Average Weekly Rations of Principal Foodstuffs in Enemy and Enemy-Occupied Countries, 1943-Continued Four countries for which information was not given in as great detail as in other cases are Rumania, Yugoslavia, Poland, and Greece. In Rumania, where food is rationed in Bucharest only, the amount of bread per week for a normal consumer was 79 ounces, and for a heavy worker, 158 ounces. The weekly meat ration was 9 ounces; sugar, 51⁄21⁄2 ounces; and fats, 41⁄2 ounces. It was believed that these rations were obtainable. In Yugoslavia, the ration for Croatia was 37 ounces of bread; meat, 5%1⁄2 ounces; sugar, 21⁄2 ounces; potatoes, 74 ounces; and children under the age of 2 years received 9 pints of milk, those aged 2 to 5 years, 6 pints. The rations for Serbia were bread, 78 ounces; meat, 42; sugar, 52; and fats, 3 ounces; but rations for the most part were believed to be unobtainable. There is no uniform rationing system for Poland, but in the Incorporated Territories, Germans and so-called "loyal" Poles get the same rations as in the Reich, while Jews and the other Poles get half as much. In the General Government, rations for Germans are the same as in the Reich, Poles get less, and Jews in ghettos get starvation rations. In Greece, bread is rationed at 44 ounces, and since that country has been receiving relief shipments, rations are usually available. Rationing of Meat in Canada FOOD rationing in Canada was first applied to tea and coffee and sugar, by orders issued in May and June 1942, and rationing of butter was introduced by an order of December 21, 1942. In the case of tea and coffee, consumers are rationed on an honor system, being asked to use only one-half as much tea and three-fourths as much coffee as they had formerly used, and not to purchase more than 2 weeks' ration at any one time. Sugar was first rationed on an honor basis allowing three-quarters of a pound a week to a consumer, but when the coupon system was initiated, in June 1942, the ration was cut to half a pound per week. Butter was also rationed at half a pound per week. An order (No. 276) of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board, issued May 17, 1943,2 under authority conferred by order P. C. 8528 of November 1, 1941, provided for the coupon rationing of meats. Purchase of meat for personal or household consumption is dependent upon the surrender to the seller of ration coupons, which must be detached by or in the presence of the retailer (or a consumer may detach an entire sheet or the remainder of a sheet and deposit the coupons with the seller to be used against his meat purchases on the proper dates). The first ration books contained 28 coupons, numbered in pairs from 1 to 14, the first pair of which was valid on May 27, 1943, and the last on August 26, 1943, with the expiration date of the last two pairs of coupons fixed at September 30, 1943. The different cuts of meat are listed in four groups in a schedule appended to the order, together with the value of the coupons for items in each group. For the first group, the value of the coupon is half a pound; for the second, three-quarters of a pound; for the third, one pound; and for the fourth, one and one-quarter pounds. The order also 1 See Monthly Labor Review, August 1942 (p. 283) and February 1943 (p. 257) * Canadian War Orders and Regulations (Ottawa), May 19, 1943. provided for the optional registration of boarding-house operators as quota users, and provided that every quota user shall open and operate a meat-ration-coupon bank account, to be drawn upon for his meat purchases. The order also prescribed conditions for the purchase of meat by industrial users and by retailers and suppliers, and prohibited sales by farmers who do not hold a permit to slaughter livestock, except to another farmer, in which case one meat coupon must be surrendered for each two pounds (gross weight) of meat. Price-Control Legislation in Colombia, 19431 PRICE control legislation in Colombia to prevent undue speculation in essential commodities (all foodstuffs, drugs, and general merchandise of ordinary consumption among the working classes) was authorized by law No. 7 of March 2, 1943. For the fulfillment of the purposes of the law, the Government will issue the necessary control measures, and thus may establish ceiling or minimum prices for the essential commodities. Whenever the Government deems it advisable, it may import directly or under contract any commodities except agricultural products. The Government is likewise authorized to issue necessary measures for control of rent of urban dwellings and stores, and to establish or to subsidize cooperatives of production, distribution, or consumption of foodstuffs. In order to avoid the accumulation of foreign drafts as an influence in the increase in the cost of living, the Government may discontinue or modify, for the duration of the abnormal economic conditions caused by the world conflict, any of the existing exchange-control provisions; for the carrying out of this and other exchange-control measures, the President of the Republic is granted extraordinary powers until December 31, 1943. The Board of National Economic Defense is established by the same law; it will be made up of 5 members appointed by the President of the Republic, whenever he deems it advisable, in order to study the problems he may consider suitable to be submitted to it. The Economic Defense Board is to study and propose to the Executive Branch of the Government any measures considered necessary to direct Colombian industry, agriculture, and cattle raising to a greater production of classes of commodities most essential for domestic consumption; regulate the importation and exportation of raw materials and of manufactured or semimanufactured products; coordinate all transportation within the territory of the nation and improve the connections with foreign transportation channels; and study and prepare financial projects for the execution of Government plans to accomplish these functions. The law also creates the post of Presidential Auditor, with a view to organizing the various departments of the administration so as to render better public service and at the same time effect economies in operation. The Presidential Auditor is to visit all the departments of the Government; make a detailed report concerning the functions of each department, section, or administrative organization as to 1 From reports of Arthur Bliss Lane, United States Ambassador, and Charles A. Livengood, counselor for economic affairs, United States Embassy at Bogota. number of employees, salaries, requirements, and effectiveness of the services rendered; inspect all public-utility enterprises, official and semi-official institutions, and all those in which the Government takes part; and submit a written report of his findings and recommendations. The President of the Republic may enforce any of the recommendations except those relating to the General Comptrollership (Contraloría General de la República) which require the approval of Congress. A new issue of internal national debt bonds is authorized, up to 50,000,000 pesos, the proceeds of which are to be used to stimulate the nationalization of foreign interests placed under fiduciary administration, and of such enterprises as telephone, transportation, electricpower, aqueducts, and any other public-utility companies. Amortization and interest will be covered by the proceeds of the enterprises which may be nationalized through use of the funds received from this bond issue; but in case these proceeds should not be sufficient, it will be covered by such additional revenues as Congress may assign for this purpose. The Government is likewise authorized to reorganize the administration of the National Railways and the National Direction of Transportation and Rates. For this purpose the President is granted extraordinary powers until December 31, 1943. The Fiscal Auditor of the Credit Institute or Institutes will continue to be directly dependent upon the House of Representatives. On May 12, 1943, the Colombian Government issued a decree establishing an office of price control designed to control prices, organize rationing, purchase and sell articles of prime necessity, issue export and import licenses, and grant exemptions. Decline of Home Work in New York State' ON December 31, 1942, in the various industries in New York State in which home work is under control, but not restricted, 1,229 employers had permits for the distribution of such work, 8 of whom were operating in accordance with special home-work orders. At this same date 21,509 home workers' certificates were outstanding; this was about one-eighth fewer than in the previous year, partly as a result of an amendment to the home-work law prohibiting the distribution of home work by contractors. On December 31, 1942, there were 1,624 home-work certificates outstanding in the glove industry, under Home-work Order No. 4, which became partially effective on August 15, 1941, and fully effective on May 1, 1942. Altogether 1,271 persons in this industry were eligible for special certificates, but over 200 of them had not applied for such certificates. Of the 193 firms which had permits for the distribution of home work before this order became effective, 67 had not applied for renewals. The great majority of these enterprises had arranged to restrict their manufacture to the factory. Home-work Order No. 1 for the men's and boys' outer clothing industry is 6 years old, but at the date of the preparation of this report, only 30 firms were distributing work to 52 home workers. The home-work system in this industry shows a gradual decline. Order No. 2 for the men's and boys' neckwear industry, went into effect in May 1937. According to the annual report for 1942, only 12 firms were distributing home work to 111 home workers in this industry. Home work in the artificial flower and feather industry, which is concentrated in New York City, is regulated by Home-work Order No. 3, fully effective December 1938. At the time the report under review was prepared, the firms distributing home work in this industry numbered 30 and the home workers 183, which figures also indicate a decline. During the year 1942, 70 cases were tried and 70 convictions obtained. Wage Commission for Catering Industry in WORKERS engaged in the British catering industry will have their wages and other conditions of employment protected by means of 1 Data are from annual report, 1942, of Division of Women in Industry and Minimum Wage, New York State Department of Labor. New York [1943]. |