The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-03-02
IN THE FATHERLAND
INTERESTING BITS OF NEWS
FROM THE GREAT GERMAN
EMPIRE.
WHAT'S DOING IN OLD HOME
Summary Of the Most Important Hap
penings In the Land Of the Kaiser
Readers.

capital LAS IdllSn OIL over 20 per cent
since the outbreak of hostilities. In
December only $4,000 persons came to
the capital, as compared with 103.-
600 in the same month of the proceed
ing year. Among the countries with
which Germany is at war; Britons and
French totaled all together only
Z; Belgians, 81; Russians, ia;
and Portuguese, 2. There was an
influx of 513 Swedes, 532 Danes. "a
Norwegians, 299 Dutch, 253 Swiss and
II Italians, but other neutral coun-
tries were represented by very small
groups.
In discussions on the possibility of
bringing Germany to her knees by
cutting off war supplies, copper al
ways figures prominently, but mem
Der of London firm which before
the war supplied Germany with much
of her supply of base metals declares
household fixtures alone in the coun-
try would suffice to provide the neces-
sary copper for many years. He es-
Inmates that door knobs alone would
supply the country with the copper
necessary for making munitions of
war for the next three years.
The state department in Washing
ton has been notified by Count Johann
Won Bernstorff, the German ambassa-
dor, that his government had given
official assurance that no foodstuffs
shipped from the United States to
Germany would be seized for mill
tary or any other governmental use.
Officials surmised that the embassy
might have been instructed to make
this communication as an explanation
that imports from America would not
be affected by the announced purpose
of the German government to seize
all corn, wheat and flour, as reported
in news dispatches from Berlin.
Germany, since the outbreak of the
war, has been cut off from importa-
lions of phosphate rock and has now
reached position where she is short
of supplies. Without phosphate rock.
Germany's 1915 cereal crop will show
an immense shrinkage. Probably %
per cent shrinkage would be conserva
tive, and estimates of 33 per cent are
not regarded as excessive. Phosphate
rock produces the berry and fruit por
ton of grain; potash strengthens the
stalk and nitrates feed the stalk. Phos-
plate rock is the most essential
therefore, and is the one thing of
which Germany is least likely to get
an adequate supply.
The great burden of Germany is in
the loss of her shipping, which is esti-
mated at about 10000 tons, or about
six times the English loss. In Ham
burg failures since the war, due to
shipping disasters, are estimated at
$4,000, 900.
1t is semiofficially stated that the
Berliner Disconto Gesellschaft has
placed at the disposal of Bulgaria $751;
100000 against treasury bonds as the
second installment of a loan of $780,
100000 which was concluded in Berlin
by group of German banks last year.
OF this amount Bulgaria already has
received s24,O00,00O The loan to Bull
garia is to be advanced against treas
ury notes, payable after the conclu-
sion of peace. No political conditions
are attached to the making of the
loan.
The Austrian government has de-
cided to organize a grain monopoly
On similar lines to that established by
Germany. The Austrian minister of
agriculture announced that the army
has procured supplies of grain suffi-
cient to last until the end of August.
Owing to the quantities of barley and
maize now being taken for breadstuffs
there is serious shortage in the sup
ply of fodder
The German sailors who were res
cued from the sinking cruiser Blue
cher ali wore new style life preservers
with which the German navy has
beens equipped since the beginning of
the war. The apparatus consists of
tened about the shoulders. The vest
is of rubber and is about "a inches
long by 10 inches wide. 1t can be
blown up by the wearer in moment
and is SO made that when in use the
air feed pipe comes opposite the
mouth. German sailors stated that
any man who lost this article was liza
BILE to fine of three dollars.
Robert ]. Thompson, late United
States consul at Aix-la-Chapelle, says:
ION one of my trips to Brussels l
visited the local prison to see how the
Germans were treating their civilian
prisoners and their own soldiers
whom they had confined. All seemed
to be well fed and clothed. Similarly,
the stories of atrocities practiced by
the German soldiers on the Belgians-
which lost Germany much sympathy
it might otherwise have had-found
no basis in our Investigations Not a
shred of reliable evidence could we
discover"
Baron Burian won Rajecz, Austrian
foreign minister, has cabled Secretary
Bryan urging vigorous Intervention
by the United States to obtain more
adequate protection of Austrian civili-
ans in Russia The Austrian foreign