The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-11-07
GERMAN WOMEN ARE CRYING FOR PEACE AND FOOD
ID. T. Curtins Says Revolt Spirit Flames Up at Regular
 Intervals.

London, Nov ID. Thomas Curtin | of Boston writes in the London Times of the part German women play in the war. Under the title "The Woman Problem" MT. Curtin, who spent much time in Germany, says:
 ''The difficult question of the eternal 1 feminine was tackled firmly by the German Government immediately af- ter the outbreak of the war. In deal ing with this many sided problem they have been on the whole successful. Mistakes have been made, but not the mistake of delay.
 ''The efforts of the German women have almost doubled the national out put of war energy. Except in Berlin there are few idle women. The upper classes both in Germany and Austria are either in the hospitals, making comforts for the troops, or in muni- ton factories. The bulk of the work of civil life is done by prisoners or | women. To see German women and prisoners of war, mostly Russian, working side by side in the fields is a common sight.
 Deal With Social Evil. ''The German authorities are utiliz- ing every kind of women. The social evil, against which the Bishop of Lon don and others are agitating here, is effectively dealt with by the German authorities not only for the sake of the health of the troops but in the in- terest of munitions work. Women of doubtful character are first told that if they are found in the neighborhood of the barracks they are liable to ar rest. When so found they are inn mediately removed to their native places and put in the nearest cartridge shops. The double effect has been an increased output of munitions and. in- creased health for the soldiers.
 1T have nothing but praise and ad miration for the way in which the women have thrown themselves into the struggle, believing implicitly as they are told. With the exception of the lower classes they believed every thing that the Government tells them. They feel they are helping to fight war of defence for their homes and children. The cynics in the Foreign Office. who manufacture opinions rub this into them by sermons, novels, newspaper articles, faked cinema films, garbled extracts from allied newspa pers and books, bogus photo graphs and Reichstag orations, not forgetting the incessant lectures by professors who make unceasing eff forts throughout Germany.
 Talk of Peace and Food
 Beyond question the German woIn- en are not standing their losses as we'll as your women. The attitude of your women is quieter and not follow ed by peace talk, which such events produce in German households. What surprises me here is the fact that the word peace is hardly mentioned any where, whereas in any German tram car the two dominant words are 'Friede' (Peace) and Essen (food).
 Peace is always the German idea. Peace and food talk do not always result from the shortage but from the difficulty of getting what is to be ob- tained and the increasing monotony The feeling of the German women of the lower classes seems to rise and fall in curves, changing about every three months. There was a great curve of rebellious talk, food talk, peace talk in July immediately fol- lOWlnS tIl0 oOI1lIlC O1I6USlNo ana the reports of the losses that trickled through.
 Gradually there began an agitation for a great munition strike about Au- gust 1. The proposal was effectually concealed by the censorship. There were. significant movements of ma- chine guns to all points of danger and countless warnings were issued against anarchists. The German govern ment went through a period of anxie- ty.
 Revolt Note Sounded
 Notices summoning semi-revoIu- tionary meetings were whispered among women standing in the rouu lines. These women did not pay at tention to the bell ringings, displays ot flags and other manifestations ordered by the government upon every possible occasion, such as the safe arrival of the submarine Deutschland at Balti- more and her return to Bremen.
 "Just before the first success over Rumania the same feeling was rising gain which arose before August 1. Un- less German achieves some success before Christmas I venture to proph-
 
 esting truth is that the women are the chief promoters of unrest. The un- fortunate fact is that the government has the machine guns.
 '"The venom with which the German women regard the war is in contrast to the feeling expressed by English wom- en. German women read a good deal about English and American women and cordially detest them.
 American Lack of Culture
 ''Their point of view is difficult to explain. When I told German women that in many states in my country the women have votes their reply was, How vu1gar!' Their attitude on the is that it is a form of American lack of culture and lack of authority The freedom accorded to English and American girls is n1isund erstood and regarded as 8 form of laxity of m orals.
 There is a notion here that the 'Gott strafe England cry has ceased in German. I found no sign of it lessen ing. To it has been added, 'Gott strafe America Pastors, professors and the press have told the German women that their husbands, sons and sweet hearts are killed by American shells. Prince Rupert of Bavaria has made the public statement that half the AL lies ammunition is American. The feeling against America among the