AUSTRO-GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1917, Page 5

AUSTRO-GERMANY.

INTERNAL STATE OF BERLIN.. COMPARED WITH PARIS. BEVELATIOSS BY MR. GERARD'S PARTY. PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM HUXGER. weucrr. faith in the army. Onited Service. Received Feb. 18, 5.5- p.m. 'London, Feb. 17. The Daily Telegraph's Paris correspondent reports interviews with members of Mr Gerard's party, who give the following collective opinion of the internal state of Germany:— Their first surprise on reaching Paris Was to see taxicabs. They saw more motors during an hour in* Paris than daring months in Berlin, where they Were run on iron tyres. Their second surprise was to see wellfed horses. In Berlin the horses mere all emaciated, and it took six to draw e load which two could draw normally. The ahundance and variety of food in Paris was astounding. There was no comparison with Berlin, where only the lich can eat their fill, at enormous prices. Milk is terribly scarce, and the death Tate of children has risen to an fextraordinary degree:. German people are not merely on short commons, but are literally suffering from hunger, nevertheless the morale of the population keeps up. "It is a fact, though it amazes U3 now that we are in Paris, that the Germans are absolutely convinced that the people of France and England are suffering the Bame or worse food shortage. "Now that we are'in Paris, we see ftn amazing difference between the Gerbnan conditions and the French. Probably the military chiefs know that Gerirrevocably beaten. "An old German officer told us that \l the Allies pierce the front; a comSlete retreat will probably be inevitable, nd it might become a rout; but the people have no idea of such a possibility, and believe implicitly in the £rmy. They know that the Germans have lost a million and a half killed. "The people are convinced that the submarines within six weeks will force England to sue for peace. 'What will happen when the belief is exploded, no Jme knows."