New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-24

/ lishmcnt Of the Kingdom of Poland.
| II was explained in official communica-
| tions to neutral powers that Germany
| desired during the war to make the
/ people Of Poland free and TO establish
a great independent kingdom TO de-
stroy the influence OF the Gar.
But what was Germany's real OBJ
ject?
! Ever since the fall of 1915 Poland
has been under German occupation. AS
the Russians retreated they burned or
destroyed over 1000 cities and villages,
| left a great stretch Of waste land and
many thousands of men who were ca
pablo Of fighting but who had not been
/ called to tho Russian colors.
/ When Germany began the admins
tration of Poland one Of her biggest
/ problems was TO deal with the unem-
ploycd in the big cities. such as War
! saw and LODI. The food problem was
a vexing one. but because food was
more plentiful in Poland than 1t was
in Germany. even though prices were
HIGH. the solution Of food difficulties
did not require as much attention as
the solution Of the unemployment ques-
/ ton.
WAS in Poland three different times
during the last two years. On my first
Journey went to Wilma and number
Of smaller villages in the extreme north
Of Poland. On my second journey !
went 20 Warsaw and Brcst-Litovsk.
The third time. on my way to the
Volhvnian battle front during General
Brusilofr's offensive. I went through
Warsaw again and scores of the south
ern cities of Poland. During these
visits I saw and obtained first hand
information about conditions there.
Hid Food from Germans
A. the time ! WAS in wilma, in Octo-
| bo- 1o15 food was reported TO be very
{ scarce especially bread. ! met IN sew
| eral stores people with relatives IN
! tbo limited States. They told me with
toars in their eyes that they were COM
noI;ed 20 eat very black, dirty looking
! broad because there was no flour IN the
raiebhorhood. | reported this TO the
| German officer who was escortlng the
! corresnondents. lie replied that an
official investigation showed the peo-
ME Of wilma had sufficient food hldoeh
| T. last AZ least a wear, even II nothing
no., ~ ahmed into the city. He SAID
tbo nnbIic was making the German
army believe it had no food IN oraer
that the army would not requlsit'on
bprine my three days stay ! llve9
~ the Hotel Bristol which was o"heu
bv a Russian jew who had spent mo mo-
OF his life IN Albany, n. J. ne Wou.u
/ not discuss the food situation peas
as far as his hotel was concerned; Ihet'
was no food shortage. One coul9
tain white bread, two or three VhIIeS'va
of meat, not very many vege'aples,
plentv of canned fruit and preseiN 70
The next day, while walking @ooIv
the city, saw that practically inc oliiS
/ food displayed for sale IN grocery
storos was canned goods, coffee, tea
and meat, and German soldiers "erc
| buvinQ all of the canned product"
which thew could carry away MuSh
! of This food was sent to Germany Dy
mail Wilma. which is a city OF haIl
million people in peace times. had, even
az This time. only few days after inc
/ German occupation, many thousands Vi
uremployed. Idle men and women
stood about the city watching the Ger
/ man troops come and 60 some OIL
/ them would get in trouble from tune
/ to time with German soldiers. small
erect fights occurred until the German
army militia began TO make arrests
Warsaw Prosperous and Gay
A wear later in Warsaw ] saw the
eitv az its gayest. 1t was August. Ke-
nnrte had been received that Germany
wss about to establish a kingdom OF
Poland and place Polish prince on
the throne. The streets were crowded.
Business houses were doing an enor-
nous trade. Money seemed plentiiul.
/ Private automobiles and carriages
were to be seen everywhere IN remark
able contrast to Berlin. German mer-
chants were beginning to open prah ,iI
stores in Warsaw, and on pracVlcaily
any business street one could see an
nouncements over stores saying faI-
ronize German Merchants.
Warsaw seemed to have plenty Of
food. Meat shops displayed great
quantities of hams and bacon. Eggs
we're so plentiful that officials estl-
mated there were over 100000 eggs
/ in cold storage in the city. But as
walked through the streets and talked
/ 10 the people / met workngmen VINO
were begging. They said food was so
/ extensive that the poor could not buy
| II They said meat was selling al
| 81 30 a pound and eggs 10 cents apiece
! One man told me he had had no meat
for two months. Before the Russians
evacuated Warsaw they removed the
nacbinery or destroyed the interior OF
every factory. 80 that thousands OF men
were out Of employment. streets were
crowded with men selling postcards ana
stamps. That was the only thing they
could do. ia
/ In order 10 attempt TO solve the 1000
problem for the poor. VINO were starN-
/ no as oven the Investigations OF the
| Rockefeller Foundation proved me ger
man military authorities opened soup
/ titcbens throughout the city. At that
time over 100. 900 people were dependent
every day upon this food
! Later. when went through other
sections of Poland, especially IN the
small cities. | saw the most terrible
suffering. People were living IN holes
in the ground under the destroyed ruins
! Of their homes. In some villages where
| a few houses were still standing every
i;nbabitant claimed house. The Ger
man authorities had the greatest am
Guilty in preventing trouble, because
sometimes as many as ten famiiies
would claim the same house and all IT'S
/ furnishings as their own.
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