ding on a side track, broke into a car
and found most of the plums in such rotten condition they could not be
used. So they painted on the sides of the car: "This is the kind of
plum jam the 'Z. E. G.' makes."

There was a growing scarcity of all other supplies, too. The armies
demanded every possible labouring man and woman so even the canning
factories had to close and food which formerly was canned had to be
eaten while fresh or it spoiled. Even the private German family, which
was accustomed to canning food, had to forego this practice because of
a lack of tin cans, jars and rubber bands.

The food depots are by far the most successful undertaking of the
Government. In Cologne and Berlin alone close to 500,000 poor are
being fed daily by municipal kitchens. Last October I went through the
Cologne food department with the director. The city has rented a
number of large vacant factory buildings and made them into kitchens.
Municipal buyers go through the country to buy meat and vegetables.
This is shipped to Cologne, and in these kitchens it is prepared by
women workers, under the direction of volunteers.

A stew is cooked each day and sold for 42 pfennigs (about eight cents)
a quart. The people must give up their potato, fat and meat cards to
obtain it. In Berlin and all other large cities, the same system is
used. In one kitchen in Berlin, at the main market hall, 80,000 quarts
a day are prepared.

In Cologne this food is distributed through the city streets by
municipal wagons, and the people get it almost boiling hot, ready to
eat. Were it not for these food depots there would be many thousands
of people who would starve because they could not buy and cook such
nourishing food for the price the city asks. These food kitchens have
been in use now almost a year, and, while the poor are obtaining food
here, they are becoming very tired of the supply, because they must eat
stews every day. They can have nothing fried or roasted.

In addition to these kitchens the Government has opened throughout
Germany "mittlestand kueche," a restaurant for the middle classes.
Here government employees, with small wages, the poor who do not keep
house and others with little means can obtain a meal for 10 cents,
consisting of a stew and a dessert. But it is very difficult for
people to live on this food. Most every one who is compelled by
circumstances to eat here is losing weight and feels under-nourished
all the