New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-07
People of Berlin
Worn and Weak,
Girl Here Says
New Yorker Returns to Re-
gain Health, Undermined
by Food Shortage

AN ATLANTIC PORT, Nov. Ga
Norwegian liner with 1,20s passengers,
.be biggest complement to be brought
90 this country in one steamship in
ANY months, arrived here to-day from
cbris.iania after a stop Of two days at
Halifax.
Among her passengers were score
II Americans who had left Germany and
,be Scandinavian countries because OF
he shortage of food and the general
s1novanee Of conditions in and about
the war zone.
Miss Eden Worfolk, Of this city, who
had been living in Germany for the last
ten wears, declared that she had grown
vsak and thin through lack Of food in
Berlin, and was forced TO return TO this
country 70 restore her health.
People Growing Thin
81 was never molested while in the
German capital" she said, but had a
Sificult task in getting enough food to
live on. Because OF this | became weak
and appealed for milk ticket, and the
milk diet helped restore my health. |
observed that the people were thin. and
the food shortage was telling generally
mon the health Of the German people.
We were allowed Atty grams Of butter
and a pound and q half of sugar a
month and q pound and half of meat
a week.
"The death rate among ehildrsa and
babies through lack Of milk has been
Greatly overrated. Practically all the
milk in the empire Is being given TO
children and old persons.
"There Is a shortage Of cotton and
Uool in Germany now, and limit has
been fixed for clothing. Men are al
lowed two pairs of trousers year, and
the women are restricted to the pur-
chase Of three dresses. Also, there is
an abundance Of mourning worn. The
government opposes the use of mourn
ing. but the people refuse to refrain
FRO mhororing their dead in outward
Practically all the public utilities
are now operated By women, and the
rate Of accidents has gone up. from
200 70 500 per cent. II is not due 20
the fact that women are operating
them, but because the machinery IS
wearing out and is being repaired with
moor material. For example, many OF
the elevators that have been operated
By steel cables are now holsted by
hemp ropes
who has been studying singing in Ber-
lin. said that German yh don't lost It's
interest in grand opera, and that at the
recent revival of several French operas
al the Royal Opera House the perform
snces were packed to capacity and
seats were sold out three weeks in sd-
vance.
American Escaped Germans
Among the returning travellers was
WiIett Charles Smith, Of Norwalk,
Conn. who shipped on the steamship
Fsmeralda out Of Baltimore and was
captured by the German raider Moewe
when two DAYS out Of Liverpool on the
return voyage. He said he was taken
with the thirty-one members Of the
crew 70 Kiel, and later sent TO an in
ternment camp at Lubeck He said he
tried 20 escape and was put in dun
oson on bread and water for fourteen
days.
orders he was sent to unload fertilizer
from & Swedish ship at Danzig. Smith
said he hid himself in the hold and
after SIX days Of fasting landed safe
" in Sweden.
Other Messengers were: Mrs. Marie
Novitzsky. wife Of a member Of the
Russian Commission now in Washing
ton. James z. Pickell, DR.. Alice Luce
NJ Helen Davis, wife Of the kaiser's
American dentist in Berlin, and
Christofer Hannevig, the Norwegian
ship builder