The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-12-19
Germans Have Invented Way Of
Making Autos Run With
out the Aid Of Rookie
Teller.
|rHE FOOD SITUATION
stories Arc Distorted About Food
Riots and Shortage Of Pro
visions and Other
Things.
united Press Correspondence. ]

TUnited Press Correspondence
LONDON, Nov. 2O.-(By mail.)-
What may be considered truly &C
curate, as well as neutral account OF
Germany's economic situation at pres.
ent, has been received here by an
American physician from colleague
also American, whose practice in Der.
lin brings him into close contract
with the German public:
The physicians letter, coming via
Basic, Switzerland, by courier and
eyidencing a complete lack Of atten.
ton on the part of the German cen.
sor. disputes the British claim that
Germany is facing q food famine. It
analyzes the actual facts as against
reports in British newspapers. The
IDENTITY Of the writer is withheld for
obvious reasons:
BERLIN, Oct hope you,are not
altogether deluded by the statements
in London papers regarding short
age of food. The situation in most
large and small German towns is that
there is complete absence of pork.
ordinarily so much consumed here.
Last year the authorities thought it
wise, in order to economize food
stuffs, to order the wholesale slaugh-
ter of pigs all over Germany. AS a
result, there is really serious short
age OF lard and fat substances of all
kinds, but though the authorities were
mistaken as to pork, they were more
than right as regards potatoes. OF
which we have plethora.
h44v ~
made into species of wood alcohol.
are now largely driven. It is a fairly
heavy acrid smell is a sufficient re
goes into the streets. Scientific In
genuity is now engaged in endeavor-
ing to extract oil even from acorns.
and the refuse OF these acorns, mixed
with sugar, of which there is an album
dance, is being made into sort Of
feeding cake for cattle.
Leather is extremely scarce.
Leather shoe-laces cost 26 cents.
There is a very obvious absence
OF India rubber. Attempts are being
made to invent tires that will take
The place Of the ordinary rubber pneu-
matte, but, SO far. they have not been
fuccessful.
"Of nickel and copper there is no
kubt shortage. TIE nickel coin
xe has now been entirely Withdrawn.
nd iron, which answers admirably.
as taken its place, 1t is difficult to
!el the difference except by weight.
the appearance is exactly the same.
The food riots see mentioned in
d0vS &Io
lomary riots in the Moabit district in
Berlin, where the housewives resent
NE greedy tactics of the local dis
pensers OF butter and other domestic
commodities. 1t is a pity they are so
Exaggerated by the London Press.
also see a good deal of ridicule Of the
new milk ticket.
! have never got used to the Ger
man ticket system, but inasmuch as
Is the desire of the authorities to
zee that the coming generation
mould be properly nourished with alb
solutely pure milk. the ticket system.
aough annoying to US, unaccustomed
German rightly of rules, is not
lthout it's merits.
do not care to write very freely
soout military topics, OF which
wow little, but it is obvious that the
nam headquarters staff have COM
uetely altered their war plan. They
sc confident they can hold back all
ueiand, France and Russia, and are
taxing directly for the southeast.
s@ough whether or not for Constan-
Iaopie am unable to say. -, who
H,ngs this, can tell you more.
lie obvious suppressions of bad
,sxs In the English newspapers are
ascn commented on in American and
~ Saer neutral circles here. Many of
=. .ae British official statements are de-
,aleo by officers and others to be
ssoiuteiy untrue; and others of them
~ ~ SAID to be careful distortions of
s truth The effect produced on
rsas Is very bad, and has added
Ssea.iy to their confidence. Those OF
VINO are In sympathy with the en-
sna ,e allies have to hear some very
'npleasant facts.
I, nostllity to the English language
Tls =, strong as ever. notice that Nc
Ssshan, late mayor Of New York, pub
pr na,. an article in the Philadelphia
~ soic Ledger in which he states that
Ics, vas able to speak English freely in
A. many. l can only suggest that he
|hs;I not attempt to do SO on railway
en alns or In public places where he
~ De overheard. Neither -
to.u ever attempted it, and while |
freely with those with |
'atoual we are brought into profess !
m. ai contact, we keep our mouth |
S,, as much as possible.
|,,c+moe i've hourly in hope of some |
y somewhere, but at the present |
We are directly anxious !