DISTRESS IN GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 May 1916, Page 2

DISTRESS IN GERMANY.

VISIBLE OX ALL SIDES. PESSIMISM AT VERBUN FAILURE. Travellers who returned to Switzerland from Germany just before the frontier was again ulosed last month, confirm the reports that the failure of the Herman army to capture Verdun has produced a pessimistic effect on' the German public. Contrary to the official statements, the situation in Germany is fast becoming strainod, and a feeling of great uneasiness is abroad. The German Chancellor openly endeavored to prevent the meeting of the Bundcsra.t, the different Federal States having decided to put questions unpleasant to the Imperial Government. Among these was a positive demand to discuss the scope of peace terms and the submarine warfare, which resulted in the "diplomatic illness" of Admiral Tirpitz and an announcement of his resignation. A further concern was the attitude of the political parties, who openly decided to renounce their pact and to challenge the Government to make a declaration for or against the annexationist policy. Finally, the feeling among the people is growing owing to the distress. In places articles of prime necessity- are lacking. The authorities usually throw the blame on the wholesale dealers or speculators, but the people are beginning to realise that the true cause is the dearth of necessary products, which is folt most keenly by the working classes. . Swiss travellers are painfully impressed by. evidence of this distress on all sides. Financial men and manufacturers are showing deep concern. They are gradually losing hope of .winning a complete victory, and only dare expect honorable terms of peace. The losses sustained by the Gorman army are appalling. The lists are freely circulated, and commented upon in private and in public. When talking with the head of a manufacturing firm one traveller had a list shown him of 800,000. killed and LGOO.OOO more disabled for. life. "How can we stand these continuous losses?" asked the manufacturer, and at that moment the battle of Verdun was at .its height. He shook his head ominously. SUFFERINGS OF THE WOUNDED. Other travellers witnessed demonstrations in Berlin, Leipzig and Chemnitz, where the military had to disperse wo-; men and children by force of arms. All discussion of the annexation of new territory is loathed by the once-free citizens of Hamburg, Lubeck and Bremen. Commerce in these towns has suffered more from the war than anywhere else, and the inhabitants freely attribute their misfortunes to Pan-German megalomania. The inhabitants in the Rhine districts have, been shocked within the last few weeks by endless trains of wounded soldiers from the front. It seemed as if the railways were unable to cope with all tho traffic necessary for bringing back the wounded from the battlefields. The Swiss frontier was closed, partly to prevent travellers from bringing across the border reports of the harrowing things they bad seen. Many of the wounded had been only summarily treated at the front, and were still bleeding. Whether these reports are exaggerated or not, they are evidence of the horrors which the inhabitants of the Rhine di-siri-i-5 are daily hearing and seeing. At some of the ammunition factories along the Rhine the workers are in a state of panic at the frequent incursions of French aeroplanes dropping bombs. They complain, saying it would be better if the Government sent them to the trencftes. The workers have made this declaration openly. Wounded soldiers further talk freely of the sufferings they have endured -at the front, and especially of the frequentwant of rations and the iron discipline enforced, so that the living envy the dead. Other travellers are fully convinced that the closing of the Swiss frontier is no bluff, and that Germany is really transporting every available man to the French front, and drawing nil she can from the other fronts. Since the beginning of February every man on leave has been recalled, and only raw recruits, [boys of 17, recently called out, remain at the barracks.