Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-07

have been srasooi - ;hc iron hand OF
| CONSUMPTION and chose continental neu-
trails nearer the war zone.
AS far as rural Ireland is concerned
tho ireland OF the farmers and the
peasant proprietors. the people have
never known such haiycon days.
| Farmers wives are better dressed
than they have ever been. and their
homes, as regards furniture. at any
rate. arc equipped like mansions. The
farmers themselves are sporting smart
motor cars--not mere toys. but sound
cars with reliable engines. There is
no dcarth of petrol.
Nothing is more remarkable in Ire
land than the improvement in food.
both as regards quantity and quality.
IN other days the people used to send
the best bacon to England. and sub
sist at home on cheap American bacon.
To-day they consume their own bes,
bacon.
Cattle there arc in plenty. and butch
ors have their shops full OF whole car
casses. Mutton is also TO be had In
abundance! In no town or village
III Ireland is horsenesh being sold for
human food. Bread is plentiful. but It
is no; any more appc;izins than it is
in England. and is even darker in as
poet. When ] was at Ncwry, an Eng
lish correspondent, looking into a
Storcroon, saw Il quantity OF peat or
dried bog, fashioned into squares. Ask
Ing what the mysterious stuff was he
received the unsmi!inE reply, "Shurc.
that's Irish war bread" 1 regret TO say
that he promptly made note of this
utterly misleading piece OF inforna-
ton
There are food regulations and re-
strctions in Ireland. as there arc In
Great Britain, but they are more hon.
orcd in tho breach than the obscrv-
ance. This refers particularly to the
larger towns. though there is no
scarcity IN the villages of plain. sim
pic food. In Belfast saw small
stout business man polish or a de.
cent sized steak, such as would havo
been regarded as something phenomc-
nal In London restaurant. He then
hammered his knife on the table, and
,mpatiently dema ndcd another steak,
and did not look happy till he got e.
In liquor. as in food, the Ir!shmcn /.
better off than his ncighbor across 81;
Georges Channel. Whisky has still got
ing with aqua pura. Government
beer ~ joke. not All unpleasant real
ity. With big glass of good stout.
sim available. a large chunk OF bread
ana noble fragment OF cheese a
cheap luncheon can be had any day in
any part Of Ireland
In large towns, like Dublin and Bel
fast. there is an abundance OF pastries
an al
shop IN Bcifas. had an afternoon
tea bette. than that provided a; the
RTE in the days before the war. and
at much below the Ritz price
Scarcity OF matches is not a, all pre-
ralcnt and could always purchase n
couple or boxes AZ any tobacortsc's
shop. Children and women have no
reason TO complain as to sweets. for all
OF these are TO he had IN
great profusion in the southern and
capitals. The sugar supplied
for swoetcniag tea is generally OF
coarse quality, bu, there is plenty OF
H. ireland is particularly we'll off as
regards fish, especially that very
n.quantly favored fish, the herring.
watch has only come into popular
vogue II. England since It has in
creased 500 per cent IN price
Whine food conditions are thus good.
nc weli-llghtcd streets OF ireland
"aHe 70" that nocturnal gayety which
We experienced in prewar days IN Lon
don. TO walk again at night under the
nhd'mmed light of the street LAMPS is
!!Nc capturing the roseEow OF lost
Eden, and that rapture Is TO be had in
ireland. An E.nglishman travelling in
ireland to-day. and not conversant
with the problems of the country.
would think, that from her prosperity
ireland should feed England. 1t should
be remembered, however. that the
whole population OF all Ireland is not
so great rs :ha: or Lesser London, and
mat all her ioodstuffs would seem
small store for the tecming millions