Evening star., 1940-10-08

cannot be purchased even with ra-
tion card. Lack or shortage OF
those foodstuffs has caused house
wives to buy substitutes, Immediate
ly creating another shortage in the
substitute articles.
On one day when new decree
had forbidden drinking coffee after
3 pm. the Vichy newspapers car
ried news that ration cards had
been distributed in Germany en-
titling Berliners to buy rs grams
of coffee-a circumstance which was
described by some of the coffeeless
French as remarkable coinci-
dence."
Soap Is Rare.
On one trip through Southwest
ern France with two other Amer
leans ,before soap was rationed) we
stopped in 20 cities and towns and
each visited at least one store hunt
ing for toilet soap. We got three
bars between us.
Housewives have to pound their
washing" to make up for lack of
laundry soap, and when shirt
comes back from the laundry it's
almost in shreds.
Condensed milk, canned fruits and
other imported foodstuffs have dis
appeared from shops and, because of
war and financial conditions, no
more is imported. One store in
Marseille refused to sell me bot
tie of American tomato juice be-
cause it was their last bottle.
Chickens are going into the pot
at such a rate that eggs are grow
ing scarce
Fish Scarce Even in Ports.
Mines and submarines in the
Mediterranean have limited fishing
to such an extent that fish was un-
obtainable even in ports for many
weeks and even now rarely reaches
inland points.
Now and then a store will get a
limited supply of some of the ra-
toned or scarce articles. A queue
of would-be purchasers Immediately
and magically lines up outside the
door patiently awaiting their turn
and hoping the supply lasts.
After living in a ration desert"
for months you have an overwhelm-
ing desire to walk in and buy every
thing in sight when you arrive in
Lisbon with its streets full Of shops
with windows packed with fresh
and canned and packaged goods of
every description.
In Toulouse when I bought a
shirt I had to sign up for it with
my name and address, precaution
against my going around to other
stores and buying more shirts. Ref
ugees and French Army purchases
for demobilized soldiers had dras-
tically reduced all stocks.
No More Sole Leather.
Weeks ago when took pair OF
shoes to be half-soled / discovered
there was no more sole leather, and
the leather shortage has now caused
the government to make plans for
production of national footwear,
utilizing leather substitutes.
| Ru0Oer ROOOS OF all KINGS are un-
obtainable except in a few cities
Paper of all kinds is scarce and
you carry your loaf of bread in your
hand.
Gasoline is obtainable only with
a government permit and, unless
you live in a city with street cars,
or bought a bicycle before they were
sold out, you walk. Movies, includ-
ing a few ancient American pic
lures, are again being shown in the
larger cities, but there is no music,
dancing, theaters or other enter
tainment
Frances coal is mined in oc-
cupied territory and transportation
difflculties has made 1t worth It's
weight in richer metals in unoccu-
pied France. Most houseowners
will have to use wood or discover
some other substitute this winter
and-if they can buy them-pile
more blankets on the beds,