Evening star., 1946-12-21
European Christmas
To Be Merry Only for
Those Who Can Spend
BY the Assoeioted Press

By the Associated Press
LONDON, Dec. 21.-There VIII OF
Christmas gaiety and even plenty ir
Europe for those who can pay. But
for Europe's hungry, destitute multi
tudes there Is no room in the inn
Though the shadow of war has
lifted, the dreadiness of cold hearths
and bare cupboards remains. And
for the have-nots of the have-no1
and defeated nations Christmas will
be just another day.
For those who are not deprived
by war, whose purses still are intact
Christmas promises to be what il
always has been-a day of festivity
The markets of the continental
cities are bullying with luxuries that
seem out of place to the wage Garner
but are shopping heavens to the
nouveau richie. But costs are equiva-
lent to BOOM time Christmas bo-
muses..
Paris Prices Fantastic.
In Paris, windows are stuffed with
appealing scarves, purses, jewels
s1ken underthings, fur coats, per-
fumes and other rich gifts, but
prices are fantastic. And many a
child can only stare and long for
pretty toys.
Paris foodshops. too, are burdened
with delicacies-silver-wrapped pate
de foie gras, at SO to $14 a pound;
turkeys and geese at lip to $50, and
champagne at prices which are not
even mentioned out loud.
Christmas trees are plentiful.
Flowers are sight to nee, but prices
are soaring and a bousonniere for
Christmas will cost ss mucH as one
dozen roses in November. Night
clubs and large restaurants will
have special shows for those who
want to toss away a months salary
in a night.
Paradox in Rome.
Rome presents the paradox of
stores bursting with luxury goods,
while most of the capitals masses
would be content with an extra
ration of spaghetti. Italians for
tunate enough to have lire can buy,
but prices go up and the lire goes
the other way.
In the Via Condotti are splendid
arrays of feathers, lace, china and
silverware. The toys are those
which went unsold last year, at even
higher prices, but those who have
lire are spending eagerly to get rid
Of them before they hit bottom.
The scarcity of fuel in Holland
has all but blacked out shop WIN
dows where expensive and indif-
ferently made toys are displayed.
Even potatoes, fish, vegetables and
game, which is unrationed, are more
expensive than before the war.
Turkey costs about 50 pound.
Present From Allies. y
Thanks to the occupation forces,
Christmas for German children will
be a little more on the merry side
this year.
Most of the German children
probably would rather have a good
square meal, anyway, than a made
in Germany toy.
Germany's adults, too, are bene-
fitting from Allied generosity. The
Russian occupation authorities are
distributing 100000 bottles of Ger
distilled vodka in Berlin dur
ing the holidays and the French are
passing out 100000 bottles of Ger
man champagne.
The Americans are making avail
able 290 tons of processed fruits and
fruit juices for children and the
British are contributing 145 tons of
sweets for Christmas in Berlin.
For those who can afford 1t in
Czechoslovakia there will be the
traditional carp dinner, with cara
way seed cakes, followed by the
supper of goose with red cabbage
and Bohemian dumplings. For papa
there will be slivovitz, If he has
saved enough to buy a bottle.
Vienpese Hope for Coffee.
Fuel shortages in Austria will not
counter the cold winds whistling
into bomb damaged and unrepaired
houses and there will be little
inside to keep body
and soul together. Viennese hope
for supplementary ration that will
give them a small amount of coffee
and fish and there is promise of
few chocolate bars for children
under IL.
There won't be much cheer in
Vienna, but church bells
will ring and Austrians will pray
for return of their prisoners of war,
still being held in camps.
In Budapest, there's plenty to
buy-but nothing to buy it with.
Because of import restrictions,
Danish shops cannot offer the pre-
war variety of goods, and even if
one finds a place to buy little
luxury, the price is high and the
quality poor.
Belgium and Norway.
In Belgium, most OF montn'S
earnings will have to be spent If
generations-old tradition is to be
followed. Food and luxuries are
plentiful, but citizens will have to
tighten their belts to the last war
time notch after the strain of
Christmas shopping.
Norway had more than ample
supply of Christmas goods, but the
heavy taxes the Norsemen will pay
the heaviest in the eountry's mod
ern history were announced just
recently-put a damper on Christ
mas shopping.
Ireland had lavish displays of
gifts and sufficient food for almost
every one, but there, too, it was the
same old story-high prices.
Sweden has an abundance of
commodities and luxuries, but food
supplies were on the slim side.
Switzerland was a land of COM
parative plenty, except the luxuries
for the most part, were out of
reach of the average mans pocket
book.
But there will be gaiety and
much spending in Europe, particu-
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