"WE ARE STARVING."

Taranaki Daily News, 21 March 1917, Page 2

"WE ARE STARVING."

TERRIBLE STORY FROM GERMANY. "DEATH IS BETTER. TBA\ SUCH A LIFE." (Daily Express Correspondent.) Amsterdam, December 30. , "We are starving. Tell everybody outside Germany we are starving. If our soldiers can stand iti any longer ive cannot. We women of Germany ccnnct Ko'o>i seeing our children siilVering deprivation and hunger. We cannot and .will not. Death is better than such a life, tell them. Ask them to have pityon us, for our own Government have none. Tell them we are starving." This is the pathetic New Year me.?sage which a special correspondent whom I sent on a mission of inquiry ir.to Western Germany brought back tonight lor publication in the Daily Express. My correspondent is a neutral merchant of high standing and character. and I can vouch for anything he says.

He visited a number of small towns pear the Dutch, frontier, spent a fortnight in Cologne, and several days in Hanover, and tried to enter Essen, but failed owing to the new measures prohibiting the entrance of foreigners into 'Krupp town." Finally, being informed by his consul that the German authorities considered hi'm suspect, lie decided to break off his journey and report to Amsterdam. The result of his observations is expressed in the above message. misery of the Tittle towns of North-western Germany is terrible, despite the continual smuggling of foodstuffs from Holland—a work in .which the German sentries take an active hand either by helping the smugglers to cross the frontier line for a fee varying from 5s to -i!5, or by smuggling goods themselves with the co-operation of the Dutch professionals. The sentries often use the services of children whom they send into Holland to fetch bread, milk, and meat "for their parents." The children receive a few coppers, while the soldiers sell the goods at many times their real value.

SAWDUST BREAD. My correspondent visited B/.uhholU and tasted the "bread" the local bakers sell there. He affirms that it is unfit even for horses' food, but tlje population have seen no ether bread for 18 months. Two ounces daily of this stuff, which tastes like indiarubber, and is made of sweepings of rice and sawdust, is tho chief nourishment of the poor population of Western Germany. Meat ai/d niil.it are hardly ever seen except 0:1 the tables of the well-to-do.

The people look a?, might bo expected from llieir diet. Tho type of chubby German has disappeared except among the peasants who fed themselves pro"ptrly until Hindenburg called them to task for their alleged selfishness. Most working peoplo in Germany look pais, haggard, and ghostlike. ' Cologne prides itself, like every other German city, 011 being the best organised town in tho empire. In- reality, special precautions are taken, because many neutrals and many soldiers pass through the place, and the Government does not wish to give cither too di.-mal an impression. In reality, the women of Cologne are driven to despair bv famine, for famine, is there. This )s the "bill of fare" for Cologno people ts arranged by the authorities under the card system: r Bad bread (daily) ... Sozs . bugar (weekly, _ 220z& Meat, including "bono? ■p x , , -tats and substitutes (weekly) 13-14ozs. JSutter (weekly) 0^ Potatoes (daily) ... .. ... _ The potato ration enly appears jive times a week; 011 the two other days the same weight of cabbage, generally decayed, is substituted. One e™ evorv fortnight is allowed. eo '

milkless month. People in Cologne have not had milk for four weeks, except children under six, who receive less than a pint daily. There has been no genuine coffee for months, only an undrinkahle substitute made with barley and sold at a high price. Beans, rice, and dried vegetables are unheard of, except in legendary prowar stories, while fresh vegetables are all seized by von Batoeki for the army's use. The same remark applies to cheese and tea. .fivcry market day rioting take; place between the buyers, and often between the buyers and the police. On December 12 two women were kjlled in the open market 'places of Cologne by revolver shots from the police because they were quarrelling about the ■ dearth of food. Another consequence of, the scarcity is the increase of thefts by boys anil ciris, who, organised in brigand bands, break into food shops 01 steal ladies' purses in the open streets in daytime. The theft statistics of Cologne shov/. a terrible . iricreaso. Women . are among the »most ardent food-lifters. People applying to the police for help generally find cold comfort, the policeman answering, ! \\e 'are helpless, because we are too few in numbers ar.d too overworked. You must prot-eeb ■ yourselves." When even the German- ■"polzei" admits his helplessness it is little wonder that the people are becoming revolutionary. According to my •correspondent, there arc, plenty of 1 signs - of- the progress of revolutionary ideas. It is merely to stein the threatening- ■ tide that peace overtures have been made. - Evcrvbody in Germany knows that the Emperor, the Government,'and the military clique are between two abysses—revolution within, defeat without. Soldiers on furlough'discuss openly in 'the streets the topics of revolution and a German republic. The policemen hear them and smile, but do not arrest them. My correspondent attended divine service in St. Ursula's Church, Cologne and noticed that a number of women had to be carried out of the church, in a fainting condition, weak from want of nourishment. He expressed astonishment, and people said to him "This happens continually, and little wonder m present circumstances. How can anybody stand this fpod misery and live?" , In the course of the service the correspondent heard ■ a sermon which he was able to compare with a sermon he heard in Berlin at the beginning of the war. _ In 1914 Germany's priesthood; on superior instructions, only preached about the sanctity of war, the bcautv 9f victory, the certainty of Genuan'v being "über Alios" because it was the nation dearest tc God's, own heart. The sermons of 1910 wero somewhat in the minor key, also on distinct instructions from Headquarters. The priest; explain

that Germany unust suffer for lier sins, but tliat the reward—an honorable peace, with the enemy "kept out of Germany'.-:. eoil—will come soon. STAY-AT-HOME SOLDIERS.

The spirit of the soldiers on furlough whom the correspondent observed was extraordinary and most incredible. Many refuse to return to the front And have to lie brought out of their homes by soldiers with- bayonets and sent to the city prison. This has lons since been filled, and overflow gaols have had to be prepared. It is often reported that soldiers refusing to return to fight have been shot, in the street by soldiers sent after thorn. On the Cologne drill ground last week a captain slapped a young recruit in the face before all the other men. The recruit, his nose bleeding, protested, skying that he .was a Socialist and would not he struck. The officer drew his revolver ancl shot him. Many women of all classes are inducing their husbands and brothers tcr desert and meet them in Holland or Switzerland, feeling that life is almost impossible in Germany. As to the future, there is no hope except in the Allies' magnanimity In finding the war now. . Nobody even hopes for a decent peace, let alone a good peace. My correspondent heard it said among all classes of society; "In the spring of 1917 famine will surely come. If there is no peace, then revolution will break out in Germany." i This is not a mere rumor. It seems to bo the firm intention of the German working classes, who are the greatest sufferers by the war. Revolution is the great topic of conversation. People are not agreed on the means, but the public belief seems to be spreading that revolution 19 the only remedy for Germany's present troubles.

'NOT ONE SHOT MORE." Remarkable signs of declining morale were observed by the correspondent during a few days' stay in Hanover last week. Visiting beerhouses, lie frequently overheard soldiers, even men wearing the Iron Cross, shout: "Not one shot more will I fire. It's all over." Not a word of protest was heard.

Food conditions there are about the same as at Cologne, but three eggs arc allowed monthly. Favored people can obtain one pound of vermicelli monthly. Beer is bad, dear sknd scarce, but the little alcohol to be liad seems to be consumed by women trying tor drown their troubles in liquor. The poorest class of M'omen have taken to drink habit with extrsordinary intensity since the war began. Sadness is everywhere, though it sc-cms that the police arrangements are more ruthless than at Cologne, and people do not dare to express their feelings as freely. There is in Hanover also much talk about revolution and the suppression of the HoKenzollcrns, A leading Socialist town councillor said to my correspondent; "Yes, we shall all starve in April. We know it, but who knows whether a. German republic will not be proclaimed before then?" This is symptomatic. Anybody who had spoken like that two years ago would have been put in a straight jacket and locked up. THE SCAPEGOAT,

On the eve of.the New Year the food situation in Germany is more terrible than ever, and the outlook for the future is worse, as is proved by the official avowal of failure contained in yesterday's circular from von Batoeki announcing a complete reform of his food distribution Bcheme. 'Hitherto everything has been centralised in Berlin. Even the ration of cheese for the most 1 emote hamlet in Silesia was arranged by von Batoeki'.s irmy of bureaucrats. In future everything is to 'be decentralised, the provincial and communal authorities controlling food distribution in their own areas. The people of Germany are not likely: to let themselves be fooled by new schemes, knowing the futility of speaking of food distribution when there is no iood to be distributed. Already they have chosen von Batoeki as the scapegoat foi all their sufferings, and ho is the most abused man in the Empire Soonw or later ho will be made to pav for the mistakes of the Berlin military gang and the official illusionists in the German Admiralty who have so often fooled the starving Germans with wild stories about "smashing England's loose blockade says my correspondent, travel into the small German towns and he will be able to tell the true story—if ho survives."