El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-11-30

7 ONDON. Eng, Nov. 30.-The food
Il situation in Germany can give the
Huns about as much reason for re-
joiclng as the terms laid down by the
armistice. Despite the fact that the
harvests are in. and It Is possible for
temporary increases in rations il the
government so wills it in order to
buoy up the peoples morale. the food
outlook in Germany IS not improved.
while large supplies expected from
Russia have not materialized-
For four years the Germans have
been living on a reduced diet But
then their war lords dangled the hope
Of victory before their eyes. and the
Germans drew tighter their belts and
endured conditions.
According TO confidential informa-
tiou received in official circles her
and from reports published in Ger
man newspapers, Germany's food sup
ply in several respects is worse than
last year For instance. there is con-
siderably less meat Vegetables. while
Of good quality. are not over plentiful
and prices are high There is a fruit
famine
Depends on Potato Crop.
Just how hungry Germany will be
this winter and next spring depends
largely upon the potato crop. regard
ing which reports are incomplete. The
early potato crop, however. was a
failure in some sections Of Germany
while on the whole the early crop was
barely half normal production Wet
weather had fertilizers and frosts
have hampered the late crop. Neat
less weeks already are in force in Ger
many and the governments plan TO
increase the potato ration to a pound
Fer person daily was abandoned be-
cause Of insufficient potato supplies.
II reserves were 70 be maintained
Hence the potato ration was fixed at
81 pounds weekly. temporarily
While German newspapers estimate
an average increase Of ten percent
on the grain crops, oats has proved
TO be the worst grain yield, being far
below normal The wheat crop was
good. also barley But there was only
a medium rye crop and much II IL
was harvested too early and unfit for
milling This was due TO the farmers
desire to win the government bounty
for quick delivery TO state control
flour mills. The sugar beet crop was
fairly satisfactory. but the acreage
was less than in 1917 and Germany
has been trying to increase her sugar
supply by importations from the
Ukraine, where 500 marks per hun
dred weight was offered. as against
40 marks per hundred weight allowed
German refined sugar. Vegetables
generally are Of good quality. but the
demand exceeds the supply. owing to
the meat, milk and butter shortages
Early Hay Is Spoiled
The early had crop was partially
spoiled by wet weather and this set
the government busy gathering leaves
Tor extra fodder. The school children
II SaEouy were permitted sumner va
cations this year only on the condition
they gather leaves which were dried
and pressed into bales. The govern
ha NJ rM
ard elder trees contained as much
nourishrnent as good hay. A cent
pound was paid for freshly gathered
leaves while dried and pressed leaves
fetched $3.50 a hundred pounds The
fodder supply affects the meat but
ter and milk supplies. There is an am
pie supply Of straw fodder.
There is considerable traffic IN food
or the sly, but only the rich can in
dulge in that makeship. The word