The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-12-07
WRITER TELLS
OF MISERY IN
RUMAN|A NOW
CONTINUED
FROM PAGE I

thousands OF instances, that every
thing they had left behind had been
plundered by other Rumanians.
As we rode thru Rammicu and
Waikiki. the widest anarchy pre-
vailed Tho streets we're Uttered
with household goods. papers. win
dow curtains. dead horses and dogs,
Meanwhile. bands OF Rumanian
gypsies went from house to house
and shop 20 shop. smashing win.
dows and again plundering the
the homes already half destroyed
These plundcsing bands-men.
women and children-piled what
they could not carry on their own
backs on stolen horses or cows.
Many Children Ole
II was the same sight we eucoun-
tered In scores of other Rumanian
villages. Meanwhile the fleeing
families are returning. and On route
back they are stealing cattle. liber'
ated At the first word OF the Ger
man advance.
Because OF deprivatlons and the
roaming OF the muddy. cold Ruman'
ian roads. the mortality OF children
among these miserable refugees
has been very high.
In Alexandria the plundering
reached such n height that few
educated families which remained
behind formed a civilian force to
protect their property.
Rich Stores Taken
These are few OF the conditions
which face the new governor. Gen,
Won Tulff. Not only will he seek 20
restore order. but Il "a also his task
10 organize the forwarding to Ger.
many OF the vast surplus stores OF
grain. cattle and petroleum which
have fallen into the invaders hands.
Alexandria alone possesses mill.
ion dollars worth OF stores. Other
cities are almost equally well stock
ed. Wallachla itself is a food para.
disc
Because the Rumanians de
stroyed many OF the railroad
bridges the entire German cam
paign In Rumania was made In
wagons over the ordinary high
ways. One sees thousands Of col
umns OF these with ammunition.
food, weapons and military sup
plies.
Germans Rebuild Railroads
Altho the Germans have had con
troll OF western Rumania only a few
days laborers are already clearing
tho railroads and assembling
| freight cars. engines and materials
which the fleeing Rumanians left.
saw two long stretches OF rail.
road over which trains were IN op-
GRAFTON and while az Gen. Won
Krafft's headquarters met Ger.
man major assigned TO take charge
Of the Rumanian transportation sys.
tenn.
One ironical incident connected
with the railroad situation was that
we met two engineers In Carasolu
and Alexandria who had been sent
10 those two cities by tho Ruman-
ian government 10 make plans for
laying double track from Buchar-
est 10 1raiova Tho quickness OF
the German advance overlook them.
They fell into German hRnds-and
their complete plans likewise.
Boy Steals Necklace
At Slatina. which has suffered
some by bombardment but more by
pillaging. We slept In the hotel
Carol. which the Rumanians had
used az a hospital. Two big shells
had splintered five OF the rooms.
We were awakened early in the
morning by a fire which spread 10
two nearby houses before Il was
quenched Meanwhile all houses
and stores in the neighborhood
were again plundered by the few
remaining families
As breakfasted with one fam
lily boy came in with a gold neck
lace which no had picked from a
jewelry store, new rubber boots
and stockings which he had stolen
from another shop. The German
advance had been too swift TO make
possible taking charge OF the cities
BY the German authorities so far
altho they are doing everything
they possibly can 10 prevent the
Rumanians burning goods along the
countryside.
Especially in small towns. many
|, buildings have been fired and
schoolhouses destroyed. Many rest
dences and schools have been used
as stables by the refugees.
Maps Greatly Changed
One can hardly sleep at night be-
. cause OF the constant barking OF
deserted dogs. Along the roads lie
dead or dying horses Starving
, dogs gnaw the flesh OF these
bodies and crows pick at their
eyes. The terror that is apparent
everywhere Is IN striking contrast
, TO the maps which hung In every
Rumanian home and which had
been used az part Of the propa-
ganda TO get the Rumanians TO
| favor war
These maps show a greater Ru-
] mania" tho boundaries Of which
extend far into Austria-Hungary
Il Instead OF Rumania's ambitions
being realized. Rumania has fallen
] before the invader That this in.
yader expects to remain for a while
is evidenced by tho naming OF a