Omaha daily bee., 1917-05-21
FAMINE STARING
GERMANY IN FACE
Dutch Farm Hand Tells of the
Conditions Existing Rela-
tive to the Food
Supplies.

The Telegraf of Amsterdam Of
March % gave prominence to an
interview with a Dutch farm hand who
had just returned from Germany.
The Dutchman went to Germany at
the age of Is he is now IS. For seven
teen years he had worked on the
farms at East Friesland, Hanover and
Westphalia. The Dutch paper quotes
him as follows:
Il often watched our beasts latterly,
because they are daily growing thin
ner. The consequences to the milk
supply may easily be judged. Added
to this is the very important factor
that the farmer is unable any longer
to do what he wants with his agricul-
tural milk and dairy products, A
strong system Of checking make the
evasion of the severe laws wholly i'm
possible. A peasant is not allowed to
kill a chicken without authorization
by the district authorities,
Mystery Grows Deeper.
ut is a mystery to me how it will
go this year on our farm. For ex-
ample, last year we had three women
workers, together with the daughter
of the house and an old day laborer,
who died this winter. What does this
labor signify on farm of 1870 to 200
acres. The owner has left with two
sons for the front. One OF his strong
boys Is already killed; the other is
lying wounded in hospital. With the
best will was unable to continue any
longer. Last year, owing to lack Of
labor, manure, seed, ETC., we left sew
eral fields fallow. This year I see no
change of working half the farm suit
ably with female assistance and other
labor is unobtainable at any price.
The agricultural societies have re-
quested the minister of education to
allow the children of the elementary
schools above II years of age to per-
form agricultural labor under the
teachers direction. The question | ask
is: What is the value of such children
on our great rye, potato, and beet
root fields? No, | am convinced that
this child labor must be confined at
the utmost to garden work.
Horses Prey to Crows.
Regarding our draft animals, our
four fine horses are perhaps already a
prey to the crows and vultures of the
battlefield; therefore, we shall be
obliged to utilize a couple of oxen, for
draft horses suitable for our farm,
with its clayey soil, cannot be pur-
chased, even If you offered $3.50 to
$500. Our twenty milking cows are
reduced by nearly . half. People may
say or write what they will about the
undiminished cattle stocks of the Ger
man empire, I know much better.
That these animals must decline in
number is obvious. From what, more.
over, should the army be provided il
there were no cattle slaughtering on
a large scalel Pig fattening is simply
in a pitiable position. II it perma-
nently remains so or deteriorates
there is an, end of it. / do not know
what happens to the young horses
now imported from Holland. No one
in Hanover knew. 1t is believed that
they are utilized for human consump-
ton. They are certainly far too young
to perform hard work or army service,
except possibly some specially strong
animals. .,
Diet of Bread and Turnips.
Human food is everywhere deplor-
able. Bread and turnips-if the latter
are used up, mangolds-that is the
daily ration. Fat, butter, meat are all
requisitioned, and the portions dis
tributed are precious small and, what
is more, sometimes not forthcoming
for weeks. The farmer is now only
allowed of his own potato produce
one pound of potatoes daily per head.
It is very discouraging If you sur
render your own agricultural produce
for the community, retaining SO pre-
cious little, or receiving it back in por-
tons. The need increases daily. do
not understand how the famished pop
ulation can be fed till next harvest. l.,
therefore cleared out--simply in order
not to sit there any longer in misery.
| am able to earn money enough, but
what advantage is this to me if ] must
suffer with my purse full OF money!
| promised the farmers wife would
quickly return If possible, but | shall
reflect ten times. ! believe ! am do
ing wisely to await better times here,
for | foresee still greater famine in