CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 68, 25 February 1916, Page 5

CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

Here is how the “Vorwaerts” describes Bremen, after 15 months of war, as the result of a census of working class homes in the city;—Out of 787 households, 68 could not afford to buy meat at all. These meatless homes comprised 6600 persons. The remaining 719 households spend not more than Is per head per week on meat. On butter, margarine, and/ other fats only about 9j{d was spent for each member of the household. Out of the total number of households 45 do not hare any milk at all; the rest spend on milk about 31 a week for each member of the family, on the other hand, each member of the family consumes about 41 d worth of potatoes per week. One-third of the families investigated had an income of less than 25s a week. The average size of family was four persons. Rent claimed on anaverage os a week. Out of 238 families with a weekly income of less than 255, after deducting the expenses for rent, fuel, etc., only 12s 6d wa s left on the average for food and clothing. Eighty-one families had an income of only 15s to 295, while no fewer than 52 families earned only from os to 15s.

Verdun, which the Germans are striving hard to capture, is strongly fortified. It is a town of about 22,000 inhabitants in the department of Meuse, on the river Meuse, 150 miles north-east of Paris, and 35 miles west of Metz, in Alsace-Lorraine. Here in 843 was signed the compact which divided the kingdom of the Franks into three parts, and so gave rise to the future France, Germany, and Lorraine. Verdun was taken by the Prussians in 1792, but was restored to the French &fter the battle of Valmy, in which town there is a pyramid to commemorate the victory of the French over the Prussians on September 20, of that year. In 1870 Verdun surrendered to the Germans after a month’s seige. The position has not changed materially since yesterday’s news came through. For some time it wag evident that the Germans were bent on striking at the fortress, and the report that the Crown Prince had been appointed to the command of the Prussians in this theatre confirmed the opinion that the offensive would not long be delayed. Wo hear of his force being strongly reinforced, and with the addition of an immense amount of artillery. The generalship of Sarrail. who is in command of the Allies at Salonika, i s referred to in . the cables, as the object of the Crown Prince is to capture certain earthworks which that able French soldier had constructed upon the heights of the Meuse prior to the battle of the Marne. The whole region consists of wooded hills and ravines, and the difficulties of the campaign may be imagined. The actions have been stubbornly fought, and we learn that the enemy have suffered very severely, so that our losses must have been considerable, although as the attacking force the Germans fairly court death. With the advent of new and destnlctive long-range guns, it is unwise to predict that Verdun will be able to withstand the onslaught of the Germans, but it is satisfactory to read that French experts are not anxious, but, indeed, are hopeful that the attack will be continued. The Crown Prince’s desire to refresh his faded laurels, which was the result of his earlier mistakes in the war, is said to be one reason for the concentration. For some time there have been rumors that Germany is making pretr ty thorough-going preparations to rush into the world’s markets directly the war ends. It is said, for instance, that work in many German industries, which are not needed, either for war purposes or to keep the countiy going in its present state of semi-blockade, is still being pushed ahead, and stocKs of manufactured goods are being accumulated for sale whenever opportunity offers. Now comes a report that she is also buying raw material abroad, for shipment to her as soon as it can be delivered. According to “The Times’ ” New York correspondent, she’ has bought no less than £20,000,000 worth of copper, cotton, wool, lard, grain, agricultural ma- , chinery, and other products. These have been bought subject to delivery in Germany “60 days alter the vvai ends,” or “on order,” with the exception of wheat, all the purchases being stored in close proximity to Atlantic ports, .where many German merchant men are' interned. One ieport has it that an order for small tractor engines built for farm woi k was actually delivered on shipboard. According to a Chicago newspaper, the amounts bought include 50,0000001 b of electrolytic copper, 500,000 bales of cotton, and millions of bushels of wheat and maize. German bankers describe these purchases as “designed to establish preparedness for peace.” As a matter of fact, Germany has been for a long while pre- ' pared for peace —on her own terms.