The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-11-15
CHAPTER XVI.

The Economic Situation in Germany.
BY the spring Of 1916, butter and
meat had become extremely scarce In
Berlin. My wife had remained In
America, where she had accompanied
me In the summer of 1915, and during
her absence dined at hotels and res
taurnntA where the food was still
rather good. In June, 1916, lert for
America again and just as | was leav-
Ing meat cards were issued for the
first time.
returned to Berlin with my family
In October, 1916. Conditions had
changed considerably for the worse
during the summer. / found that
every one who had. the money had
bought up every available pound of
food and soap which had not already
been Communicated by the govern
ment Butter, potatoes, eggs, milk,
Hour, sugar, soap, bread and meat and
dry groceries were all rationed and 1t
was now no longer necessary for wom-
en- to stand In line In front OF the
shops. sometimes all night, to await
the morning opening.
shopping by the card system was
very complicated and the quantities
permitted by the ration cards so small
that well-balanced meal was an Inn
possibility. To dine in a restaurant II
was necessary to take whole pocket
full OF cards and make careful analy.
Sis Of them before ordering the mea.
ger meal which the law allowed.
Empty boxes were used to decorate
the depleted show windows OF tn,
shops. The fact that they were empty
was not known 10 the public and very
often the windows would be broken by
hungry mohs who couldn't resist tn,
sight Of what appeared TO be so mucl
food. This led the government to or
der the shopkeepers to label the boxes
Empty Boxes" In order 10 avert suel
disturbances and riots.
There was simply nothing TO buy ii
the food line except substitutes, and o
these there were hundreds, each wors
than the last The remark: IF thing
! get much worse, we shall soon be eat
ing rats as the Parislans did In 1870
brought the rejoinder: swell, tina
wouldn't be so bad what Tn dreadln
Is the time when we shall have TO b
content with rat-substltuter
When we finally had cards for col
| fee-substitute l gave up interest d
, substitutes and commenced 10 patron
lie the spectators, figuring that Il wa
, better to risk the penalties imposed b
/ the law for such violations OF the foo
| regulations than 20 ruin our healt
through undernourishment.
For long time we were permitte
/ TO receive presents OF bacon, han
sausages, eggs and butter from Der
] mark, but this was finally prohiblte
J through the influence of the Centrs
5 Einkaufs Gesellschaft (The Centrs
Society for Buying Food From Othe
' Countriesl which found that Il WA
q interfering with their graft.
! This society was formed by a con
! pany OF clever Jewish business men /
D buy food from foreign countries an
sell Il TO the people, small percen
+ age OF the profits going TO the govern
ment. IL not only developed into
!. most successful enterprise from IN
d standpoint Of profit. It's prosperity b,
a ing augmented by graft. but II provide
haven for the Stacker sons OF tn
q proprietors and stockholders. Just b,
!. fore ! left Berlin. this company, /
y hide their war profits. bought a bullt
9 Ing for three million marks, which the
r claimed was n9cied for the business,