dueed every week. Grocers IKE bee
:" forced to put their customers on al
= lowancc, nobody receiving more than
:" round at once, Norway is facing
fat shortage and the nation VIII hay
= to be rationed
A. for fuel, the people arc put on ra
tons, except those who can take car
Of themselves and afford to pay til
prices for coal and coke imported frol
Great Britain
Everybody asks. why does not tn
government entirely stop exports i
thereby more favorable importing eor
ditions can be established with tn
allies But no official answer is oiy
en-