Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-01


completed. in order that they may be
held under rigid discipline during tho
training period. But the time comes
when Fritzie has been taught how to
grind knives or tinker watches or run
a dynamo.
Get Regular Wage.
rs he satisfactory" the German
government asks of his employer.
For Fritzfe has been regularly en-
ployed at regular wage. He must
report at the hospital nightly, but he
like any other workman. If the en-
ployer says that Fritzie is doing his
work all right. the German govern
ment thrusts a blank under~ the en-
Sign here" says the German gov
eminent along the dotted line.
Thank you"
BY that document the employer OBJ
lfgates himself to give Fritzie work at
Tbsps , %aSs as long as he yss
II the employer goes broke, or IL
Fritzie neglects his work or goes on
the loose. the contract is broken. In
the one case the imperial government
and in the second contingency it
promises to punish Fritz. 1 am not
able to find out whether Friz's
services are forced on an unwilling
employer. but my impression is that
the latter'a agreement to take on the
man as a workman is entirely volun-
tary-perhaps slightly under pressure.
Earning Higher Wages.
In many cases these wounded men
are. actually earning far more today
than they were before the war. but
that is due to the abnormal wage scale
which now exists in Germany. Many
workmen are being paid three and four
times as much as they were in peace
times, although this does not boil down
to much beyond figures. when one con-
siders what. the mark will buy. Tho
man who made ten marks a day in
peace times may make thirty marks to-
day. But in 1913 he might live COM
fortably on seven marks a day, where
as today he lives miserabfy, half
clothed, half-fed. half-warmed and not
entertained at all on twenty marks a
day. His ten marks remaining will not
buy him what his three marks would
four years ago. ....-
Nevertheless. 1t is believed that most
Of these mutiles will be able to support
war, even without the aid of the state
pension. It is the most practical and
the most widely supported war charity
that have heard Of.
Spent on Charity.
Millions of marks are said to have
been contributed to 1t and are all ex-
pended directly for the objects of the
charity, instead Of attempting to put
away an endowment fund, which shall
support many officials in comfort in a
white marble building. The founders
of the charity have a serene confidence
that they shall always be able to get
more money when they need 1t.
Free lance charitable societies di-
rected by soft-headed men and women
are discouraged in Germany as tend
ing to waste time and money and do
no good. and. in addition. pauperize the
recipient of aid. All aid societies are.
or are supposed to be. under govern
ment inspection and SO far as possible
they have been combined in a few
large working organizations. This
ideal has not been reached as yet, my
German informants tell me, but the
relief work Is tending that way.
The German plan is to give each
soldiers dependents enough to eat and
to save each mutilated man for further
service II possible. But the cost must
be stupendous and appalling. The Ger
mans say their plan is more compre-
hensive and efficient than that Of any
of their~allies. or of the entente coun-
tries. But they admit the piling debt
is ruinous. =