LIFE IN LONDON.

Evening Star, Issue 16625, 7 January 1918, Page 3

LIFE IN LONDON.

A WAR-TIME PICTURE. RESTRICTIONS IX FOOD. [From the Melbourne 'Ago' Correspondent.] LONDON, November 9. Any Australian visiting! London to-day whelms not seen the place for a year or two would bo tonazed at. the surprising change in tho appearance of the public streets and public places On every hoarding, and upon akrost e>-ery wall, wo nre warned by bigplacards to " eat less bread." We also" have semi-official warnings to "eat no bread" at all. Pato-idcc newspaper writers advise housekeepers what substitutes to introduce into the loaf, with a minimum amount of flour. _ Never have the praises of oatmeal and rice been so loudly proclaimed as they aro to-day. There are also invitations on every public place of advertising to " Buy war bonds," " Use less potrol," '" This building may be used for air raid cover," " Eat less food," "Save tho coals," "Remember the Red Cross," besides pictorial or alleeorical picture scenes connected with the "war. " You are the man we want," says the lit'esizo picture of a man in khaki, with finger out-pointed at the spectator. Advice per bill-sticker is thrown at us every low yards that we walk along the streets. When night f?.lhi there is the scamper of pedestrians to bus and tram and train—thousands of women a.nd girls from the shops, offices, and warehouses. Some of tho roads which lead to the Thames bridges aro densely crowded, from 5 to after 6 o'clock, with people burning homewards. Mostly, it is intensely dark at that i.ime. for many street lamps are extinguished, and others aro shaded into obscurity. SShoidd there bo moonlight many a pedestrian looks anxiously sty ward for a visit from tho enemy aeroplane. If tho visitor travels to the suburbs —say Hampstead, or Sydenham, or any heights surrounding London—ho will witness an amazing spectacle. The drill hour of tho sca.rchlights which encircle London is finer than a fireworks display. Quito 200 electric reflectors play skywards, moving hither and tliither to the height of a thousand feet. Some of the searchlights are dual; others are coiiccntrai-ed, with the light, passing in a thin stream through a narrow lens. In the last-named case the beams reach up to 1,500 ft. The drill sometimes consists of throwing tho beams of light on a small fixed or moving balloon; and whercvor there is a searchlight tho guns are not far oil. There aro evidences of the war in another form, if our visitor looks into one of the many Lyons, A.8.C., or other tenshops. In these places it wil' not be merely a matter of spectacle that will interest him. His appetite and his pocket will be affected. For a luncheon ho is limited to Is 3d, and to 6cl for tea and food. Tho once popular bun has decreased in size, but increased in price by 50 per cent. Bread is a grey compound of flour and maize, or flour and rice, or potatoes. And to-day's papers tell -us tho authorities contemplate tho introduction of potato bread on an soaks. If tho visitor wants a drink of beer ho may, at some places, get the old brands, but ths prico is lOd a pint, and tho articlo is not quite so strong as the pre-war liquor. Standard" beer can be purchased at bd a, pint, and in somo houses there is a " standard " beer at 4d. But these " standard " ales have no body in them, and aro not so palatable as the mild beers of tho Continent. Tho English brewer has yet to learn how to make the light ales of Franco and Garmany. The Government control of tea and sugar will also be realised by our visitor should he. visit a tea shop. The charge for a oup of tea is 25, or may be 50, per cent, more than in peace times. As to .-ugur, it is not served in some places unless it is asked for. In no case is the sugar basin Jeffc on the table, for tho customer to help hinwHftf. He may sometimes be given two littse pieces, or a single pilule of sacoharine, so tiny tbat it. can only bo found by careful search at tho bottom of the glass <&ih. The middle and lower classes feel these restrictions much more severely than weS-to-do people, who can use high-class restaurants and hotels, where supplies of food axe permitted! on the system of average rates <£ consumption. Jn these last-named casefl thc-e is plenty of food, but. an enormous cost is involved through tho employment of a clerical stall to till up Government forms and returns. Sugar, tea, and butter aro just iow so scarco that a housowifo may go to half a dozen shops and not got a oingto one of those articles. It is quite a coBiTaJH sight to see queues of women attd feirls waiting at shop doors for tho chance of gS3*ing a few ounces of tea. We aro to So further controlled in other matters. Boots and for feJ4fa men and women, are neaily tteablß h&eir old price, and men's woollen «&>tfcS£g is 50 per cent, dearer" than it was. T&e Government riow hold control of all the wool and all the ieather in tho country; they aro, therefore, in a position to control the output. Iu tiio matter of leather thoy ha.vo done so 65directing tho manufacturers to make boots and shoes for men, women, and girls at fixed prices. In a month's time a million pairs will be on the market for sale to civilians. Men's boots will be about a guinea a pair, women's and girls' from -12s 6d to a guinea. • There will be buttoned boots and laced boots, but no cloth tops, or fancy boots with high heols. If the customer wants such articles they must bo ordered of a bootmaker, who can secure the necessary leather, and thei prico will bo nearly, or quite, double that of tho standard article. Tho working man's Sunday boots will cost about 15s a pair.