Ripley County democrat., 1918-01-11
IRELAND FEELING
NO PINCH OF WAR.
American Navy Men Find Food
Cheaper There Than at
Home.
An ABUNDANCE OF POTATOES


ON Than england.
Base Of American Flotilla In British
Waters When an American navy man
who has visited Ireland In time Of
peace Is asked what has impressed
him most about Ireland In war. the
inevitable answer Is "Ireland's pros
perlty and freedom from the wartime
restrictions of other countries"
Hundreds Of Americans In the naval
forces have visited England, Scotland,
and even France. All agree that there
Is more freedom In Ireland, particular.
ly less wartime curtailment Of per-
sonal liberty, as, for instance, regard.
Ing restrictions In eating and drink
Ing. There Is no conscription there,
no "Defense Of the realm act" few
war taxes.
ls Land Of Plenty.
Certainly when It comes to food and
drink Ireland Is a land of plenty In
comparison with England. There Is
not only more food and drink there
than in England. but 1t Is Of better
quality. And In most parts Of Ireland
1t Is cheaper. Meatless and potato
less days are unknown there. Potatoes
were never 90 plentiful. Tint they
are cheaper even than In the United
States was unknown to the commits
sary department Of the American navy.
which recently shipped to the fiotilla
about 10000 bushels of potatoes which
were never unloaded. After discharg.
Ing its cargo Of other foodstuffs, the
naval supply ship was sent to another
port, where the potatoes were sold to
the British government.
Fresh meat also is cheaper In Ire
land than In England or the United
States. The. Americans buy large
part Of their meat ashore. Porter
house steaks are from five to seven
cents pound cheaper than In the
United States.
The Americans are impressed by the
large portions served In ireland as
compared with the lean ones they get
In England. For three shillings they
get meal which includes soup, fish
or lobster and sometimes both. hot or
cold meat, dessert. cheese and biscuits,
and tea or coffee. The same meal In
hotel Of corresponding grade In
England would cost at least six shill.
ings.
Drink, too, is not only more plenti.
full but Of better quality. The drink
Ing places In Ireland are open all day
and until eleven o'clock at night,
whereas In England and Scotland they
are only open for two hours In the af.
ternoon and three hours in the eve
ming.
Matches Are Scarce.
In England today It is considered
indicate to ask friend for match
In France, matches are well nigh un'
obtainable. All the continental coun'
tries are suffering from match fam
Inc. Not SO in Ireland. Hotels. bar
rooms, and cigar stores all have
matches In abundance, and they arr
used with the same freedom as In thu
time Of peace.
The Americans see the Irish farmer
prosperous beyond precedent. The
sailor In his little trips to Dublin ant
such resorts as Killarney, Youghal, ant
Glengariff, passes through some Of thu
richest agricultural country in tn,
| world. The immense amount Of land
under the plow impresses him, and h,
talks with many farmers who boast O.
the record prices they are getting fol
their produce, especially their liv'
stock. Cows, sheep and pigs are d
plentiful that the beautiful rolling
landscape is fairly dotted with them.
Neither is the farmer troubled witt
a shortage Of labor. as In England
Labor Is plentiful and Of good quail
ity, the laborers, not only In the agri
cultural, but also in the industrial dis
tricts, being largely young men ami
women. This favorable labor situa
ton Is due largely to the fact tha
there has been practically no emigra
tion from Ireland for three years, an
! the thousands Of young men and won
i en- who formerly set out for Americ
each month now remain in the cour
Hy'