Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-21
People May Be Hungry,
but They viii Haue
"Enough TO Get
Through. "

| lkarl III. Won Wicgand. who has Just
Joined the European staff of the Inter-
national News Service. is on brief
vacation in this country. after spend
| ing more than two and a half years
OF war in Germany. Mr. Won Wicgand
| Will return to Germany within n few
| days.l
BY KARL II. v0N wIEGAND.
NEW YORK. January 2o.-"Durch-
| halten, auShaltcn. maulhalten." In
| literal English. hold through-hold
out-hold in tor hold tongue)."
More freely translated, endure.
stick it out, keep mouth shut" These
words OF Balln. the great German cap
| tain OF industry. TO me some months
ago. have become famous through all
Germany. and even Austria Hungary,
| Bulgaria and Turkey.
| 1t has become the slogan of the Ger
man people. 1t is taught to the chill
dren in school. have heard young
sters of seven shouting it on Inter
| den Linden.
Ballin had particular reference to tho
economic conditions in Germany, which
we were discussing. and nothing better
/ exemplifies the spirit of Germany un-
der the tremendous economic pressure
| of the ring of iron" surrounding II
than this slogan.
! With this spirit even among the
| little children, Germany will get
| through till the next crop comes in.
The German peoples may have a hard
| winter. There will be privations, per-
haps some suffering among the civilian
noncombatant population. who make
great sacrihcNzttog"pM men who fight.
In its effect. the British blockade,
which the Germans persist in calling
loffr \
! ly hard the very young and the very
Old There is scarcity of rich milk,
of cream. OF butter and so-called but
ter fats" so necessary to growth and
health in tender years.
Old people require the most nourish-
ing foods to keep up slowly waning
| strength, to resist disease and with
stand the ravages of oncoming years
GERMANY WILL GET
THROUGH DESPITE HARDSIIIPs
Germany will get through. The Ger.
mans assert this officially. and my own
observations and Impressions lead me
TO the same conclusion, independent of
that assertion. There may be people
whose hunger will not be entirely
stilled, but there will be no starvation.
1t may call for fortitude, but history
shows that the German people have
that in abundance, and they have It
| o-day.
can Germany hold out economical
S! That question is more than ever
10 the fore now that the reply OF the
ailies has once more solidly united
the German peoples, and war to the
hilt' may be expected 1t has been
asked ot me more often than any other
question since my return TO New York
| the end of December.
| without assuming to have the abil
ity to rend the veil that conceals III.
future, my Impressions. based upon
observations. are ;hat Germany can
and VIII hold out through this winter
and spring. and after that will, so
FAR as food is concerned. be in a no.
sition to hold out indefinitely. My OBJ
Servations have not been solely from
the Adion Hotel. the "Vanderbilt' or
| Biitmore' Of Berlin. as have been
those of some who have written books
on Germany.
| nave criSs-crossed Germany west
to east and north to south many
times-perhaps more often than any
! other foreign correspondent during the
war whether riding on trains. on
street cars. in the subway, in eleva
tors or visiting smaller towns. have
made 1t point to put questions about
! food.
Food" and what had to eat to-
f! DAY is close to the heart and "tummy"
, OF every German to-day. 1t is a stand
ard topic OF the day. You hear il
eVerywhere-behnd you and around
YOU in the theater and opera, street
! cars, trains and subway.
/, You hear little children on the streets
wit
envy of less fortunate youngsters "Oh.
We had piece or goose to-day" or
we had this or that to eat" have
visited markets and have watched the
Standing lines" for butter. My i'm
oressions have been based on such OBJ
! scrvations After all. il is not the
! menus in the big hotels. but what The
! working people have to eat, which
! viii decide the aii-important question
! whether Germany will hold out in the
matter OF food
MANAGE TO GIT ENOUGH
FOOD TO GET ALONG
Many times have been told in an
swer to my inquiries that il was diff.
hcult to obtain food, required much
'hus;lng." but I'VE manage to get
enough to get along" usually was the
concluding phrase OF the replies. And
that best characteriTes the food situa-
ton In Germany to-day-"get caough
to get along"
| In the main and simple food staples
! there are no special privileges" IN
! those. rich and poor share alike. and
| i'll that respect Germany is to day per.
haps not only the most Democratic
but also the most socialistic country
| in the world.
! Only in things considered 'luxuries"
! has the man with money the beneRt
| OF that money and an advantage over
| the workingman. But there are many
things on the luxury" list IN Ger
many which even the ordinary work
ingman in the United States would
consider as "neccssaries"
Bread. potatoes. fish, meats except
poultry. milk. butter. coffee. tea. sugar.
| salt are ''necessaries."