The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-09-30
Copyright. 1918. by the Mcclure Newsps-
per Syndicate.)

Sell IL u Tie p6Opie, SIudil ptTCGul-
age of the profits going to the govern
ment. It not only developed into
most successful enterprise from the
standpoint of profit. its prosperity be-
ing augmented by graft, but it provided
a haven for the Stacker sons of the
fore / left Berlin, this company, to
hide their war profits. bought build
ing FOR three million marks, which they
claimed was needed for the business.
One of the subterfuges resorted to
by some of the war proflteers to con-
ceal the extent Of their gains and es-
cape taxation was to invest their sur
plus earnings in works Of art and other
expensive Injuries. As the tax assess
ments were based principally upon the
individuals bank deposits and the tax
collecting machinery was very much
out Of gear 1t was comparatively easy
to evade the law by careful manipula-
tion Of ones bank account, and by dis
bursting profits received without hav-
ing them go through the bank. A Ger
man whom knew told me that he had
disposed of an OIL painting which had
cost him $500 for no less than $85, 900,
the price Of works Of art and antiques
having increased to a remarkable e1-
tent because of the demand for them
from tax dodgers.
Under the stress Of the changed
food conditions the hungry German
soon replaced the honest German. Ger
mans had always had a reputation for
honesty, but their claims to such dis
tinction disappeared with the food sup
ply. Necessity soon brought out all
that was worst In the German char
acter.
Although the government decreed
high fine and imprisonment as pun
ishment for buying or selling anything
which had been Communicated, specu-
latOrs sprang up on every side and
people Dragged openly Of what they
had stored away.
The worst deprivation was In the
lack Of fats. The people showed 1t
very plainly. One seldom saw q fat
man or tat woman, although before
the war fairness was almost character
istic Of the German physique. Indeed,
saw rather stout woman being fol-
lowed by at least twenty boys who
were jeering at her and making slur-
ring remarks about the manner In
which she had retained her avoirdu-
pofs. A fat person In Germany today
is regarded with suspicion.
Naturally the weakened condition of
the people makes them all easily sus-
ceptible to disease. Epidemics spread
rapidly and am inclined to believe
that little care was taken by the au-
thorities to protect the older people
from infection. / know that my Sec
retary's mother fell and broke both
her legs last summer (1917) and was
taken to the accident ward Of a hos
pital where her fellow-patients were
all crippled. Ten Of the inmates Of
that ward died In a single day from
dysentery, and the following day the
death list was increased by twelve.
the old lady with the broken legs be-
ing one Of them. Twenty-Five more
bread cards saved at the expense Of
twenty-five useless women In one hos
pital alone-a fair record for two
daysl / have no proof that these un-
fortunate victims of disease were de-
liberately infected by the hospital au-
thorities, but the mere fact that TWEEN
ty-two patients In an accident ward
died from dysenterY In two days Is
certainly evidence Of gross careless
ness IL nothing worse.
To buy new clothes It Is necessary
to secure certificate from the gov
eminent to the effect that you are alb
solutely In need of clothing, and, even
then, You are compelled to give up the
suit you are discarding.
Branch Offices for investigating the
necessity OF replenishing ones ward
robe have been established all over
the cities and they are always crowd
ed. Women are In charge and they
seemed thoroughly to enjoy their au-
thority and their power to deny an
application for new clothing.
When left Berlin the law permit
ted man just two shirts, two collars.
two pairs of socks, ETC.. year. Since
soap had disappeared from the mar
ket so many inadequate substitutes
had been tried that ones laundry In
variably came home full of holes.
In November, 1917. paid 800 for q
suit Of clothes which If 1t had been
made out OF cloth Of good quality
would have been worth about $35. AS
1t was, the tailor frankly admitted
that the goods was made Of re-worked
yarn, and because of the lack of cotton
thread, the seams were worked with q
material which looked like paper