The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1918-10-12
ST.BERNARDD0CS
ECONOMY VICTIMS
All but Six at Famous Monastery
Killed to Save Meat
Supply.
now PARIS IS REGULATED
Bread Shortage Affects the French
More Seriously Than Any Other
Meat Scarce and Costly
in Belgium.

Paris.-All but six Of the famous
st. Bernard dogs kept by the monks
OF that ancient monastery in the Alps
have been killed. Shortage of meat
caused by the war led to this mas
sacre.
The st. Bernard pass is of historical
renown. It connects the valleys of
tie Rhone and the Dora Baltea. 1t
vas traversed by Roman 1egions thou
sands Of years ago. In medieval times
the pass served the armies of conquer
ors and the bands of mercenaries. Ma
pOleOn crossed the Alps at this point
in 1900.
The great monastery was built in
the middle Of the sixteenth century.
1t was maintained for the relief Of
travellers who were surprised by snow
storms while crossing the pass. The
st. Bernard dogs were used to find the
frozen victims Of the storms in the
SnOWdrifts. They were specially train
ed for this work Of relief and carried
the first aid to the injured in little
basket attached to their collars. These
dogs rescued thousands of human be-
ings, many of whom were of historic
prominence. And for the first time in
the history Of this famous monastery
the dogs had to be slaughtered for
want of food.
Human Food First Interest.
At other times a report of this sort
would create profound interest in
h,1f ~
is thinking of it's own necessities and
cares less about dog heroes living
more than 800 feet above the surface
of the sea.
Today the people Of France are re-
Stricted in the consumption Of meat,
bread or any other article Of food in
the making Of which dough or flour is
used, and sugar. There are three
meatless days and to prevent anyone
buying meat in advance the rule re-
stricts purchases to 200 grams Of
meat ON a day preceding a meatless
day.
The sale Of meat is prohibited
Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
ID hotels and restaurants no guest Is
meat as part Of meal Tuesdays. This
restriction is aimed at boarding.
Even slaughter houses are entirely
closed the meatless days. Thus the
attempt is made to prevent as far
as possible any violation Of the rule.
OF course any attempt at enforcing
restrictions Of this sort in the prov
:Eces would be needless. French peas
ants eat little meat, once or twice a
week at the most, If at all.
The average Englishman consumes
much less meat. England had three
meatless days week, applied to res
taurants and similar dining rooms, be-
ginning in the summer of 1917. How
ever, these meatless days were abol-
ished, the order taking effect May II
this year. In place Of the former re-
strictions a meat card was issued.
This card entitled the holder to GER
tain amount Of meat, which he may
buy four specified days in the week.
Englishmen are consuming about
double the amount Of neat eaten by
the same number Of Frenchmen at
present.
French frugality in meat is th4
more remarkable as it is accompanied
by similar and much more drastic
restriction in the consumption Of
bread. "A Frenchman," according to a
peace-time wit, ''is a gentleman who
wears decoration and orders an ex-
ira portion of bread" Bread has been
the staff Of life of the French people.
Still France is in a better position
than adjacent countries. Meat is very
scarce and costly in Belgium. In Ant
>werp one has to pay 20 francs for a
pound Of meat and 80 francs for a
pound Of bacon. In Merle, near Ant
werp, butcher paid 1925 francs for
two-year-old steer. Cows are sold
for 5000 and goats for 500 francs.
Swiss Regulations Strict.
At Val de Travers, Switzerland, two
butchers were found guilty of having
violated the government. rule regu-
lating the price Of calves. The butch
ers were fined 1900 francs each, and
will have to pay the cost Of the trial,
while Is farmers, to whom the butch
ers had paid more than the maximum
price allowed, were acquitted by the
jury.
In the course Of proceedings in the
court it was shown that an army Of.
fcer Of the commissary department in
buying cattle for the army had also
paid more than the maximum price
permitted. Now the states attorney
is going to prosecute the army officer
for the same offense for which the two
butchers were found guilty. 49,
In Vienna meat rations for hotels
dining rooms and boarding houses
we're cut 20 per cent, beginning July
1. Even meat supplies for hospitals
were reduced 10 per cent. This
caused increased prices.