El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-07-09
FOOD SCARCE IN
ENGLAND TODAY.
Milk Is Almost Unknown;
Coffee Made Of Chiekory;
Butter Is Margarine.
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN

to Francs. 10 feed the civilian popula-
tiou there, and an even larger guam
/ tity finds its way TO the armies at
the front. Within a few weeks the
! larger percentage OF the men in Eng
land between the ages Of 80 and 80,
called to the coIors under the provi-
sions Of the new man power act, VIII
increase the. quantity Of military "a
lions needed.
In the meantime England is culti-
waiting every tiilable foot OF soil her
population is INDUCING in the most
rigid and thorough going economy.
l For many months now she has barely
l been able 20 feed her population.
/ The demand of the moment has
! been met. but at no time has a reserve
/ stock OF foodstuffs Of sufficient
l quantity been on hand TO tide the
] population over for a month IL impor-
D tations were suddenly shut off Con-
| possible the vast stores OF 1000
[ which have been sent across the seas
I from our shores
Only a few days ago IT was an
! nounced by the British ministry OF
/ food that owing TO the cooperation Of
I a sufficient supply Of food TO last IN
I'll the next harvest
Public Dining Mere Formally.
We in America, although we have
foregone many OF the sustatoTy
pleasures which we we're formerly
wont 20 indulge in have not been
compelled yet TO make the sacrifices
that every man, woman and child IN
England are making today
Public dining in England is today
rather more Of a formality. habit 1T
tended by little pleasure, than the JOY
il used TO be- The stranger reaching
English shores has rather the better
Of it-thar is for several days-Ior
upon registering at hotel he is al
lowed four days in which TO procure
During this interval. he can. by
filling out the proper application and
going through numerous formalities.
obtain meat each Of the four days
and at each meal except breakfast
In other words, in four days he can
have eight meat meals. whereas only
four meals a week under the regula-
lions of the ministry OF food carry
with them the permission OF the meat
luxury. The stranger does better 10
await the expiration Of his four days
Of grace rather than TO obtain his
card on the day OF his arrival
However, to obtain the socalled
Temporary cards at any hotel. one
must carefully IN out a long appli-
cation. setting forth his profession,
nationality, country last visited, rea-
sons for visiting England profession
Of father, first name OF father and
mother. parents birthplace whether
he has been in England before how
long he expects TO stay whether he
has eaten meat in England before, and
when he expects 10 80 back home
Bills OF Fare DecelvinE-
After remaining at a hotel for four
days. one is allowed a daily allotment
Of sugar. a quantity sufficient TO
sweeten a cup OF coffee. IL is sup
posed TO last through three meals. In
Guiding tea. and is done up IN tiny
envelope, like a sample packet OF mi
lady's favorite tale
Sitting down 20 dine I'm the London
cafe. one scans the billoffare with
rapidly growing disappointment Some
Of the cartes de menu are OF prewar
days. and contain names Of tasty
viands which have long since been
showed into oblivion BY the edlct OF
the food controller
The uptodate menus contrast Wv
idly with those Of antiquity in that
they contain about a tenth OF the
dishes found on the old ones. Prob I
ably the restaurateur keeps the old
ones 10 show the guest what his
place once was.
Roast beef, steak, lamb chops,
steWed chicken, one reads then un-
dern sath-four ounces per person.
However, on filling in an order con-
aiming one OF the above mentioned
the waiter viii say
Give me your meat card. please
If you have none-
Sorry, sir, but no meat without the
If you chance to be fortunate
enough to possess a meat card, the
servftor will detach one coupon and
presently viii set before you a por-
tion OF meat, the only function Of
which could be 10 serve as an appeti- I
ger for some dish which IS not forth /
coming.
Fish and eggs are the principal ]
substitutes for meat Eggs cooked. in 4
countless ways, fish fried, broiled. ]
shirred. baked and done fin ways new
to those uninitiated in the mystery I
Of modern cuisine as affected by war /
Many Potatoes Are Raised.
Each person is allowed one piece I
Of black or brown bread. or a very /
hard roll The bread is usually made l
OF potato flour.
Last year the ministry OF food I
waged an intensive campaign aimed /
at increasing the production OF pO- i
tatoes with such success that more i
potatoes were raised than could be
used Consequently Lord Rhondda l
urged the bakers Of the land TO use
potatoes in making bread.
II YOU possess a sugar card you
can obtain a small quantity OF sugar.
which you must carry about with
you-that is. II you are a frequenter
1f public eating houses. The trouble
encountered i'm procuring sugar IS so
great, and the pains taken are re-
warded with such a small quantity OF
The sweet stuff that many persons
prefer TO do without.
A Britisher recently arrived in the
United states declared he had not
lasted sugar for over a year It is
forbidden TO serve it in public eating
houses
A guest invited to the country for
he weekend is usually forewarned by
he hostess TO bring his own sugar.
As substitute. a little saccharine
Jill is offered.
Butter can be obtained at breakfast
lnly. and in nine cases out Of ten the
Dutter is not butter but margarine,
md worst Of all. it is not what one
commonly supposes margarine 70 be.
iize Of the ordinary butter chip, and
II the thickness-or thinness-of a
lnifs blade.
Make Coffee Of Chieory.
Socalled coffee is In many cases
made from chicory. Even the tea is
rery poor. and I'm England this Is the
disaster, for what would
england be without her afternoon tea
} custom for which she is famous2
Mix or cream2 The Britisher can
lardly recall the taste Of the two
after Never under any circumstances /
s real milk or cream served in a
,ublic eating place. With coffee.
me is given small pitcher Of hot
water and a pitcher OF condensed
milk diluted with warm water.
No cereals are obtalnahle. Corn
lakes. shredded wheat and the like
ire Of the past One can obtain oat-
neal. called porridEe, but no milk or