Germany

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 30, 10 May 1916, Page 7

Germany

! THE COUNTRY FROM WITHIN. 'high PRICES AND substitutes. I PROTEST AGAINST WAR DIFFICULT. I I [UmiKD Pllßßtf Amoctattos.l i London, May 8. | ■ The following neutral description of the Berlin and Hamburg districts is absolutely accurate. Money is abundant ant! there is work for all, but the whole population is on short rations rojgarding :na.:n* necessaries, causing inIfinite grumbling among the poor, who (art' heartily side of war and have no I voice in determining the policy. The Kipper aftcl middle classes are not suffering. Tlie English blockade is no.v beginning to have some effect. 'Hie Ger'mans admit great anxiety concerning the next two months. Tiic Governnienfc urges the-'people to hold out until July, when the harvest will be gathered. The harvest prospects are ; vcry good, but in general the crops have suffered through lack of fertilisers. There i'> no sign of distress, in Berlin, but below the surface signnicant things are noticeable. Soup kitchens ■ are being opened on a large scale, 'where the poorest quality soup is screed, consisting chiefly of potatoes. The diet is largely of substitutes; Sacchar-

line for sugar, imitation coffee, etc. Even beer is adulterated. The Barbarians especially are. grumbling at the [hop shortage, and there is an inquiry into brewing. The authorities issue washing-soda cards and are preparing soup cards. I There is plenty of gaiety in Berlin—officers fill the theatres and the women are well dressed in Paris fashions. to introduce German fashions absolutely failed. Numerous wounded throng the public places. A novelty at the Easter races was a great display of Zeppelins and Taubes over the racecourses. Shakespeare celebrations have been in full swing. The Berliners dread trouble with America. Troops' movements are largely in a westerly direction. The Germans have not the slightest fear of the Russians now. They admit that is hitter and semi-starved. All ithe soldiers met seemed absolutely confident that Germany had won the war. | Hamburg is deserted. The good people of Hamburg anq Bremen consistently oppose the retention of Antwerp, feeing injury to German ports. Prices in Hamburg «re higher than in 'Berlin, The well-known Hamburg jgeese are selling at 40s" each, sugar at />s per-lb., coffee at os per lb., string lis being made n f piper, and the 'best (■•us of beef in Berlin are 6s per lb. ,'i'he passport regulations stringently jrestrict the departure of the richest Germans to Denmark and Switzerland. ! Three things prevent'a national protest against war—the Germans' ox-it'.-eme docility, the absence of men at .the front making organisation and protest difficult, and the belief that the Allies are everywhere "on the defensive.