Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-01
Italian Government
Regulates Distribution
of Cereal Products

Washington.-The following au-
thoritative statement on the food
situation in Italy was obtained from
official Italian sources:
Ever since Italy went into the
war, that is to say, for two and one
half years, the Italian Government
has regulated the importation and
distribution of cereals in the king
dom. For the past two years an in
ventory has been taken of all grains,
and they have further been requisl-
toned by the government, which has
fixed minimum prices, SuppresSlng
every private commercial handling
of these grains.
This rigorous control has pre-
vented the speculation and boarding
of all the grain produced in the IN
terror, and special Government pro-
visions impose a heavy fine on any
one disobeying these DEGREES. The
requisitioning is carried out by the
military authorities with the strict
est observance of the law.
In August, 1915, all mills in the
kingdom were ordered to mill the
wheat to S5 per cent; that is to say,
10 or 20 per cent. higher than was
usual in the other allied countries.
The Government issued successive
restrictive orders, some of which
were too drastic. For Instance,
the milling of wheat was raised to
80 per cent. but this regulation
had to be modified and the percent
age reduced to S5.
'On September IL, 1917, decree
was issued making the rationing OF
wheat flour and of bread obliga-
tory. In those communes where
Italian paste, corn, rice, rye and
oats constitute the principal nour-
ishment of the population, the ra-
tioning of these foodstuffs, as well
as of wheat and bread, is also obll-
gatory.
THE rationing is carried out by
means of tickets or family book
lets, which assure distribution ac-
cording to the age and the condi-
The average ration has been fixed
at 250-300 grammes (about sc
pounds) for the civil population
Only the men who do heavy work
may have 600 grammes. But even
these figures have only a relative
value, and the real rationing figures
may be deduced from the decree of
october 10.
1T was then decreed that in pub
lie eating houses bread must be
served in slices of not over 81
SfdmmeS a meal. only III WOIh-
mems lunchrooms may $50 grammes
(about .33 pounO be served for
every meal, but in these places any
kind of meat, cold or salted, is for
hidden. AS almost all workmen
take their meals in these places, il
is seen that the rationing of coo
grammes is purely nominal.
According to the decree of jan
uary 8, even the smallest quantities
of grain in the country are now
taken over by the Government, so
that equal distribution may be made
Any one who stores more than twen-
ty-two pounds of flour must declare
the quantity to the proper authori-
ties, who can then dispose of it ac-
cording to the greatest necessity OF
the moment.
Since January 6 all bakeries and
pastry shops which used to make
small quantities of sweets out OF
corn or nuts may not manufacture
or sell sweets of any kind, except
chocolate in tablets, water ices and
fruit preserves, or bircuits not less
than fifteen grammes in weight.
lone of the most recent DEGREES
orders all the mills to grind only the
quantity of grain and cereals au-
thorized by the projects.
"All these provisions will show
America what rigorous measures
have been adopted by the Italian
Government before presenting its
urgent request for the importation
of grain"