Grand Forks herald., 1917-01-23
GERMANY MUST
RAID NEUTRALS
OR ELSE STARvF
Neutral Observer States
Holland or Denmark
Face a Raid.

London. Jan. 23.-The London
Times today prints a description OF
conditions in Germany from 1.-The neu-
trail whose observations have proved
contends that this is one OF the first
| direct, uncensored communications
that have reached the outer world
for some months. The neutral, who
dates his dispatch Cologne, Jan. IL,
SAYS:
"since the period of Curtin's inves-
tigation of the economic situation In
Germany matters have been getting
steadily worse. 1t would be no exag-
geration to say that one can now see
fresh deterioration every week. and
the pace down hill is getting faster.
Both the German people and the Ger
man army on the western front have
in the last few months experienced
very considerable changes for the
worse. I always have, as you know,
warned the allies against over optim-
/, ism regarding the economic situation
in Germany, but there really does not
seem to be much need Of a warning
now. 1t is not only my impression,
but that Of my German friends who
are in position to know the facts as
to the food supply, that Germany is
faced by the prospect Of being un-
able to continue the struggle unless
she really raids Denmark or Holland,
or both, for meat, corn, butter, and
oil.
Let me say first that throughout
my tour / have not heard of any ac-
tual starvation. Every baby, at any
rate, every baby under years Of age,
gets sufficient milk except in the prin-
clpal munitions areas, where so much
of the milk from the surrounding dis.
tricts is converted into glycerine. In
valids are suffering. but those who
have money can on medical certifi.
Gates obtain permission to go to Switz-
erland, Holland, or Denmark. for fix
ed periods, but the rich do not really
suffer at all. The condition Of the
general population, especially in the
towns, large and small. is deplorable
There is great deal of complaining
and of late disputes between various
authorities and between the authori-
ties of the various states have increas-
bitterness as between the country and
the towns, and in any particular town
II have been told that some other
town is flowing with milk and honey,
although I have been about Germany
enough to know better. The COM
doubtless justified by their greater
possibilities of boarding food, the pos
session of which they will not disclose,
yet it would be a great mistake to ex-
asgerate the practical effect Of the
prevailing distress. 1t seems to me
that nothing is more striking than the
way in which the docility of all the
German tribes, Prussians. Saxons. Ba-
varians and the rest. positively in
creases with the decrease Of strength
caused by the lack of food.
Il do not see how Germany is to
continue indefinitely without obtain
ing leather. AS you we'll know, the
system now has been put on a card
basis. I was In Berlin on what was
out cards. The people crowded the
fronts Of shops and had to be dispers-
ed by the police when the shops clos
ed. Outside one of the shops in Leip-
zlgerstrasse there was a great light
Everybody wanted to get boots, no
matter what kind or size, and men
even bought women's boots. the
idea being that it would be possible
to change them later. However, it was
promptly announced that in future
boots would not be changed without a
special permit.
My journey occupied much more
time than I had expected. because the
whole German railway system is dis
organized by shortage Of coal. This
is partly due to labor difficulties-in
spite Of the release Of labor by the
military authorities for work in the
mines-partly to the vast increase in
the amount Of coal needed by the
munitions works, and partly to the
increasing quantity sent to switzer-
land in exchange for food. Many
trains have been stopped altogether,
and ordinary travelling Of course is
rendered more difficult by the priori-
ty given to troops and transport trains.
Nevertheless, at several places on my
Journey saw new railway lines under
construction, and much other public
work going on as usual. At one place
drove along a road bordering !
considerable stretch Of new railway
line. and noticed that all the workers
were Russian and French prisoners,
guarded, by very old soldiers and vary
young ones.
ut is not true as stated In tho Eng
lish and French newspapers, which
are sold here AZ freely ~ heretofore,
that the diet OF the armies remains
as it was. There are bitter grumblinan
from the soldiers back from the Na1t.
ern front, and the soldiers returnine
from the Somme ana verdun caiia-
paign OF increasing diminution ia ,tfS .
mixture Of butter and margarinss sSss. !,
n out to them. y a Z