The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-04-15
by Herbert Corey.

BERLIN, April IS starvation has /
come to SOME parts of Russian Poland .
as result Of the war. So has suni
tution. For the first time In their
history some VI these towns nrc being
cleaned up Cholera and scarlet fe
YER and typhoid and other diseases
uf filth ARE sporadic In Polish towns.
They viii he something less sporadic
when the Germans conclude their
work with the scrubbing brush.
Il have wondered why the Rus
sim one sees In pictures always wears
high boots" said DR.. otto lewald,
under secretary Of the Department Of
the Interior "Now know I've been
In Russian Poland, and | have walked
ON the streets " the principal towns. 10
There is LODI, for example Lonz
Is IA highly prosperous town Of GOO.
/ 600 population perhaps II WAS the
second cotton manufacturing town IN
Europe. Here and there IN LODI Is Il
pnved street Between times there are
alleys IN which one sinks 10 ones
knees In varied Nth when the wealth
Vt ~ Nl NblAH ltlf NV i'i ~
business houses and handsome stone
residences. Between them are abOml
nablp huts. What we know as public
utilities are all privately owned TN
LODI There Is privately owned fire
department and sewerage system
aud water system, and a strictly
limited street lighting system. Az a
consequence
, LODI 1t smells" says Dr. IRwnld
LODI Is the largest aud most mod
ern and cleanest town I'm Russian
, Poland The other towns descend th'
scale rapidly All are very darl
ana very poor aud very dirty Only
few NJ the larger towns are lighte'
at night even by the private contrac
plan None huye ever been cleaned
under Russian rule Each town i
taxed "Hll the traffic will bear n
y. We say at home. hut as little M pos
' slhlc " the taxes have been spent o
the town The municipal official
. have nl been appointed from NJ
. Petersburg No town * permitted (
" spend more than $3.50 on itself with
- out authorization from 81 Petersburg
", There has not been even the fictio
~ VI any sort " home rule
"GermHnS couldn't stand the dirt
n said Dr lewald 80 We began
~ clean up"
o. At first the military did the clear
~ Ing Towns were made well IA,
hahitHhlr but lcss ntroclous than th,
had been. Streets were shuvelled fr,
of the worst Nth foundation vi
N put iu their mud over which arm
p" wheeled transport could travel m,
a the German Ciyil administrators Z,
to lowed the soldiers They put the I
q hahitnnts At work First the stree
~. and myements and then the hous
hs aud finally the people were cleaned u
n Russian Poland Is slightly less lmpC
M ible now In spots There II at lea
10 less danger from disease
You cant drive down that roaC
said soldier 10 correspondent ne
IN Hollmov "A horse would sink 10 |
neck I'm the mlre"
- Won Hindenhurg's army had gtrl
Iv. gled through that mud somehow T
his correspondent saw huge gangs Of m
nd at work win Germnn r0hdmhklng II
10 chlnery and shoyels and presplrati,
AN They trenched and drained the rOat
They removed the loose top covert
- NJ black muck and replaced II vi
the best road making material 10
found They shaped the road urfr
80 that II drained from the cent
The Russians had been content with
as a wallow. 4 month later the sa
correspondent saw huge guns bel
hauled along that one time mora
Their heavy wheels hardly left mG
upon the hard surface Won Hind
burg built 1000 Kilometres Of rot
like this.
There are few railroads In Russ
Poland What roads there were h
been torn mp 10y the Russians In IN
first retreat General won Hind
burg built them. 10 that they se
Y the military needs and, so far ~ =
III sble. that " the country One
VI the trains bids fair TO become loct
famous II IL know m the "I.i
v I,Odz Luxus," and runs from Lille
France 10 LodE In Poland Look NJ
map and realize what a dislocatlon
ch old conditions that express train r.
Ir. bolizes.
IT, The Germans even gave--or peri
~ ted n small measure " self gov,
ny mcnt to the captured towns A
In I the Russians fled, and before the I
ng mans came, a state approNlmating
ial archy resulted. Fortunately II wa
ON denatured anarchy. No harm
m done. At least, no great harm
lef done. On the authority of the
7 man officials these Poles are a
MI harmless people. who only ask y
ner slight measure of peace and lit
for very little prosperity, They
for placed the Russian town officials
had fled by town government " I
own.
sla, Most of these towns have
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