New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-23
GERMAN MOTHER
TELLS OF FAMINE
Shows Children Here
What Kaiser Has Brought
Upon Germany.
SORROW AND MISERY
SEEN EVERYWHERE
Day and Night, She Says, There
Is Nothing Now but
Tears and Hunger.

The true condition of the German
people, against whom the Kaiser, or at
least the military party, is waging so
destructive a war, is perhaps the best
index of the actual state of the en-
pire. A letter showing that condition
follows, and it speaks much louder than
some of the violent proclamations OF
professors and hyphenated editors.
This letter was sent by mother to
two Of her children in America, en-
ployed on a farm not far from New
York. The daughter visited Germany
this summer and brought back her
brother, who is now unable to return
to his regiment, owing to the difficulty
of transportation across the ocean.
As the letter shows, his two brothers
remaining home were called imme-
diately to the army. He believes that
they are already killed, and he feels
great Indignation at the attack on Bel
GUM. His sister recently. exclaimed:
81 think the Kaiser is too fresh!"
The letter dated as far back as Au-
gust 10 shows that already the people
were in great distress and full OF dread
for the future. What their sufferings
must be now after month OF exnaus-
ton can be imagined only too easily.
It is upon such homes that the great
est privations fall. 1t is also upon such
homes that the strength of the German
Empire rests. II month ago they
were at SO desperate pitch, what re-
serves can the Kaiser have?
Lest the writer or the recipient
might suffer some further hardship if
their identities were known the name
of the town has been omitted and the
names of the family have been changed.
But the authenticity of the letter is
fully vouched for and the translation
is otherwise literal.
As a meek outcry from a poor old
woman who wishes that she may die
soon il is full of eloquence. She has
borne three sons, and the Kaiser has
taken two of them; he would have
taken the third if he could have kept
the ocean open.
The father, wounded in the war of
1870, is unable to collect his little pen
sion and the bank will not release their
petty savings. 1t is small wonder that
the military powers of Germany were
so relentless with the Belgians when
they were so merciless to their own.
This is the letter:
August 10, 1914.
Dear Children: I thank you for let
ters and am very glad that | have again
heard from you. | would have written
at once, but with the war everything
is so uncertain, and so | could not
know whether the mail would be for
warded or not
"You write that you always have
much to do. have, too, but it is
merely such work as earns me nothing.
Il is the same with father, for nothing
no money.
81 could write you many bits of news
but only sad ones. All fathers of
10 sixty have been drawn into the war,
likewise all horses. Whatever could be
used in the least way the army has
taken away twas Elm bischen zu ge-
brauchen war, hat das militSr wegge-
nommen).
Everywhere is sorrow and misery
Undesirable. Day and night nothing
but weeping and wailing. What still
can happen to us must be left to God.
Herman was Immediately called. Helm
rich yesterday, and Elizabeth's husband
must also 90, but alter.
an the cities they already have moth
ing more TO eat, except what comes from
the surrounding country, and that is
bitterly little. Everything is so dear
that hardly anything can be bought
with the little that is left. In one week
the great famine (hungersnoth) may
arrive.
Fathers pension has also been held
back. The little that we have in the
ban; is not TO be had, and if the war
lasts long, then the people here must
sta.ve for the SAX, of the army. How
about Gerhard? Must he also return ?
Dear childroI, dare reg from you
a few marks, for we are in great need ?
l pray every day for the end of the
war. My nervous trouble keeps getting
worse. hope may die soon. Write US
quickly, and forget not that We are
hungry?
"A thousand greetings from your low
ing MOTHER"