The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-01-31

COW Doet IS American LOT manSel-
wurzel. 1t Is raised both for Ameri-
ca and Germany as feed for pigs. 1t
is a hardy vegetable, cordy and un-
palatable, but more or less rich in
sugar, and, therefore, nutritive.
Straw, bread is made from sort
Of flour or bran produced by grinding
the dried stalks Of wheat and rye. 1t.
is mixed with rye flour, and the COM
bination is most .unpalatable.. although
not entirely lacking In nutrition.
The COW beet and straw bread
are off the German bin of fare at
present q proof that CONDI.
TIONS IN GERMANY. ARE BET
TER TODAY THAN THEY WE'RE
AT THE CLOSE OF LAST WIN
TER. 1t was then that the pota., u.
to. stores became exhausted and
recourse was had to the COW beet.
The advent of the cow beet into the
realm Of human foods has given that
lowly vegetable a prominence in Ger
man politics that It could never have
attained in q million years of appeas-
ing cattle hunger. Il, @... a..
In December, 1917, meeting Of 40
mayors Of leading German cities was
held to declare war on the COW beet
and erect barricades against its re-
turn. ... '.o..- ....
The German people grow bitter at
the mere mention of the cow beet. In
hate 1t ranks second only to England.
The cow beet, it seems, was put in.
to the soil unobtrusively, and In Sc.
cluded sections of the empire, by or:
der of the food directors, when it be.
came apparent that the potato crop
would not be sufficient to last
through the winter of 1916. The may.
Ors demanded to know whether any
such action had been found necessary
In 1917. -'
They declared most positively that
their people would have no more of
the cow beet. 1t would be better, said
they, to restrict further the potato
allowance now, than to test the tenn
per of he people with the cow beet
should the potato supply fail toward
the end of the winter. Further, said
the mayors, it was common talk that
the 'aristocratic agrarians, or land own
ers, were feeding potatoes to their
pigs. II that were so, how could the
potato supply last?
The mayors were assured that the
potato crop would prove ample for
the year, and the report about the
agrarians was denied. The COW beet.
the mayors were told, was off the
menu for good. Tie mayors adjourn.
ed and went home satisfied.
Now wouldn't it be an odd page in
history II the calculations again should
go awry and the COW beet should
come back. bringing with it the germ
Of revolution? +, @
Living conditions in Austria are
vastly worse than in Germany In
Switzerland I met an American family
who had lived 18 years in Austria
and who had left there at the time
America declared war on that coun-
try. The women Of the family had
kept household accounts carefully
over period Of years They said that
in 1917 it cost the family five times
as much to live as in 1916.
Even at that" they said, I'VE were
not able to live as well as in 1916"
Bread and potatoes are the only
foods that can be counted upon by
the mass Of the people in Austria, and
even their supply is limited.
The Austrian government has held
down the prices Of these two artf.
cles, but has been compelled to cut
the allowances to point that makes
living difficult. II these two foods
were allowed to follow their natural
economic tendencies, millions of Aus
trians would be without food alto.
gether
Conditions In Hungary are bet
ter than In Austria or Germany. It
Is q common practice for Aus.
trians to 60 to Budapest to get q
square meal.