ENDLESS "GRAFT."

Taranaki Daily News, 17 April 1917, Page 7

ENDLESS "GRAFT."

.j TEUTON HUNGER GROWS . . New York, Feb. 27. An individual accompanying tiro Gerard party has devoted himself to a dissertation upon the problems other than military that are proving vexatious to Kaiser Wilhelm and all his cohorts. This correspondent says, in a despatch to New York: "Germany is under-nourished. Food and economic conditions throughout the. country are steadily growing worse. There is endless graft in the food distrif' bution plan. The Empire's transportation problems are increasing. "Americajjß who left Berlin, with Ambassador Gerard were deluged with thousands of requests for food from their suppTit". One offer was 10 marks (about- 10s) for a pound of fats from the Embassy store. One German physician asked an American family to give him his pay for medical services in food, not money. It is jokingly remarked in Berlin that there ought to be two kinds of new asylums—meaning for those persons crazy enough not to cheat in the food distribution system, and for those who are insane enough in. their cheating to cheat too much. "GRAFT" IN SUPPLIES.

"The police are powerless to stop most of this "graft," because it is the influential Germans who are the greatest offenders. But the graft does not stop with the influential citizens. Food cards are stolen. The went cold spell in Germany—the most freezingly bitter weather Germany has experienced in decades —destroyed large supplies. Quantities of much-prized potatoes and apples were frozen. Schools, officers, and apartment* in Berlin are closed through lack of coal and business is paralysed. "The Socialists forced the Kaiser to make his peace proffer. The rejection of tlie peace terms miitcd this movement. But Germany's leaders know the demand may come again. Therefore, Germany's efforts in 11)17 may be expected to exceed any heretofore made, because they wili be tho nation's final attempt. The whole Empire is at work for this year's smuggle. The feminine army of a million will step into places of all possible civilian mule workers. The women's activities will take them right up to the firing lines. Every man able to bear arms must aid in striking at the enemy when the crisis arrives." THE GERMANS TIRED OF WAR. Fugitives from Germany may generally be depended upon to tell inti-rcst-ing storif'S of pictures behind the segues in the Fatherland. Two Americans have just reached the United States, one from Berlin and the other from Frankfort. Each had been in Germany a little more than a year, and in that time had- lost over 30 pounds in weigh; each, as a result of the scarcity of food. Mr. Theodore Wurslin, an engineer of Jamacia 1 , Xew York State, said his experiences with working men in Berlin showed him that they were tired of the war, but nevertheless determined to hold out. Many of them earn good wages, virtually all of which they spend for food, and they are thus better 0,, :o\ persons higher in the social scale. Wirsliii said he had often seen groups of British, French, and Russian war prisoners, especially Russians, sweeping the streets, carting goods, and performing other labor. He said they were never molested or insulted. The other American was a New York bnsiness man who said the food situation was very bad in Frankfort. He told harrowing stories *f the hardships undergone by the people, who, he said, vere utterly weary of the war, but entirely devoted to the military leaders. Both these men asserted that the break between Germany and America had caused no excitement, that Americans in Germany were being well treated, and that ho apprehension need be felt for th*. welfare of those left behind. While agreeing that most articles of food were still to be had s by persons witu wellfilled purses, they' said the poorer classes were suffering, but that the country was not yet near the starvation point. The .most bitter complaints of food scarcity come from soldiers at home. Twelve shillings for ajialf-pint of hazel-nut oil for frying is verily a tall price, and three ounces of fat cannot sustain a full-sized man for Very long, although this is the weekly ration in Berlin! San" Francisco, February 2ft