Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-20
FOOD RIOTS START
IN DUTCH TOWNS
Men, Women and Boys
Plunder Bakers Carts
and Shops
TROOPS FIRE, INTO MOB
Ration of People in Holland
Now Less Than That AL
lowed in Germany
Special Cable to Evening Public Ledger

Special Cable to Evening Public Ledger
Copyright, 1918. bv Neto York Times Co.
The Hague. Sept. 20.
Rfoting has again broken out in the
larger towns of Holland, owing to the
serious food conditions. Groups of men.
women and boys pass through towns
plundering bakers carts and shops and
demanding bread. Wagons of all kinds
OF foodstuffs are plundered and shop
windows are broken.
The streets of The Hague, Amsterdam
and Rotterdam are strongly patrolled
by mounted police. and mounted troops
have been sent into towns to help main
tain order. Shopkeepers are again bar
ricsding their windows. to protect them.
In Amsterdam the infantry was call
ed out and a number of volleys were
fired, six persons being injured Twenty
two were arrested. A mob stoned the
soldiers. who fired on the crowd. and
bricks were thrown from roofs. 1t Is
expected that much more serious dis
turbances will have to be coped with
this winter by the authorities unless
food conditions improve.
1t is virtually impossible TO live on
the Government rations doled out on the
bone" system, and there is little to
buy outside the distribution. The peo-
pies sufferings are ascribed in some
foolish and unforeseeing Government
and to the sel1shness Of the farmers.
who have continued to export so much
that the country is now barren Of food
stGffs.
Dutch People Are Hungry
The people are now actually hungry.
Potatoes are the main means of subsist-
ence, and there are not enough of these.
The ration OF bad bread Is hardly suffi-
cient for a meager breakfast, which is
eaten without coffee or tea. Half a
pound of butter must suffice for two
weeks for both the table and cooking
There Is virtually no meat. although
the bone" system is supposed to make
1t possible to procure a quarter of a
pound twice monthly. Fish also Is dis
tributed by the Government-about a
pound to each person twice monthly.
Bread Is much worse in quality and
less In quantity than in Germany. The
-four used for bread is not only moldy
from having laid too long on the ships
in America, but Is now mixed with lin
eeed, potato -four and various other in
digestible ingredients to increase the
quantity. 1t was first intended to use
this adulterated -four only for cattle
A miller near Rotterdam recently re-
fused to mill Government grain, owing
to its bad quality.
The average rations are a half pound
CT cheese. a tenth of a pound of coffee
a half pound of butter every two weeks
also a half pound of sugar and a tenth
Of n pound OF oatmeal or barley weekly
There has been virtually no meat fol
months. Eggs are now an event in the
household. and in American money cos
twenty-five cents each. Butter by back.
door methods costs So a pound. Lart
and what meat is obtainable are proper
tionately dear. Many workwomen arr
obliged to dispense with the midda!
meal or else eat raw vegetables The!
have nothing else to take with them
Good meals can still be obtained in th
expensive restaurants, but the price
are exorbitant.
The Mayor of Amsterdam, interviewed
by your correspondent on the food stu
aticn in Holland, said:
THE most serious problem Is that o
cereals. Bread Is one of the prtncipa
articles of food for the laboring clas
In Holland. The present ration is quit
insufficient and is less than half the nor
NAL, consumption. In normal times al
meals, except one daily, are bread meals
$50 far as cereals are concerned. w
are in the hands of the United States
as our production has never reached
further than half the quantity required
and in spite of all the efforts now bein
made could not DE raised to anything
near what is urgently required"
what do you think of the situatio
for the coming wlner?" the Mayor wa
asked.
Outlook for Winter Serious
TT will be very serious. indeed" h
answered. owing to the lack of brea,
the consumption of potatoes has doubled
1t is doubtful whether the present ra
tion of eight pounds can be ma!ntaine
throughout the winter and spring. bu
even IL it is possible this ration woul
be insufficient for most of the labor
ing class"
What do the people live on at pres
ent?" your correspondent asked.
They live on a small ration Of brea
and potatoes" the Mayor replied, bot
rations being less than Germany's q
present; no vegetables which are es
pensive; a quarter pound of chees
weekly, and very small quantities c
oatmeal or barley, never more than
tenth Of a pound a week In the ia
we hope to have few beans and peal
but ration never exceeding one mea
weekly"
What do you most need fror
American"
Il think cereals. fodder and raw ma
terials for margarine, either from III
United States or our own colonies.
the Allies would allow us, we could gt
raw materials for margarine from OF
own colonies. If we do not get this "
shall have to depend on our heavil
reduced production of butter for a
our fat requirements, and in consequent
the ration of fat must again be reduce
to less than half a pound fortnightly