The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1919-05-03

senior British port officer.
In the harbor an American. Admiral Billiard
was at the head of the American naval affair.
aboard the cruiser Birmingham. The Amer.
lean force a1oat consisted Of the four de-
stroyers Striblng, Gregory, Luce and Caesar.
We heard that the Olympia Admiral Dewey's
flagship at the battle of Manila bay and
lately from the ice-bound Russian port Of Arch
angel, was due to arrive in few days with an
outfit Of marines.
Food Prices Tumble.
AS to the people of Fiume they were commenc
Ing to enjoy the fruits of peace though their
town possessed warlike aspect the food block
ade had been broken and high prices had tum-
bled. With the arrival of the first allied foodships
the terrible war prices common in Fiume, well
as in other portions of Austria. became memory.
The food control policy of the Austrians, as well
as the Germans. had been fundamentally wrong.
All through the the rich could buy foodstuffs,
and could hoard, while the~poor had to ger along
the best way possible. Prices consequently At
tanned an unheard of level.
Rice, of which large quantities are consumed
in peace times, cost 80 pound. and soon
after the armistice signed dropped 10 cents
a pound which was high enough. everyOIn granted.
During the days wheat flour cost from 81
10 Sc pound; beet sugar retaed at Sc pound |
-four cost 81 pound. Further nor il in Aus |
tria prices even higher.
On account of the shortage in the supply of |
linen and cotton goods the cost of these materials
also scared Thread. during the war, cost $50
spool in Fiune One linen sheet cost S175; suit
of clothing made by tailor cost 5000, and an Or
binary cotton shirt cost $50. Shoes made of leath-
err and leather substitutes brought sos. Tea and
coffee. especially the latter, which is largely used
in the Balkans, cost s35 q pound.
The death rate among the very young and the
very old was horrible during the war days Not
only the younger generation. born just prior
TO the war. great sufferer from the food short
age. but the babies born this year physically
ana mentally unfit. This IS true NOT only in Fiume
and the Istran peninsula. but throughout Hungary
and Austria who had Investigated the situa- {
ton told American food experts verified the I
statements
In the minds eye Of Italian officials Fiume is
not war-ravaGed city. but the beginning OF n 8
prosperous metropolis, peopIed by Italians largely
Ind open 10 the peoples Of the world
Italy sacrificed 100000 men killed in action. and
nearly q million wounded. in order to overcome
1erman domination through central Europe. and
so to restore 10 Italy of those lands that Il
re adjacent TO the motherand. Z"
The Italians are advancing 4 strictly military :"
rgument for possession Of Fiume and a part OF N
he Daimatan coast at least. Not only are these Ell
lnds largely peopled with Italians who speak the h
inguage, but the lands themselves possess adj 81
antages IN military way that Italy must 7eke Sd
ito consideration II she is to develop into first
Ass nation
From Trieste down the coast of the Adriatic m
aiora the coastline is rugged and contains scores 81
haroors ana inlets which afford excellent shelter cd
enemy wareraft The italian coast from Venice a
brlndSl on the other side of the sea is ONLY five Or
urS Ste2ming distance AWAY fr faSr ,va,shE-. -.
q the coast itself is fat ans. soa-.,y and o;s- -,
defend