The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-06
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL 5
INFORMATION BUREAU
FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Director.
Washington, D. c.
SUBSTITUTES.


newspapers. Our enemies have been
wearing paper in life for some time,
and now it appears that they are also
to be buried in paper. Both card
board and papier mache are used for
making collins, and paper shroudi are
also made. 1t is stated that the paper
collins are neat, strong and light, and
the implication is that every patriotic
German should be satisfied with
paper funeral. These paper collins
are especially desirable, it is stated,
for purposes of cremation.
The somewhat lugubriouS humor of
this matter does not seem to strike
the Teuton journalists in the least.
This unsmilingly practical attitude is
still more noticeab BILE in a correspond
ent of the Austrian newspaper, Zelt,
who protests vigorously against al
lowing the dead to be clothed at all,
when so many of the living are with
out clothing. He says that all patri-
otto persons should insert clauses in
their wills providing that they be
buried clad only in a shirt.
In Germany and Austria this is
era of substitutes. An article in
German newspaper states that no less
than ten thousand substitutes have
been placed on the market since the
war began, a majority of these being
foods
Clothing and shoes are made large
ly of materials which were used for
that purpose little or not at all before
the war. Here, again, paper and pa
per fabrics and compositions are
mainly relied upon. Exhibitions of pa
per shoes and clothing have been
held in some of the German cities, and
have shown remarkable develop,
ment in the use of that material
which will surely have an important
effect upon manufacturers after the
| war. Not only have almost all articles
| of clothing been made from paper
| fabric, but machine betting OF paper
has been made which is said to pc as
strong as leather.
1t appears that the Aajority of the
shoes furnished to the German and
Austrian civilian populations these
days are made with paper uppers and
wooden SoleS Oak and birch are the
favorite woods for the purpose. The
uppers are given finish which
makes them resemble leather, and the
| shoes probably look much like any
others. They are of course very SUIT,
| and it is said to be difficult for some
persons to become accustomed to the
| clatter which they make. The streets
| of Berlin must sound like chorus
| of snare drums. These SHOES last
| about three months at best, and do
not resist moisture very well. The cit
liens are urged to keep the streets and
sidewalks clear of snow in order to
4 save their footwear. 1t would seem
| that even of these substitute SHOES
the supply is somewhat short, for
German newspaper urges that gifts to
| children should take the form of shoes
rather than of playthings, as many
| children are unable to attend school
| for lack of footwear.
l. Besides paper and wood, horn.
sheet metal and leather waste have
been successfully used in the man
| ufacture of shoes. There are prohibit
tions of the manufacture of shoes
| with high heels, and other fancy eX-
| ravaganceS-
| shoes has cut down the supply avail
able for the usual purposes of writing
and publishing, and the publishing
business is further handicapped by the
scarcity of ink. The result is that
| many journals are greatly reduced in
size. Some of the provincial newspa-
pers have been able to keep going
only by the purchase of stocks of col
| or5d paper and now appear in red,
green and orange editions. All bust
ness concerns are urged to place on
the market as waste paper all docu-
ments and 1edgers as soon as they
have served their original purposes.
A scarcity that may not appear Sc
rious, but which occupies large
amount of space in the newspapers is
that of tobacco, and the use of tobac-
co substitutes is now widespread. The
NEST popular substitute is hons. A
large proportion of German cigarets
now contain about 20 per cent of
| hops, ano there is a scandal over the
tendency of tobacco dealers to specu-
late in hops. Whether this herb when
smoked gives the same narcotic effect
as tobacco is not stated, but the gov
rrment is known to have made ex-
perimertS and to have decided that
the use of hops as an adulterant of to-
bacco is not injurious to the health
Beech and chicory leaves are also used
as ''stretchers" in the manufacture OF
cigaretS. In Austria the people are
put upon rations of tobacco so that
there will be an adequate supply for
the army; but a German paper states
that the imperial government does not
consider tobacco rationing practica-
| BILE because the tobacco cards would al
once become articles of Illicit trade
It is stated that there is enough raw
tobacco availa BILE in Germany to keeI
the army supplied, and to allow a linn
tied amount of smoking among the
civilian population. The policy of the
, German government to allow the peo-
, pie to have as many comforts an6
amusenents as possible is exemplifie6
here as it is in the ruling which al
, lows theaters and pictufe shows to
: burn coal for heat when many house.
, holds q ere without it. The German
government has apparently discovered
l the truth thai people will endure pri.
vations if they have 1uxuries ano
amusenents as a reward.
Nevertheless an order has gon.
forth prohibiting juveniles under six
teen from smoking, on the ground tina
5 it injuries their health. In Hungar,
popular campaign has been carried
! on in the newspapers for women t
give up smoking in order that soldier.
/ may have more tobacco. A woman
} who sends in a supply of cigarette:
for soldiers in response to this appea
suggests that men give up drinkins
milk in order that there may be NOR,
D of it for babies.
One of the most difficult problems
Of the central powers is to find sub
stitutes for copper, especially in cleo
e trical goods. Here they seem prac
tically to have'failed. The use of iror
y in trolleys has resulted in great loss o
I.aoxz,or- haca11Sa of tho 1crx. ole