Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-29
mo DECLINE IN MORALE
OF GERMANS IN RUSSIA
Efforts to Break Their Lines at Vari-
Gus Points Without Effect on
Fighting Spirit.
MEN ARE WELL SATISFIED
Know Nothing of Existence Of AL.
legged Anti-American Feeling-Ex-
press Complete Satisfaction With
Amount of Rations Issued.

WITH THE GERMAN ARMY ON THE
RIGA FRONT. July % tby courier to
Berlin. via London, July 2SD.-Russian
efforts TO break the German limos at
various points on this front which tho
Associated Press correspondent has had
Fan unusually favorable opportunity OF
inspecting personally in the last few
days. have neither affected the front,
nor-what is perhaps equally import
ant-the morale of the German troops.
The correspondent has viewed tho
great sectors Of the front from south
OF kekkau to point we'll south OF
Friedrichstadt. has stood in the trenches
amid the devastation OF drum fire OF
but few hours before, and has talked
freely with the men engaged. He has
also mingled fundamentally with the
troops behind the front. and had en-
deavored In every way possible to find
some indication OF a falling off in the
morale Of the lighting spirit.
Al one barracks the commander said
to the soldiers:
Here Is an American newspaper
correspondent. Tell him all he wants
am leaving him here alone and shall
not Try to md out what questions he
asks nor what you told him"
The commander and all other officers
then left the barracks. and the soldiers
answered every question put to them
with the utmost frankness
The correspondent. who had been
cautioned that he was likely TO find
much anti American feeling among til.
troops. put questions designed to dis
cover II such sentiment existed. All
me men questioned declared they knew
nothing of the existence Of such a
feeling. One soldier summed up their
attitude as follows:
Some American ammunition is be-
ing used here, but that is political
question. and we do not know much
about politics. We don't hate any,
body. We don't hate the Russians. II
is war and we are here to ncht ana
We are going to keep right on fight
inE until the enemy has had enough,
whether 1t lasts one year or ten
MEN WELL CLOTHED
AND PLAINLY WELL FED
The men were we'll clothed and plain
~ we'll fed The day previously the
correspondent inspected division com
missariat and obtained from the quar-
termaster list Of the rations In
ouiries among the men confirmed this
list in every detail. The daily ration
follows Bread tunmixed with potato
mourn. $50 grams, meat. ESQ grams:
greats l25 grams; butter, SIS grams:
coffee. rs grams; salt. % grams: tea. ,
grams: sugar, II srams: cheese. 25
grams wheat -four, IS grams. There
are two meatless days weekly. On one
fish is substituted and on the other
stewed fruits with rice. When tho
water in the trenches is bad the tea
and sugar rations are doubled Two
cigars and two cigarettes arc issued
daily TO each man. In addition every
battalion has its own cantecn. where
cakes and canned fruits. etc. can be
bought
a number Of the men were asked IL
the rations were sufficient. None was
found who did not express complete
amused when informed It had been re-
ported abroad that their rations had
been cut down, and that they wero
often forced to go hungry. The only
ration reduced is that OF bread. and
this reduction was made long ago be-
cause it was found that the men wer.
unable to eat more than the quantity
now allowed. This ration compared
with go grams daily. allowed civilians
IN Berlin. The daily meat ration for
the soldiers equals the weekly allow
ance in Berlin. and the butter allow