The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1918-01-24
THE FOOD PROBLEM IN EUROPE

all belllgerent countries, especially
as regards food prices, but it is
difficult to compare conditions in
Europe with those here, as many
commodities in France, England,
and Germany are sold at fixed
prices by the Government. In
England bread is being sold under
a subsidy from the Government az
eighteen cents for four-pound
loaf, actually. we are told. we'll
under the cost OF production. The
London Labor Gazette. semiofi
"ial organ OF one of the depart
ments of the Government. tn"
Board Of Trade, notes a general
fall of prices as regards foods:ufss
and this in spite Of the much d.
eussea submarine problems. /,
says:
"In ',S".',"ac,. .: PRODUCTIONS in
the prices of -four. bread. an,
meat under the operation Of yecen.
food-rontrol orders. the general le.
vel OF retail prices Of food on Oc..
] was considerable lower than a
month earlier. The effect of these
decreases was partially counter.
acted by upward movements in the
prices OF other important food
htutfs, but on the balance there was
reduction in the general percent
age increase since July, 1914, from
lug per cent, on September / to 81
per cent at the beginning of Octo
Der.
The subsidized ninepenn,,
loaf rs cents) was almost uniyer.
sal tor cash over the counter on
October l. An additional charge
for delivery, usually of l cent, but
sometimes of 2 cents per 4-pound,
was reported from over one-third
OF the places from which returns
are received. Up TO the introduc-
ton of the ninepcnny loaf the ay-
arage price had been about PIC
tor some months. In July, 1914.
1T was about II cents. The pres
ent price of bread is therefore %
cents lower than month ago. and
about 30 per cent higher than Just
before the War. The alteration in
the price Of bread was accompani-
Ell by similar tho somewhat
greater reduction in that of -four
ne decrease since September
l III the prices OF British beef and
mutton averaged about 2 - cents
and ! cents per pound respectively
the fall being more marked in the
large towns than in the small
towns and villages, while the lin.
1ted supplies Of imported meats
showed smaller fall in price. Tn"
prices of the various cuts now show
an average excess over prewar
prices Of about 16 cents per pound,
On the other hand, the scarcity Of
prices OF these articles to the high
est point reached durin: the war
level. e""'
The price Of milk was adyanc.
ed, as permitted by the recent mill,
order. in about half of the places
from which returns are received
) ne usual amount Of increase wa,
z cents per quart, and the aver.
az" price Of milk on October / wa,
II Per cent higher than in Sept
:, e''' ''''" a".d - pcr cent higher than
before the war. EGGS, fish. and tca
wa"e also dearer han a month ago
"h,'e potatoes, margarine. cheese
and sugar showed but little avor-
ago change in price during the
month"
The Paris correspondent Of tbo
N'''ch"Ster Cnar'Iian tells us thar
the cost Of living in the French
ean'tal. despite Govcrnmcntal
rr'oo controls. is so per cent
h'"hor than in London. He writes ::
With the spprosoh of white.
TODD restrictions increase. An
rf"ationS FOR broad-cards have
been made during the last three
GAYS and tn" cards will shortly
r." distributed. The bread AL
lowance is at present liberal-5OD
grams day for each person with
an additional allowance of POO
grams for anySedy than can show
that he needs i1 aud 400 grams for
persons engaged in manual labor
who can thus obtain 900 grams
or nearly 2 pounds a day. In view
OF the great shortage in the wheat
supply it is not certain that this
allowance can be maintained.
Meanwhile the sugar ration has
been reduced from $50 grams to
500 grams Il LILO pounds) per
month for each person; several OF
the papers have suggested that, be-
fore this reduction was made, the
trade in cakes and bonbons, whI.h
still sold except on Tuesdays
c,,d Wednesdays chnnld bovo No.,