Bisbee daily review., 1919-03-07
FOOD PRICES. GUT IN HALF.
 BY r BENCH. GOVERNMENT
Government-Controlled Store Offers American Goods at Much Lower Quotations
Thousands Patronize Barracks on First Day of System;
 Nine Establishments Open

PARIS, Mar 6.-CBy the Associated Press )-The French governments o. fensive against the high cost of living started this morning, when nine, bar racks were opened for the sale of food stuffs direct from the government to the consumer.
 The barracks are situated in the most congested and populOus poorer quarters of the city
 A correspondent of the Associated Press visited several of them, out side of which long lines of women. hatless, with disheveled hair, and blue from cold, awaited patiently their turn to be served.
 The crowds were kept cheerful by the sight of great bills on the Eai;s of the barracks, reading: "Rice, II cents a pound" Beans, 13,' Lard, 5O,~ Ham, 56" shoulders, 5O," Fat Backs, 50," Breasts, boneless, 6O." 15oo Served Early
 At the barracks in the Eleventh ward, the correspondent was informed by Inspector Pierre that already 1900 persons had bee served up to noon and he expected to serve as many in the afternoon.
  glecting vegetables and asking for fats of which everyone took the full quota allowed-two pounds.
 Mrs. Schmidt, manager of the bar racks, asked the correspondent to translate the marks on cases from the United States, and she led the cor respondent to store room where bags of beans, stenciled "New York" were piled beside suge cases of lard marked Chicago" She pointed to case on which there was conspicuous red let tering and asked "what kind of goods are these?"
 The stenciled words read: Stow away from broilers."
 The correspondent translated, St which the manager was greatly amused. Then the correspondent pointed to a small black lettering. reading: Hams, Wichita, Kansas"
 Sold at Half Price
 Walking to another barracks the cor respondent asked butcher the price of pork This was a dollar a pouno, and ham was S1.S0. It was suggested by the correspondent that the same goods could be obtained at half the price at the Vilgrain barracks, at which the butcher disdainfully re- piled:
 ~Yes, but it is dirty yellow Amer iean pork"
 But the customers departed for the barracks; and the correspondent was treated to a great verbal outburst of uncomplimentary remarks.
 One of the barracks is totally Amer ican, being formerly used by the American army. Four of the nine barracks opened belong to the Amer ican army, the others were put up by the French.
 It is expected that when the stores close this evening, 25,000 people will have attended, and that not less than 5O.O0O pounds of food will have been sold in Paris the first day at govern ment prices.
 A grocer near one of the barracks. in reply to a question, said:
 'T am in favor of a low cost of iV- ing, but cannot meet these prices. Why should Vilgrain pick on me?"
 He said his receipts had fallen off more than 50 per cent.
 Returning, the correspondent noted a great line formed outside the The ater Francais, awaiting aA opportun- g ity to buy reserved seats at tonight's performance at $3 each. By a strange coincidence the play on the boards was a hitherto unproduced comedy by Victor Hugo, entitled Shall They Eat"