24 FEBRUARY 1917, Page 11

(To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—In furtherance of

your contention that bread is taking a preferential place in the question of food control to beer, I tender the following. Last month I telephoned to the grain merchant from whom I buy poultry supplies, asking for barley, and was informed that he had not been able to obtain any supply of barley for some months, but was able to offer me wheat. It is evidently of comparative unimportance whether the country starves so long as the supplies required for " Beer, glorious beer" are not inter-