Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-11-30
Half Million or More Are
Subsisting on Barely
Enough to Exist
DESERTED TRENCHES
ARE USED FOR HOMES
Families of Reservists IN
: Russian Army Without
Any Kind Of Help

Warsaw, Nov. 12.-Via London, NOV
2e-Hundreds of thousands OF Tue
civil population in the Warsaw dlstrlct
of poland are suffering from want OF
food. A considerable percentage OF
this number are homeless, living IN
huts. caves of abandoned trenches.
The situation is more serious pc
cause of the immense number or per.
sons thrown out of work by the almost
complete paralysis of Polish indus.
tries Some workers have emlsrateo
to Germany where employment -
plentiful, but the great majority pre-.
fer to remain near their homes IN Tue
hope of better days. prominent roles
in all walks of life maintain that oras,
tic relief measures are necessary II
wholesale deaths from starvation are
to be prevented.
Prices Are High.
Such -four as is now on hand is Pc
ing distributed by the Germans unaer
the bread card system but only pota-
toes are available in quantities, wnlle
there is an acute shortage OF drled
vegetables, meat fats and condenser
milk Prices all over Poland have risen
to unprecedented heights but cannon
he checked by the establishment OF
n,aximum prices. it is claimed, be-
cause of the fear that importation
then would cease altogether.
Suffering is especially acute among
the families of Russian reservlsts VINO
formerly received regular payments
from the government. PENSIONERS
now are cut off from their former IN.
comes and the Russians are charged
with having taken with them the
funds of savings bank depositers.
Many Towns Burned.
The country districts OF Poland
from one end to the other are battle
SCARED, barren and fire swept. IN
the Warsaw governmental dlstrlct
alone it is estimated that 4,OoO VII
lagos were burned by the Russians
Many of the inhabitants who at mrs!
fled with the Russians later returned
and threw themselves on the mercy
of the Germans.
Thousands already have died OF
starvation and diseases superinduced
by hunger. Mothers remaining alive
are so undernourished they cannot
feed their children.
In Warsaw and Lodz women now
rise at o'clock in the morning tc
get good places in the bread lines and
miss the chance to obtain some food
at least. The horror of the situation
is increased by a serious shortage OF
coal, due in part to destruction OF the
mines and in part to inadequate rail
way facilities.
Soup Kitchens Needed.
Committees composed of both
Christians and Jews, with the assist
ance of the German government are
conducting soup kitchens at Warsaw
and Lodz distributing food and fuel
Eighty-one kitchens are running full
blast in Warsaw. while numerous
asylums and homes for young and old
are in operation.
Lodz is attempting to feed 100000
Of It's half million population The
authorities are holding tight rein on
the -four supply to make it last until
the next harvest Homeless peasants
are being given lumber and tools to
erect houses before winter, living
meanwhile in dugouts near their old
homes, cooking on improvised hearths
The city of Lodz is paying pensions
to the wives of reservists on the
kchance of being reimbursed later.
Road building, railroad and bridge
Ework are being carried on extensively
An order that the unemployed may
*earn something. All these measures
bring only partial relief, however, be.
cause Of the shortage in a number OF
articles of food which are imperative.
ly necessary.
Statistics which appear to be auth
oritative show that from 250,000 to
100000 persons are being supported
in Warsaw alone. This number is
A.teadily increasing. Meanwhile funds
ised for charitable purposes have
s5 Zen virtually exhausted. These funds
p mounting to several million rubles
we're given by Polish and Jewish or
ganizations. neutrals and the Russian
1Nvernment.