The sun., 1917-09-21
Traveller Tells Of PrivatiOn
and Destitution In Alsace-
Lorraine.
WOODEN CLOTHES WORN
Women Forced to Give Hair
for Manufacture Of Ma
chinery Belts.
Special Gable Despatch to THE sux from the
London Times

''"Pp'y"'s rtp"is rts,'tthi
AMSTERDAM, Sept. 2o.-rwo neutrals
who have Just returned from Germany
tell Of dreadful conditions there. one
OF them had paid a long visit to Alsace-
Lorraine, where he had been at the out
break Of the war. He found a remark
able difference between then and now.
Then the Germans were full of enthu-
siaAm. Nothing was too great for them
to accomplish no regard was had for
cost: . campaign OF extravaganza was
the outstanding characteristics in the
German army huge quantities of pro-
visions were wasted. To-day the PEN
dulum has reached the opposite extreme.
Everything speaks of privation and
destitution. Said this traveller:
Even the heads of herrings are care
fully collected in order that the oil in
them may be extracted. Nothing is al
lowed to be thrown away which can
serve In any degree to help out supplies.
the shortage OF which Is now 20 serious
factor in the economic as we'll as the
military capacity Of the Germans for
continuing the war. No particle OF cot
ton, linen or woollen rag is allowed to
be wasted the reason Is there are no
longer supplies Of cotton and other raw
material for textile manufactures.
Cotton Mills stand Idle.
The cotton mills are standing idle.
What this means in q busy Industrial
region may well be imagined. Any cot
ton still In the country Is requsitioned
by the Government for military pur-
poses. 1t is largely required in making
munitions and It IL also essential In the
manufacture OF airpiane wings. I am
hrmly convinced that the cotton now be-
ing used by the Germans for these pur-
poses Is derived from neutral countries
such as Holland. Switzerland and Swe-
den.
"All the scraps Of linen, cotton and
woollen materials so carefully collected
are employed In the manufacture OF a
new paper material which is now
largely used as substitute for cloth.
This material e composed principally
of wood pulp obtained mainly from
Sweden. With the nbre from linen and
cotton scraps Incorporated 1t is almost
indistin guishable by the uninitiated from
linen and other cloth. 1t is impreg-
mated, 10 As to render II impervious TO
moisture. and sometimes 1t is dyed, and
thereby rendered of attractive appear
ance.
when woven this material is used
for variety OF purposes, such as
tent covers, sacks. sandbags, costumes
blouses, &c. Children's clothing is made
from this paper cloth. which is also
utilised to some extent for ladies'
dresses.
Business men Of all kinds complain
bitterly OF the inquisitorial methods OF
the Government in regard to their stocks
or goodA Some returns have to be made
not In duplicate but in six or eight fold
Penalties for violation Of these laws are
very severe, running to $4,000 fne and
imprisonment for Q year.
In addition TO requ!sitioning all
weaving materials the Government takes
all leather straps for driving machinery.
The lack Of leather for this purpose has
given rise to the novel expedient Of COL
lecting the hair Of women and girls for
the construction OF driving belts. No
tees often appear in the local press that
on such a day there will he a collection
OF hair for the purpose indicated. one
sees girls with shaven heads wearing
red caps inscribed: i have given my
hair for the Fatherland.'
Women Must Give Hair.
Hitherto THU surrender has been vol
untary. but II - stated that before Ions
II will become compulsory on the part OF
all women and girls.
Another indication OF the scarcity OF
leather Is the impossibility OF getting
boots or shoes. A pair OF workmens
boots costs SIS. a pair OF ladies' boots
S25. but even at these prices they are
not obtainabie. 1t costs about 81 10
have a pair Of boots properly soled and
heeled; for $3.50 to 50 the solss are GOV.
cred with minute fragments OF leather
nailed on. These soles last only two OF
three weeks.
"In Alsace-Lorraine. as indeed through
out Germany. the food is bad. War
bread Is not eatable. 1t Is not known OF
what 1t Is composed. A loaf of this
bread when examined was found to have
thick outer crust: between this and
the crumb there was a gap an inch wide.
The inner part Of the loaf has almost
the consistency of clay or putty and ad-
here's to the knife when the loaf is cut
This bread has a purgative effect and
for this reason cannot be used continu-
ously.
1T is thought possible that the preva-
lance OF tagious dysentery is in part
due to the use Of war bread Persons
suffering extreme attacks sometimes
are allowed, under medical orders, a
few pounds Of white -four instead OF
war bread
Health IL Impaired.
The consumption OF cabbage and
kohlrabi. which was universal last win.
ter. likewise had disastrous effect on
the health Of the population. The cause
OF this Is not known, but the fACt Ii
undoubted
Infant mortality amounts to about SO
per cent. OF the newly born. Old people
with slight powers of resistance also are
| available to the mass OF the population
are wholly inadequate. and the result il
declining vitality. There is plenty OF
food to be got, however. by those who
are able to pay.
II stayed with friends in the country
district. where many small farmers OBJ
tain good results from the productive
soil. My friends sometimes got whole
calves unobsefved in the night time.
'They sent servant girl home to her
family. which lives on small farm
She would return with butter and eggs
and no questions were asked as to price
The farmers would sometimes charge
from S1.25 to $3.50 for a pound Of butter
| and the price was paid without demur
this being the only method OF obtaining
supplies.
THE officers Of the German army had
, recourse to the ingenious device OF EN-
ploying the sons Of farmers as orderlies
and these are allowed to go home on
leave every couple OF days and retufr
with supplies for their officers.
"As result OF the bread famine
have seen advertisements OF hne four
| made OF wood shav!nss. at 90 cents 9
pound"
| scottish Rite Votes Relief.