Evening journal., 1919-01-03
This Tells Exactly What
Germany Has 10 Eat

I
everywhere.
The food situation is best set forth
in the following compilation of infor-
nation, furnished me from ten German
cities by Emanuel Wurm, food con-
ttroller for all Germany.
The government food laws give each
person:
Half a pound Of bread and a pound
Of potatoes daily:
Two ounces Of butter or other fats
each week;
Two-hfihs of a pound of meat each
week;
One egg every two weeks:
one pound and a half Of sugar each
month:
one-third pound of oatmeal each
month";
Pint and a half of milk daily for
babies under one year;
Half pint Of milk daily for sick per-
sons
No milk for others.
Government food cards are necessary
TO secure all these things, only geese
being excepted, save in the rich agri-
cultural regions, where the farmers
find il impossible to ship food to the
big cities because Of the breakdown Of
transportation facilities.
The masses Of the German people are
subsisting on cabbage, carrots, potatoes,
white beets and bread.
The rich are able 10 secure meats and
butter and eggs by paying enormous
prices
Butter is now 81 to 80 a pound.
Chickens are $40 each.
A fat goose is S25.
Steak is 81 a pound.
Horse meat is 60 cents a pound.
Sugar Is ii cents pound
Genuine coffee, Si2
Tea, SIS TO S25.
Eggs, 80 cents each
Soup meat, $3.50 a pound
'Germany's 1918 crops were only q
third Of the normal yield before the
war;" said Wurm. "This was due to
the bad weather and the wide spread
OF influenza among the farmers. the
shortage of farm labor and horses and
cattle and the failure Of fertilizer. The
refusal Of a million and a half Of Rus
sian prisoners 60 work after the sign
ing Of peace between Germany and Rus
sia added TO the food shortage.
"The old government deceived the
public about the crops. Germany now
faces actual famine. with its imports
stopped from Poland Russia, Rumania
and West German provinces.
German wOrkmen are now subsist-
ing on loo food calories a day, as COM
pared with 5000 before the war Ameri-
can workmen have 1900 calories a day.
This means that the German work
man today gets less than One-quarter OF
the heat-producing food than does the
American.
Thousands Of our women and chill
dren are dying for lack Of nourish-
ment.n
/ visited many food stores in Frank
fort and other cities, and found them
empty. Many Of the meat
markets and bakeries are closed be-
,ause they have nothing TO sell
Industrial workers are becoming more
iscOntented daily over the food condi-
ions in Berlin. Nine hundred thousand
'ormer munition workers are now back
IN civilian allowances. During the war
hey were allowed approximately a
pound Of bread daily. Each is now re-
iuced to a half pound
Before the war; the German workman
armed an average of $780, and spent
lalf Of it for the familys food Now
he earns $50 and spends fourth-ffths
Il it-fOr bad food
Since the revolution and the over
hrow Of the militarists, German labor
S more insistent in demanding higher
wages, and most pTOprietOrs are grant
ng their demands, fearing Bolshevism
nd confscation Of all industries.
Labor leaders are advocating a unique
Ian for payment Of war claims and the .
owerinS of taxes. They propose that
very manufacturer who has a govern
lent contract shall return to the new
oyernment so per cent Of his war
roills. The proposition is likely to be
dOpted
The supposition that German fac
)ries have stored enormous quantities
T manufactured goods during the war.
reparatory to entering world competi-
on after the war, appears TO be un-
ne.
With millions Of factory workers in
le army. thousands Of factories work
I short-hsnded and on war work. The
suit is. today Germany is practically
ripped OF raw materials and cannot
ecome great industrial competitor
ntil the world furnishes her materials.
Practically every factory has its
orkmen's council. cooperating with
le soldiers councils jim an effort 10
,ntrol the new government.
It will require many years for Ger
any TO restore its railroad systems to
'e-war standards. During the war,
'adbeds and rolling stock deteriorated.
ow they are further crippled by the
mistice demands.
German railroad service is now the
orst in the world. Passenger trains
ldom average more than ten miles
hour. Civilians are often forced to
ait two days at a railroad station be-
re they can board a train, because Of
G congestion caused by the movement
troops.
In every respect. Germany Is in a bad
ly, and the masses realize that their
light will be still worse when the pay