The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-02-25

the street early in the morning and
| watch the women that gather in long
lines before these stores which do NOT
open their doors before eight o'clock
in the morning. Usually at 4 o'clock
in the morning, the housewives or
their young daughters, or old men,
take their places in the line, and or
the average they wait patiently four
hours before the doors are opened.
Those towards the end of the line
must wait still another three or four
hours before their turn comes to en-
ter the store. The coming of your
turn to enter the store is not a guar
antee that you will be provided with
flood allotted according to your food
card. On entering the store the store
keeper might tell you that butter is
sold out, or some other provision
which you wish to purchase is all
sold out Most of the riots are caused
through these sold out notices. On
returning to my hotel very late, some
times after a long conference with
friends I have often seen women TAX
ing their places in front of provision
stores as early as 2 o'clock in the
morning. AT first the police officials
attempted to discourage these early
gatherings in front of provision stores,
but found it impossible to disperse the
crowds. Now they permit them to ap-
pear as early as they choose, and pc-
licemen are assigned before rood
stores as early as even une o'clock in
the morning, to maintain order.
People who have money hire young
girls or men, or women, to stand in
these lines for them, and make their
purchases for them. This practice,
however, is being discountejIanced by
the authorities, and families whose
members are able to stand in line are
compelled to make their own pur-
chases. Notwithstanding the hundreds
of people, men and women have be-
come professional food-card-purchas-
ling agents.
Public Soup Kitchens
Then there are the public soup-kit-
chen patrons. People who are desti-
tute are given cards by he munich
pality, emitting the holder to two
dishes of soup each day. The lines
before these kitchens are still longer
|. and those who are compelled to ap-
ply for the municipal charity are
= i1LOSlly COd1pOSeu OIL former
) class men and women, whose bust.
!, ness or income has been wiped ou
since the war, and who have no mean.
of earning a livelihood.
Passing by one of these long pub
lie soup-kitchen lines, my comrade.
often called my attention to men WHIT
had peen in comfortable circum
stances, lawyers, educators and small
i shopkeepers. Three times my com
: rades pointed out to me elderly gen
tlemen who had held high salarted Do
D sitions at banks. 1 saw in anothe
charity line an old importer who's
entire wealth was wiped out since tn
: war, and who now was compelled t,
c take his place among the penniIess
( Women in mourning compose half O
those who are obliged to apply TO
municipal charity.
The soup is not, however, servet
:. on the premises. Each person bring
y reached in the line, they receive tn
liquid which is falsely labelled soup
- This matter, the ingredients of whic
. are a deep mystery, is carried Rom
~ and eaten at their own tables. Their
are absolutely no fats or other sub
stantial materials in the soup. It
mostly made of vegetable fat and re
Is sembles dish water very much-vhil
% it's edor was, to me, most offensive.
(To Be Continued)