Evening journal., 1916-04-18
SAYS GERMANY
CAN Feed Poles
Civil Chief Declares Sup
plies VIII Last Until
Next Harvest
TELLS OF REFORMS
BY THE INVADERS

BERLIN. April 1S-Herr Won Kries,
chief of the civil administration Of the
occupied district Of Russian Poland,
has given an interview TO a cores
pondent OF the Overseas News Agency,
In which he says.
when we entered Poland the Rus
sian civil officers had left the country
with the troops. Since virtually no
Poles had been employed in the civil
administration. the country was with
out government and WAS In state OF
chaos.
"At the start. whom the Germans
held only one-third OF the territory
nov occupied by them. they were able
90 feed the people on very comfort
able crop in the barns. There was
even an excess Of food supplies over
what the people needed A Change
ramo however. with the occupation
OF Warsaw. which had more than
d 200. 600 inhabitants. and other large
districts. Not only did this increase
the extent of conquered territory by
more than twice. but the Russians had
burned all the houses for miles
around and had destroyed whatever
they found. leaving the country IN
rendition which is almost unimagina-
bic. Everywhere we're ruins, desola-
tion and anarchy.
Returned 20 Ruined Homes.
''Thus il was that when the Polish
population returned 10 what were
formerly their homes they were com
PEELED TO live for a certain time IN
trenches. dugouts, or wooden bar
racks hastily constructed for them
bv the Germans. Furthermore. il be
came necessary TO feed the inhab-
tants of this larger district on sup
niles which had been available Tor
onc-third Of that area. This imposed
a rather difficult task on the German
Administration. Fortunately, we sue
recded in avcrting a catastrophe.
1--WE are certain that we can main
tain the population on a safe living
basis. although food is not super
abundant. until the next crops are
harvested. Germany has taken care
that the coming crop will be sufficient
by supply seed grain TO the Poles and
assisting them in other ways, so as TO
ENABLE the country to provide food for
itself Il is source of great satisfac-
fion that the crop reports are ex-
Ccllent.
"That all this has been carried out
successfully is due largely TO SELF gov
crnment. which previously was un
known in Poland, and was INTRODUCED
by the Germans. We drew up city
and county constitutions. and tn
poles who now participate in the ad-
ministration OF the local government
arc OF course ready to collaborat
with the Germans in the interest o
their countrymen. AS the RUSSIA
civil officers had fled. we were able 4
advance in this direction only step b.
step.
"Formerly all the judges we're Rus
sian. Now almost all the justices o
The peace are Polish citizens, natives
of tho country. In the higher court
the Polish element is steadily on th'
increase. We opened schools. in whlcl
instruction is given in the Polisl
language II is generally known tina
recently we opened the University o
Warsaw. with instruction in Polish
We inaugurated university extension
lectures TO obtain teachers. Our oh
ject is to educate the Poles for self
government and thus enable them Il
take part to an increasing extent II
the administration Of the affairs O
their own country.
HAs TO the food supply. we are able
as said. 10 feed the people until tn
next harvest: that is. until Septembe
But inasmuch as il is necessary q
proceed i'm an economical manner
would have been Of great service q