Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-27
WITHIN THE IRON RING--x.
b( FNEDENIC J. IIASI<IN

crct police. The head waiter fhe
chambermaid and boots are in the game
10 take YOU unawarcs II IS policy to
l"ad an open. ingenious life, to court
publicity by leaving papers scattered
IN the open, and to leave trunks and
bags unlocked. In the streets on park
benches. in the cafes. at the railway
stations and upon the trains tho Sc
crct police are always on the lookout
Tor something strange. At the first
mint of ominous mystery. trouble grows
rapidly for the unhappy suspect So
many ncutrals have crossed into Chr
many aud hidden their spy work under
the cloak Of business errands. that
to-day an incurred suspicion is a can
Serous thing.
An elaborate watch is kent unon oil
aliens Enemy aliens. however, tho
ola men. the women. and those Ger
man women mDrricd to subjects @,
'hc enemy countries. are under a re-
, a., SUPERVISION. They must not
ieiNe the town in which they live. They
must report daily TO the police OF their
"iS'rict. and have their special passo.
STAMPED. They must exercise a double
caution in every act and word
Public PInccn All Guarded
Issues this protecting army OF spies
ana me precise body OF regulations
IN" authorities have stationed sol
u'ers OF the Laudsturm around all
Pupl'c buildings. munition factories
army Storchouscs bridges. railway sta
'iohS. aviation grounds. Zeppelin sheds.
"!ohe me roads to the artillery stands
INA the troop training grounds, and
nearer the frontiers. along tbc rail
ways and roads
MI dissemination OF information 1,
carefully supervised by the authori
tics. All news Of !, politicol mr.
economic nature. whether for in,o-, or
or foreign consumption. IS censored
~ inc news bureau OF tho Foreign OF
nee all news or military nature /,
censored at the war departments now.
",ice ana all news relating TO naval
AFFAIRS az n similar bureau in charg.
or nava! officers. The authorittes hav.
become the sole arbiters OF literary
chort. they have. however wioldod
'h:ir power lightly. ami allow much
Eenem"ht criticism TO he freely printed.
f.'ch the German housewives b,ye
n''" 10 conform 30 military precision
IN many Of their affairs They can h.
seen standing patiently in line outside
Oh butcher shops diaries ana erorory
t"rcS waiting their turns 10 purchase
th"'r cards allowances ON Tho -,
81 issue or the ration cards they ,nr,,
i"nS. precisely moving limos a, -
points OF distribution. and in the s,ro
single hle they pass through tho cir
''hiiS on IN" days that pension, for
SOLDIERS wives arc paid
Nearly Everything HcUui.Ition.d
'"""' everything OF military yalu.
mas been requisitioncd TaNic,bs am,
""'"'hobiI"s are very scarce even i'm
''rhii' IN one Saxon town. which
counted $500 automobiles hoforo ina
war. iher" are only three OF these COZ,
v"Eanc"s SIM In operation. and ,b,v.
three were all too old To 20 ia ~
i,"rs"s' too arc few and ancient In
''s c''I"S. IN the smaller towns, their
places have been taken by oxen. TN.
- ,F
places i'nprcsscs one as though ,Ls
CLOCK had been turned back soma con
turi"s and the Middle Ages were aIiy.
again. In some Of tho smaller cities
grass is growing up between Tn.
cracks In the pavement. as rcn,ir.
nav" been neglected and thcr. ia 100
NV" tra'hc 10 wear away its vcrdur.
Things ar" as quiet az n SUNDAY I'm
New England In tho towns and In tho
cities OF middle size. There il no uois,
OF iranc on tho streets no clattor ~
drays and rattl" Of cquipavcs TIL.
pedestrians 20 their WAYS silently.
There is no loud talking ringing
daughter. or noisy calls. The scene nr.t
liV"ns up when a regiment with IL.
band clashing MARTA! music. marche,
way.
All life in Germany is managed on
a military principle under tho war.
stern necessity. The nation dimes and
toulouse. and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
food c"nsu>"s have boon taken.
thorough copper and nickel census was
taken. In this connection. il is worth
mentioning that most or tho better
homes and factories were. perhaps in
accordance with suggestions fitted
with copper roofs. During tho pcrion
II copper scarcity. before the path
was broken through Serbia many Of
thcs" copper roofs were rcquisitioned.
and one sees to-day the ScaroldinG on
the buildings from which this precious
copper was removed TO be replaced by
tin or tiles.
Military mana Eemen, is an exact
marvclously efficient and marvelously
oppressive management which hardly
varies at all from day to day But
its discipline and its stern conserve
ton of every atom OF strength to Ia
directed toward a single goal are all
solutc!y necessary III any nation at
war