Omaha daily bee., 1917-06-09
FOOD SITUATION
IN GERMANY ACUTE
Cuban Minister Says Supply is
Constantly Diminishing and
Crop Prospects Are
Poor.

the prospective poor crops for 1911
because of the shortage OF labor, the
German viewpoint concerning peace
and the attitude toward revolution
coupled with a prediction that the
German public may lose confidence
in the infallibility of its leaders, are
presented by DR.. Aristdes Aguero
Cuban resident minister in Berlin
since the beginning Of the war. but
who now is returning home, in to-
nights Journal Des Debats.
Dr. Aguero, who has spent much
time in Germany, begins his account
with a resume of the actual food
allowance in Berlin today.
Hotel Keepers in Jail.
Here" says DR.. Aguero, "are the
most recent figures: Sixty-hve
grammes of meat, fifty Of bread and
two or three potatoes. if one can get
them. Even the dearest restaurants
are forbidden to offer more than one
meat and there is no hope of their
evading this rule"
DR.. Aguero then cites the interna-
nationally known restaurant Kewpin-
ski as having been an offender and
says the proprietor of it now is serv-
ing three months in prison after hav-
ing paid fine of $4,000 marks for
serving extra bread. He also men-
tions the aristocratic hotel Esplanade,
the director of which now is serving
sentence of year in jail after
having pad 4 similar fine, having
been convicted of serving items OF
food not on the menue.
No Eggs or Milk.
Eggs says DR.. Aguero. "are nom
existent, as also is milk. Vegetables
are excessively scarce and rare foods
are not to be had by persons of tiny
purses. A small meal costs from u
to IA marks in the restaurants. Sixty
five grammes of meat cost ~ marks,
an order of vegetables 215 marks and
soup Y mark"
DR.. Aguero then passes to choco-
late, coffee and tea, which he also
characterizes as nonexistent. He
says fruits are as rare as vegetables
because the supplies have been
requisitoned by the government for
the army.
For every element of tie civil
population regardless of the social
class to which it belongs" DR. Aug
ero continues "the daily ration at the
time Of my departure consisted of
$50 grammes of bread, thirty-fve
grammes of meat, $50 grammes OF
potatoes, ten grammes of fat and eight
grammes of sugar. One egg monthly
was allowed and one portion of war
marmalade monthly. OF this quantity
one received less rather than more. |
Little children and invalids, the latter
on presentation of medical certifi-
Gates, can get milk when there is any.
Live Stock Killed.
Regarding live stock in Germany"
DR.. Aguero says, "the 100000 mich |
cows on hand before the war have de-
creased to 100000. These are suffer-
ing from lack of food, while the aver
age milk given by each COW has
dropped from seven and eight litres
to four and five litres.
Germany before the war;" says DR..
Augero, "had 100000 head of cattle,
10 per cent of which were sacrificed
in November, 1916, and the number
has since fallen to 10000. Thirty per
cent of the 25,000,000 swine have been
slaughtered since the war, but the
number of swine has risen to 20,000,-
900 on account of the prolific qualities
Of the animal. The 100000 sheep
have disappeared entirely, while the
100000 goats have fallen off to
100000"
Coming Crop is Small.
"The coming crop" says Dr.. Aug
ero, will be mediocre, because all la
Dor has to be performed by women
and French and Russian prisoners.
The soil also is suffering from lack
of real nitrates, the nitrates artfically
produced being far inferior to the
previously y imported product. He es-
Inmates that production has retro
graded at least q per cent per hectare
Having recounted these facts about
German situation, the Cuban minister
continues to make it plain that priva-
tons have not as yet affected the Ger
man morale, and he warns against
counting upon such contingency.
The German he says, accepts and
consents to submit to discipline which !
the Latin would not think of enduring.
Will Fight to Last Ditch.
The German" the writer contin-
ues, must fight to the last ditch
and the last man, because he believes
this war is matter of life or death
for Germany. He believes chat if
he is vanquishei Germany will be di-
vided among France, Russia, Bel
guim, Italy and Denmark and that
all remaining will be small portions
of Prussia, with Berlin as the capi-
tai.
This idea has been propagated
from top to bottom in all classes of
society by means Of the press, in pub
lie conferences, in schools, universi-
ties, lyceums and moving pictures.
This opinion has been driven into the
head of every German citizen and
nothing can eradicate it.
Still Believe in Leaders.
The German people are an obe-
dent and disciplined people. But do
not deceive yourselves, do not fall
into the too common error. He is not
obedient and disciplined from the
spirit of servitude, but from his con-
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