TRICKERY BY GERMANS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 211, 22 September 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

TRICKERY BY GERMANS.

LIFE IX BELGIUM UNDER GERMAN RULE. (Pans "Figaro.") "I have lost ray pocket-book," cries a preson .seated in a railway train arriving at Charleroi. Immediately there is great commotion. The anxiety of the German officials to find that pocket-book is wonderful. The station is closed «md everybody h searched. Incidentally every letter and document found in possession of any of the travellers in seized. That is only one of tiro menus employed by the Germans to prevent communication between the unfortunate Belgian people and the outside world. The service of the Post Office is very regular for the occupied territory, but no letters are allowed from abroad. even from Switzerland. There are private couriers who, for largo sums and at great risk undertake to bring in letters that have been handed to them at the frontier. The Germans, however, as shown, are very ingenious in discovering these couriers. Then imprisonment or a heavy fine, perhaps death, is the penalty. hollowing these seizure of such fitters, the (jr-imans .lave \< pnculiair means of torture for the persons addressed. A polne official with an air of mystery tkes a letter to : ts destination. If it is accepted, arrest and punishment follows. TORTURING A .MOTHER. One woman, who had been waning form ontlis for news from her son. a sohhyr at the front, finally received a call from a police ouieial, who handed a -tter to her. "I ,nn not expecting a letter from anyone," she said. "But it is from your sun," .—.id t:-.<> pol : ccman. " I have no son." "But sec," said the man, opening the envelope, "you will easily recog--1! se tit. 1 writing.'' "Yes, she roccniscd it. but she had the strength to answer, "No."

"Then." said the inquisitor,"' we will burn it." and he proceeded : n her pivsen.ee to set fire to the precious le:tiT. and wa.ited until it was consumed.

" It was like burning my heart out,'-' sa-.'d the poor mother, relating the incident to -i woman who managed t.. escape, by some means not revealed and told the Paris "Figaro" of life u Belgium under German tine. One- in a while the residents get the liett-.r of their torturers, this woman

-aid, and related the following inci-

Aldme. M. had rece w.l a letter iron, her husband. An officer who was billeted n her apartment -aw that she seem 1 very happy, and said . "You seem vcrv gav. .Madam: von have doubles iV-oived good m«ws from Mr. M." " Why. yes," -lie replied, deceive.: by this appearance of interest, " he lias written to me. H<> is very well." "Ah. S.i much the better." answered the officer. REYEXGK OF AX OFFICER. Two hours later the wife was taken before the kommamlantur and fined twenty marks (All.) "Is that all?" she cried. lanczhniu. "You think that isn't enough?" sa'd the official. "Why, I've h-eon told that there was so much need of money : n Germanv that the people are dving of hunger.'' "Who told vou that?"

"The officer who is stopping at my house. Lieutenant Sell "

Th:it evening the lieutenant was airested and sent to prison for a month, so the woman had her revenge. "At first said a refugee, ''everything seems normal; the street cars run, the stores are open, the schools, too; the courts are sittug with the ordinary magistrates of thi country, the coal nines are worked and the gas and electrical establishment arei u operation. But in other concerns there is only here and there a workman employed to take care of mo. tive power, liip. inhabitants can go about the streets freely, but for the shortest journey they must have permission of the koinmandantur.

"Everything is at oxornitant price*. Cloth "s rare, lubber has absolutely disappeared. The Germans have confiscated all they could find. Beef, po,-k or hud costs 3s a pound; nut oil. which is the only kind allowed, is 9s 6d to 9s 9d a quart; an ordinary hcrrin," costs 6d cr "d. Potatoes cannot be had to 1, their weight in gold. The eh.of f( od is rice boiled ill water, for ibe i ilk allowed is so depleted of erea-.e. and so watered that it is useless. T'i > nee is sweetf-iKd with blown siigai it -Is e'd a pound. THE COST OF BREAD. "The bread is black and given out by rations. The bread cards g : ve the right to eleven ounces a day. If you want more you have to go to the pastry ino'>:s uho bake : t secretly, only they make you pay about Gd a pound And you mustn't get caught or you will bo heavily lined. "Ordinary soap only cxistf. as a legend. Tireie is left only a little soft soap at 2s Gd a pound. "The Ameiiean committee supplier Cliarleroi and many other Belgian cities. The srrval of provisions ; s announced fifteen days in advance and everybody tries i.o get as much as possible.

'■' Hi .l inhabitants of Belgium artwaiting and hoping. The German officers are wearing velvet gloves, but the claws are stuck out for almost nothing. To hear them talk everything hateful they do is the fault of the inhabitants. That is their system. "With the G.erman soldiers it is a different story. Charleroi : s occupied by Landsturm troops. There are many men with grey hair who are complaining, sayng they would like to return to their wives and children and mat they are not to blame for the excesses committed.

TROOPEK.S FEAR ONE ANOTHER

"Sometimes active troops are sent there for a rest of a week or two. At fv'st they were lodged with the inliahi tants, and once could talk to them The greater part had an unsatisfied air. They are all persuaded that England began the war and that Frame only followed her. So they are for death to the English. ''No one daiv:s to undeceive them, for he would risk being severely punished. It was noticed that when a soldier was alone he would listen better and talk more willingly. When there were two they wou'd be suspicions of each other." "One of them said in a confidential mood:—'We would he glad to refuse to march, hut f a thousand men shouH refuse one man with a i» trailieuse would lie sufficient to put th.em :..l out.' They reason like this: — " 'To march to battle one has throe chances cut of four of not being lulled One may he unhurt, be a prisoner, ar be wounded. If he refuses." one is sur • of Ueing shot.' "