LIFE IN BERLIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 March 1917, Page 2

LIFE IN BERLIN.

•la-IILEBEN VICTIMS EETUBN. GREAI SCARCITY OF FOOD. London, Jan. 12. Over a hundred civilian prisoners from Germany reached London this week, in Accordance with the exchange policy agreed to at last by the Gernina'Government. Amongst tile English refugees was a gentleman who, for the past three years, has resided in Berlin. The better class people there, he says, look forward to the war lasting another two years. They really do not believe that Germany can be beaten, though they think a draw is possible. ■ "The train by which we travelled out of Berlin," he says, "was packed. Most of the passengers were soldiers. As I had plenty of money, I travelled firstclass, and had every comfort possible on the journey. My carriage was full of Germans, but there was little conversation. We had to change three times. At night we passed through Essen, which was in full blast, and the flames from the furnaces lit up the whole country around. I have no reason to believe that at any time during the, war has Germany been short of munitions of any kind.

"All the time I was in Berlin I have been able to read the English papers. I bought them at a local bookshop, and the contents were never blacked out nor censored in any way. The good Berliners simply refuse to believe anything that they read in the English newspapers. Nearly every week recently the number of persons feeding at the State kitchens has increased by about 4000, and if they once go to the kitchens they must continue their visits for the who'o week and forfeit certain food tickets. There is no milk for ordinary consumption. Special milk tickets are allotted for children and invalids. Healthy folk have to drink their tea, coffee, and cocoa without milk—rich and poor alike. One has to have tickets for clothes, for handkerchiefs, • for soap, for linen and woollen articles. Before you can get a pair of boots you must go to a 'magistrate and Ci.pla.in why you need them.'' 1 HARSH SYSTEM. Mr. Bernard Ellison, who was taken prisoner while on holiday in Hie Ardennes, stated that the "conditions in the camp at Rulilcben had improved, but that none of the credit for this was due to the Germans. The prisoners had been kept alive by parcels of food from Eng land. <

A young Irishman, named John Lewins, said he was strong before he was interned, but he was brought out of the camp of the sanatorium on a stretcher. They did not want' him to die in the camp. He spoke about the prices of tilings outside, declaring that 30s was charged for a chicken, and Is for a good egg.

A lady added that salt herrings were Is each. She explained that she had lived in Bremen for 32 years, and expressed her intense pleasure to get back to England, as "things are so scarce li. Germany." A baker in Hamburg has been punished for mixing sawdust with other ingredients in the making of bread. Evidently the Germans are expecting great things from Roumania.

All those conversed with expressed tilt opinion that the Germans thought their supplies would keep them going for the next six months, by which' time they would gather their own harvest. As a rule they are very quiet as to prospects of victory, but they still think they are going to win. Everyone says that the continuance of the war is due to England, and they are preparing for a tremendous effort in the spring to achieve victory and to punish this country. In Bremen there was still the legend, "God punish the English," to be seen in the shop windows, but the people did not call after the English, "You old Englander," as they used to do as a term of opprobrium.

SUFFERING CHILDREN.' The pahtos of the war was well illustrate by a French woman, with seven children, from 13 to two years of ace The family were living in Belgium when the war broke out, and had just come from that country, while their father, she proudly added, was still fighting for France. All the personal belongings of this littlo party were contained in one small parcel. There were several French women and children who had come from Brussels. They told of the domineering spirit of the Germans. "They are eon" tinually boasting 0 f their great victories everywhere," said one of the party, "and they are as arrogant in their manner as if they had already won the war ,Thoy have all the best of the food, and take the best from the houses of the iieoplu for themselves. One day seven Germans entered a house and commandeered all the potatoes they could find "