The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-19
Germans Have Relieved COndi'
lions in Poland.
Standing Grain and Fat Herds
in Place of Ruin.
GIVE REGIMENTAL HORSES
Kaiser's Soldiers Donate to Men
in the Fields.
Roads Have Been Built Thru
Devastated Country.

Berlin. July 19.-Warm commenda-
4ticn of the work done in Russian 20
land by the Germans during the Pc
riod of occupation was given cy Dr-
tKarl Helfferich, secretary OF the IN
ferior ard the imperial vice chancei-
dor. today on his return from a WISH
to that country.
Doctor HeIfferich, who recounted
the Impressions of his visit to men,
1ber of the Overseas News agency starr
4contrasted the condition of the coun-
try under Russian rule with the state
of affairs there today In the time
tof peace before the outbreak OF the
lprcsent war, the Russians had neg
lected the country, said Doctor Heir
ferich Then came the period of hos
Utilities which had devastated the land.
sJJnder these conditions the Germans
took up their work. which the vice
chancellor insisted has been accom-.
plished with a success which could
find few parallels in history.
Ruin in Retreat.
RI The retreating Russians, Doctor
sHelfferich pointed out, had burned
villages and towns end destroyed tine
'harvests.
through the devastated territory ana
supplied cattle and seeds to the in
nabitants with the result that now one
frequently could see herds of hun
dred or more cattle, while tlelds OF
standing grain were on all sides. He
cited an instance of aid given the in
habitants by the Germans, the farm
ers of one district being left the horses
of two regiments for field work on
orders given by General Dudendorff.
Doctor Helfferich said he found
schools everywhere now even at places
where none were maintained when the
Russians ruled the country. The Uni
versity of Warsaw, where lectures
were given in the Polish tongue. had
a large number of students.
All nationalities, Doctor Helfferch
said, were given equal recognition
( with the white Russians and Lithuan-
JAMS. Terrible suffering existed among
the Jews when the Germans arrived,
1.-THE vice chancellor declared, and in
tmost towns they had been excluded.
Self Government.
The Germans, he added. introduced
self government in the country for the
first time and admitted Jewish rep
resentatives to the governmental
bodies.
Doctor Helfferich pointed to what
he characterized as absolute neglect
ing the condition at LODI, where there
were virtually no sanitary conven-
fences, no sewage system and no wa
Networks, although the city was one
of 100000 inhabitants
The Germans on the other hand had
xgarding the value of hygienic and san
titary measures and with the assistance
of clergy has established isolation bar
cracks for contagious diseases, espec-
tally for cases of spotted typhoid,
(which disease now was decreasing in
frequency of appearance. German
physicians who had died as a result of
these epidemics had not lost their
lives in vain. Doctor Helfferich de-
clared another disease, cholera, has
been completely stamped out.
Public Newspapers.
Other work done by the Germans
consisted in the institution of self gov
erning counties and towns. the open
ing of town councils and the encour-
agement of the publication of large
number of newspapers in the Polish
language, while the Russian govern
ment, short time before, had sup
pressed the last remaining newspaper
in that language.
Thus I found everywhere in the
distressed country" concluded DR.
Heifferich, 1.-THE fruits of German
energy and administration. I am GLAD
to state that the Germans did worl
equal to the successes of their arm!
by establishing order, safety and peace
behind the front and by alleviatins
the miseries of war to the population