New-York tribune., 1918-08-16
Austria Feels
F anime Pinch,
Vienna Reports
German Newspaper Correspon-
dent Describes Food Shortage
AS The Hunger Catastrophe

Reports published by the press in
neutral countries regarding the food
situation in Austria Hungary afford
convincing evidence that part of it's
population is suffering severely by the
continuance of the war United States
Consul General Halstead has forwarded
from Stockholm an important analysis
OF the food situation in Austria by a
leading Swedish publication. This
journal, the "Svensk Handel lstidning,"
states that newspapers in Germany
paint the food situation in Austria as
very serious. 1t says further that a
Vienna correspondent has given the
"FranHfurter Zeitung" thorough de-
scription of the food crisis in Austria.
which, in spite Of assistance from
Germany i'll sending shipments of
grain from the Ukraine and rendering
other aid, was not over the worst
stage
In scrutinzing the causes of what
he calls "the hunger catastrophe" this
Austrian correspondent shows how the
crisis originated and developed because
OF lack of cooperation. Not only did
the various provinces fail to CO.
operate, but there was the same lack
OF unity of effort among the classes.
mere was no cooperation between
country and city populations on one
hand and the wealthier classes, who
encourage clandestlne trade, on the
other.
Ukraine Supply Disappointment
"When," it is stated, "the hopes of
imports from the Ukraine were not
realized the crisis could no longer be
avoided. In order to get an idea of the
food shortage it is not sufficient to 90
by the breadration figures alone. al
though the reduction in this article
from 1880 to $50 grams week, and
for hard-working laborers from 1,75O
TO 1,12O grams week, speaks a plain
language. The weekly allowance of
flour amounts to 1.S klos Ga kilo
equals 2.2 pounds), and that of rice,
corn or some substitute, since a few
weeks ago, to one e-siXteenth kilo. But
ter and 1ats are apportioned in parts
or grams per week, or not at all. There
is an allowance of three fourths kilo of
sugar, small package of coffee substi
tutc and onc-half kilo of marmalade a
month. Milk is available only for
children under two years of age, preg-
nanc women and nursing mothers in
quantities OF onefourth to one-half
lure day; larger children and adults
hardly ever see any milk. The foods
mentioned come under the official ra-
tloning. All other kinds are to be had
very irregularly and in small quanti-
ties
Austrian Money Has Deprecated
There is no regular supply of eggs.
vegetables, cheese, ETC. Fruit is hard.
~ ever seen on the market places, and
that "hlch the marmalade factories do
not buy is sold at fabulously high
prices. For example, one kilo of straw
berries sells at 20 Austrian crowns
cherries for to Austrian crowns
etc. The national exchange value of
the Austrian crown is $0.2O3, but il is
now greatly deprecated. This applies
10 Vienna, other large cities and the
industrial districts" '''e
For many years Austria has NOT
raised sufficient grain for the needs of
her population, and war has greatly
reduced Its production at home. Tho
war cut off the supply from Ga]ic;a
and diminished production in Other
districts; Reduced harvest yields were
largely due to the conscription of farm
laborers for the army. '''
1t IS said that lack of cooperation
between the different provinces is duc
partly to differences in language and
the diversity of nationaltes.
1T IS doubtful" it is stated
whether there is any noticeable lack
OF food IN the province of Styria. but
IN Carlnthla the need is somewhat no.
tlceable. The ration in Hungary in
January was still IL klos for the
household Of farmers, or self-produc-
ing households, and in the cities :
kilos person"