Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-12-08

| The pink paper besides description.
etc. bore the date of departure and
destination. To secure the pink paper,
an application signed by responsible
men and couched in the most diplo-
matte manner was necessary. Once
the signature of the chief Of police
was written across the application, you
must proceed to the proper military
authorities to fill in the blanks and
receive the paper.
His majesty. the police department.
worked about an hour per day, and
as their We're from five to six thou
sand applicants for travelling passes.
daily, 1t was a trifle diff ult to obtain
his signature. Failure to possess a
blue paper, or the visiting of police
headquarters every seven days meant
"a fine OF $40.
No language but Rumanian was al
lowed to be spoken in the streets or
public places. Violation of this rule
met with fine or Imprisonment and
frequently injury from the police,
who took all languages for German.
Persons selling or caught drinking H.
quors were hauled before the police
and heavily fined. A person could ar
rest another for violation Of any war
regulation.
Several persons were shot in the
first few weeks of war for showing
lights, either purposely or carelessly,
while Zeppelins were over the city;
$500 enemy aliens were interned
among whom unfortunately were in
cluded the bakers and the consequent
n, 80
weeks
Sugar. four months before the war,
was unobtainable, likewise -four. lard
and salt, with tea s12 pound and
coffee SIS. The coffee was only pur.
chasable unroasted and the tea was
an inferior Russian quality Tobacco
OF the worst quality was obtainable
and was the only article sold at normal
prices. Meat, fish, bread and oil were
only purchased by police tickets and
under police supervision. One pound
Of meat is allowed person every
seven days. The markets opened at
5 o'clock and you first secure on the
first of every month. coupon book
from the police for your family. One
pound Of meat for each adult and a
half pound for a child Is allotted and
is given out three times week. Thus
three adults in family receive
pound of meat three times week.
On market days you arrive as early
as possible. show your meat ticket
to the police at the door, secure num-
Der and take your place in line. The
first on the scene Is number one and
so on down the line, the meat is
served out as long as the supply lasts
and 1t is seldom there is enough to
give each one his share.
A large beef is laid on huge bench
and as the line passes by. the butcher
starts in at the neck and hacks off in
chunks, the portions the ticket calls
for Sometimes you get all meat and
sometimes all bone. at others half and
half You must stand four and five
hours in line and frequently see the
door slam shut and hear the call,
"Carme nu mai sat (no more meat.)"
held ticket number one twice and
joyfully received pound of meat
(neck). felt like the merchant of
Venice and his pound OF flesh. Some
days it Is mutton other days pork and
sometimes 1t is fish.
Vegetables were plentiful except for
a period of month directly after the
declaration of war. All horses, wag-
ons and automobiles were requisi-
toned the night Of the outbreak Of
war and the days following. horse
drawn vehicles were stopped, the
horses embarrassed and taken to the
barracks. AS result OF this, no farm
produce reached Bucharest from the
country farms, for, the women left on
the farms had no means OF marketing
their vegetables. Wood. the only fuel.
came under police supervision and
was dealt out 200 pounds for person
at a uniform price Only limited
supply was in the wood yards of the
city which fact became Immediately