In regard to that very important commodity, bread, France wae lucky in having an unexpectedly good harvest. The early estimates were unfavourable, but the weather changed just at the right time, and, instead of the expected 8,000,000 tons of wheat, the soil of France produced some 8,700,000 tons. Although some of this was lost through the invasion, it was not necessary to import much more than the average quantity, and as the import duty was removed at a very early stage, the French Government has been able to supply the needs of the population in bread at normal prices, while Germany is being driven to all sorts of expedients to make her wheat supplies last.
Wheat is actually cheaper in France than it is in America, that great storehouse of grain. There are also vast quantities of wheat available in Russia for export to France in case need.
Fernand David, the Minister of Agriculture, with whom I had a conversation the other day, said that the autumn sowings, even in those districts which were for a time occupied by the Germans, have been carried out very satisfactorily, and that there is plenty of seed for spring sowings, while the position as regards other cereals is equally good.
One very useful factor in the situation is the subdivision of agricultural land in Franc: Large estates would have been hampered by lack of labour, but when the peasants were called to the army, their wives and children took their places and saved the crops. Not only did they provide for their own land but they helped their neighbours, Every family who could do so lent some other family so many days' work and received help in return, Not for generations has there been 80 much unity among the agricultural population.
The Desclaux Scandal, Two more arrests have been made in connexion with the alleged misappropriation of army stores by M. France Desclaux, the confidant and protege of M. Caillaux. One is that of the soldier who conveyed the packages of provisions to Desclaux's affinity, Mme, Bechoff, and the other prisoner is that lady herself. Apparently there doubt about her as she was left at liberty for about a fortnight after the arrest of Desclaux. When she saw her name mentioned in the newspapers, she showed that she is no ordinary woman. Instead of taking refuge in hysterics, she went in for appendicitis,' thereby escaping the ordeal ' of being" interviewed by inquisitive reporters, Assuming that her illness would keep her indoors, a party of five or six Parisian workwoman called at her address to protest against the non-delivery of parcels despatched by them to their soldier
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.