The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-06-15

recently made between the United
States and Norway, Mr.. Siljan said
1t caused a feeling of relief because
Norway was at the end OF her re-
sources and would now be assured
g. reasonable quantity Of essential
commodities. Despite the generous
help from Denmark 1t has been found
necessary to slaughter livestock on
an unheard of scale. and almost one
third of the entire livestock OF Nor
way has had to be sacrificed. The
government Is gravely concerned
about the situation and considering
means for the prevention of extreme
steps being taken.
Cattle Eat Herring Flour.
Norwegian cattle are fed on salt
ed herring or herring -four and cod
fish -four" Mr.. Siljan said. Hay
costs $50 a ton and I know Of one
instance in which $3.50 a ton has
been paid. And that doesn't mean
that the hay is actually delivered at
its destination at that price,
Fertilizers are five times as ex-
pensive as before the war; in return
for grain Norway sends to Denmark
satpeter and Thomas phosphate,
which costs about 10 cents per
pound; the Danish government sells
1t to the farmers Of Denmark for a
little less than cents. Before the
war. when the use Of fertilizers was
in the experimental stage and there
was little demand for them, these
articles were put on the market with
profit at a price Of about cents
per pound.
Seed grain costs nearly 81 bush
ell; for his potatoes the Norwegian
gets 80 cents a bushel. Taxes on
farms Of ordinary size amount to
about $500 year. and every bit Of
implements, from an axe UP, is tax
ed. This applies to an average fam
lily Of five. co.
Footwear Expensive.
"As for other articles. it will illus
trate conditions to mention that
shoes made of rough leather-not a
bit Of fancy stuff about them, either
cost from s18 to $25 a pair; a suit
Of clothes, sold in Grand Forks for
anywhere from $25 to $50. costs in
Christiania sos; shirt which, be-
now sells in Norway for $3.50 to S.,
and you can't begin to look at a
necktie for less than $3.50. A 3-ply
collar costs SO cents, hats from IS
up, and 10-cent tins Of American to-
bacco sold for 35 and 3S cents-as
long as there was any tobacco to
get. There Is none now. You get. q
mixture Of card leaf and hops, which
have q disagreeable effect in smoking
rooms and in some cases hospital
treatment has become necessary.
Butter cannot be bought in the
large cities, as it cannot be sold out
Of the community in which it Is pro-
duced. Margarine sells at 65 cents
a pound, but you have to buy an
equal quantity Of whale fat. Coffee
is about so cents a pound, salt pork
q cents. and prices Of meat vary
from So cents to $3.50 for boiled
ham. Leather articles are actually
pcohibitive in price, as even an or
binary grip, made Of impregnated
leather. costs between $50 and $50.
when you want to eat at a rea-
sonable first class restaurant, you
cannot order table d'hote any more.
a bowl. Of soup without vegetables
costs 20-25 cents, a meat or fish or
der Cyou can't get both at one meaD,
q Chateaubriand or filet mignon
costs 81. and two meat balls, the
same. Fish prices are slightly low
er. Dessert. which consists solely
Of food compotes, come as high as
$3.50 cents, so that. with a cup of
coffee, an ordinary meal will cost
you at least $1.60.
'Tntoxicants cannot be bought.
They drink kind Of near-beer and
cIarets sell at $3.50 bottle. The
government has a monopoly on all
grains and cereals. and much of 1t is
mixed up with wood pulp, notably
oats and barley"
Mr.. Siljan left Grand Forks No
vember 10, last year. arriving in
Norway December z. During the Pc
riod Of his absence he has written
series OF correspondence to The
Normanden. but he said today. when
checking UP his articles that at least
half of those which he had sent had
been destroyed in transit, presumably
by being sent on steamers from. Nor
way to England which have been
sunk by German submarines or by
floating mines.