CONDITIONS IN GERMANY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 220, 11 June 1920, Page 7

CONDITIONS IN GERMANY

4100 FOR A SUIT. • . , "You talk of drought in Australia, but there is also drought in Europe, worse even than youra, and that is hunger," writes Mr. Harold Sturrock, a former resident of Wallsend and Lambton, who was in. tho British Consul's office at Leipzig before the outbreak of tho war, and has since tho armistico beon associated with tho British Committee of Investigation. Mr. Sturrock, who is now,in Berlin, was a prisoner of war in Germany. "I have seen somo awtul cases in my travels,'' he writes to a friend at West Maitland, "({specially in Austria. Thero 'the people aro dreadfully in need of food and coal, and hundreds dio daily. Not only havo they nothing to eat, but no clothing to wear. It is <i common tiling to sw children with only a ooat and trousers on. In Germany things aro a littlo better, for they havo goods that ono may purchase, but at famino prices. Tho country wab simply starved out during 1917. Peoplo had nothing olso to eat but turnip soup; mado at the Municipal Council kitohens, and tlie peoplo cortainly look like it still. "Tho following aro some of the prices of tho most liccessary articles, twelvo months after tho armistico, which will give yon an idea of how, empty tho country was: Coffee, 28s. per lb.; tea, 245. por lb.; condensed milk, 10s. Gd. peatill; fresh milk cannot bo had for lovo or monoy; bacon, ?25.; eggs,, 2s. each; meat, 30s. per lb., when procurable; rice, 75.; sugar, 10s.; candles, Is. Gd. 1 each; Australian jam, 10s. Gd. per lb. tin. "Of course, many things are not procurable. When ono conies to clothing one is astounded at tho prices. An ordinary suit costs from .£45 to JCIOO. a shirt J!3 155., isocks 42 per pair, a necktio £,% 10s., collars 15s. eacli, liaiß .£5 10s. Then, with respect to' boots, tho peoplo stand in queues for days to got a. good pair. Ixwtlior boots cost anjshing from £1 lfls. to .£BO a pair, and yet pooplo buy in spito of these abnormal prices, but groat nnrest prevails among them, and tho day is not far distant when ihe dark olo'uds will break. Revolution will run throughout the land. I doubt if it will bo as bad as Russia, for the German is much noro reasonable than tho Russian; nevertheless it mil be a bittor fight. It is a pity. Germany before the war was ono of tho best countries ono could wish to soo. Things are not all roses in England, and everything is dear, but thero plenty of money is to bo fed for. working," A