FOOD, CLOTHES, QUEUES, BLACK MARKET

Against this there was an announcement in the collabora-
tionist papers of big arrivals of potatoes from Brittany
which, in fact, came from Germany. These had rotted
and housewives refused to take them.

In connection with this, people found another name for
the Germans, terming them Doryphores.1 Was Admiral
Darlan referring to potatoes when he spoke of the
"generous victors"?

The coffee ration is 60 grammes (2 oz.) a month, plus
250 grammes (9 oz.) of a substitute mixture. Parisians
are very fond of their coffee. In order not to lose the
taste for it, many content themselves during the week
with the mixture of chick-peas and chicory and save the
real coffee for a cafe nature on an occasional Sunday.

Children ares entitled to a quarter-litre (almost half a
pint) of milk a day. Adults can obtain a half-litre (almost
a pint) of skimmed milk. There is not enough for every-
body, and the queues are so long that many prefer to
go without.

Tinned foods are sold in exchange for lettered tickets
on occasions decided by the Government. There are not
many tinned foods to be had because of the lack of metal
for making tins. When a shopkeeper sells any he must
open the tin so that the food cannot be stored.

The police, on many occasions, have had to take names
and addresses and disperse queues formed at 5 a.m. for
supplies not to be released till three hours later. Once
or twice a week there is a supply of fish, but here again,
despite ration cards, there is not enough for everybody.
The queues are so long that many do without.

The food problem is such that one must give up work
in order to queue and eat, or work and not eat. Food is
the main topic of conversation. Between friends "arrange-
ments" are made.

Eggs are not to be found. The Germans buy them up
from the farms at 5 francs each. When I left carrots were
unobtainable, but turnips were plentiful. Each person
was entitled to one litre (if pints) of wine a week. It was

1 The name of an insect which attacks the potato plant.

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