Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1918-07-10
Our Allies
Food Supply
II1-Italy

Der of reasons
italy has nj several times reached seri-
ous food cris since she entered the war
which have only been avoided by the time
" intervention Of her allies Never has n
reserve stock of foodstuffs been aocttmulnt-
cd in italy Mt any one time sufficient 10
tide the population over az long ~
month IN case all appropriations should Tor
some reason be shut off
The machinery Of food regulation in
England has been reduced 20 n fair basis of
efficiency. Some degree of gucoesR has
been attained IN France. due more largely,
however. to the cooperation at the mt
"a States and England rather than ~ the
suceesa Of government att7npts at con
scrvation and increased production. Paris
hae seen famine only two days apay But
aid has always come from the bIg brother
acrnss tho sen or the friendly neighbor
across tho channel
rTAtY's GoEs SHORT.
italy has not received the came degree
Of corporation from her allies. Her wants
have not been attended 10 So rapidly, her
needs have not bsrn 80 ppignanily felt
nv allied statesmen During the early
DAYS of the war. italian journalists, rniain-
formed. quoted figures setting forth the
various foodstuffs on hand IN italy
figures which wcre far above the quantity
Of supplies actually ON hand Many weeks
elatsci before the Italian Minister Of
Food. C3rreri. s,lccccied in convincing
tho English wheat executive that IT."
figures were indeed wrong That the Wis-
loadinp items had their basis IN sinister
and deeply laid German propaganda has
SINCE been established % concrete tact
The fact that German propaganda mas
been injecting its lnsidIous poison snrrep-
titio,ely INTO italan affairs has heen
largely responsible for many Of the poiIf~
ical criscs that have arisen in Italy since
the outbreak If the war. In many cases
the press has been uuwlttlngiy used as an
inst unent Just az Il ls to-day used by
German agents IN Spain south AmFrlca
and the Scandinavian countries
~ fe-pd conditions IN Italy arc far worse
than the public has been permitted -
know Drastic food control has failed -
relieve the stringcncy of the situation
Prices have been fixed. every man, woman
and chill IN the Empire has been rationed
food and food products are directly con
troiled by the government sugar u even
more scarce than IN England and France
Thr manufacture of sweets has been pro
hibiird Cake Is almost thing Of the
past Soda fountains werr long ago closed
down sing sugar in cooking is hein6NS
offcnse. punishable hy heavy hne II,
Naples Rnme and Genoa the bakers sell
substitute for cake which ~ reality r.
bread with an admlxturc d rice -four
Saccharinc Is used for sugar, but being Q
coal tar product Is considered unhealthy.
VERY, VERY FEW Ees,s,
I,rpe are usually served only ~ lnvaids
and narslng mothers Although there are
only two mcatless days meat ~ TO eat IS
scarcely obtainable on the days when the
eating Of meat IS permitted, veal IS IN
known To kill calves and sheep IS - v1C-
late government edict.
Chickens are only for festal occasions
and are considered a great luxury. Pub-
lie eating houses are permitted TO remain
open only A few stipulated hours each
day. Sailed fish Is now in general use.
Cereals are no longer obtainable-
The government order prohibiting the
feeding Of corn To hogs practically wiped
out the hog-ralslng industry N many
provinces.
The hogs were ordered slaughtered by
thousands, resulting IN an acute shortage
ii porl, and fats.
The alarming shortage Of beef. butter,
milk and cheese haS been keenlv feIt by
the whole It.lian nation, and MAS really
caused MAINLY by short imports which led
to the slaughter Of 0ne-tourth Of Italy $
herds
For cooking. olive oil IS used almost
exclusively, and OF this there IS d great
scarcity and the price has risen by leaps
and bounds The bread eaten in Italy to
day Is a heavy. dark. war bread, made OF
potatoes and mixed flour. 4 mucu used
though unpopular dish Is black bread
soaked in olive oil.
GENERAL EMBARGoEs.
This general food shortage in Italy has
resulted in embargoeS being placed on
food exports and has practically ruined
the 6rstwhlle big importers business IA
rice, macaroni. cheese and other milk
products, fresh and dried fnnts, oils,
chestnuts, vegetables, forage and oil pre-
served fish.
Meals in public eating houses are rigid
" regulated II is unlawful TO serve butter
or cream, or to garnish dishes with eggs.
No lunch. whatever the price may be, can
include more than two dishes. Railway
restaurants may open only ono hour before
the departure of the first tram and remain
open only one hour after the departure Of
the last one
Last winter there Was practically no
coal for private consumption. MESS the
situation IS remedied before the advent Of
the next winter no fires viii be lighted n
any hotel or private home IN Italy
Pine cones and old newspapers burned IN
iron buckets viii be depended upon 10
furnish heat unless more heed is taken Of
ltalYs needs ere another winter arrives
The army was hard hit also BY the
of coal Because Of this short
age Italy WAS compelled TO stop the
OF cannons, her artillery
supply coming from Great Britain
Other manufacturers had no coal
supply at all There are many observers
who believe that if the Italian factories
last winter had had enough coal TO keep
and to maintain their normal
output the spectacular Italian victory
Of few days ago could have been follow
ID up by victory even greater. This
was made both impossible and imprac-
ticable owing TO the shortage of heavy
artillery. The artillery captured in such
large quantities was of type too small
Tor the purpose of following the enemy
across and beyond the Pave.
UNPREyENTABLE CAUSES.
Gong back to the actual food situation
n Italy, the shortage of food and the
crisis has been the effect Of
numerous regrettable but unppventable
causes The disaster of CapOretto re-
suited III the loss of millions Of bushels
IF grain in the territory occupied by the
enemy The loss of this territory had
4 doubly disastrous effect, for not only
was the sum total of available fcodstuffs