The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-07-22
GERMANS SQUEEZE
STARVING BELGIUM
STORY OF THE TERRIBLE WANT
OF ONE OF THE VICTIMS OF
THE SAVAGE HUN.

The United States food administra-
ton is In receipt OF letter from
Journal. Belgium. which gives the de-
tails Of one phase OF the horrible treat
ment to which the victims of Germany
are subjected and the very necessities
Of life wrenched from the clutch OF
starving men and women and babies
by the soldiers.
The letter very clearly summarizes
some of the reasons why the people
Of the United States, surrounded by
luxuriant abundance OF food, should
give a little OF their plenty that stnrv-
Ing people over there may be saved
while our soldiers are fed The let
ter In part follows:
"Since the FIRST Of October. 1915, the
Germans have put the city Of Journal
and its eommunes under military rule.
One Of the consequences Is the SELF
ure Of all animal and vegetable prod
ucts, including also certain mineral
products; that Is to say, an order to
the farmers and landholders forbid
ding them to dispose of these prod
ucts and obliging them to hold them
in good condition at the pleasure OF the
German authorities until such time
as it pleases them to requisition these
products. This interval Is usually not
very long.
Seize Live Stock.
The object aimed at by the seizure,
especially cattle and horses, must be
inventoried, and mea sures Of authority
as annoying as they are severe con-
stantly hinder the inhabitants as well
MS the responsible Belgian authorities
with the threat Of fine and imprison-
ment and even deportation into Ger
| many.
"Woe to anyone who Is found in
possession of -four, rice. beans, pota-
toes, fuel, sugar, butter, meat. wine.
or liquors. ETC., etc.
"As for indigenous products, infie1i-
BILE laws compel the inhabitants to de-
! liver so large a share of them period
| ically to the Germans that there Is
hardly any left for the people them
selves. Thus nearly all the legumes
and vegetables are requisitioned.
| "Of eggs and milk, the amount to
be delivered to the Germans Is In pro-
portion to the number Of hens or OF
cows, but according to a Tux SO high
that only the littlest children get any
milk at all, thanks to the Association
| for the Drop Of MILK; and the only
! way farmer can get any eggs for
himself Is to report smaller number
OF hens than he really has. Unfor-
/ 10 thn n
20 to the farms, after the peasants
have made their reports, open the
doors Of the stables, chicken houses
and other buildings, and throw corn to
the chickens who naturally rush out
to peck. Each hen not reported
costs her owner $3.50 fine, to say moth
ing Of Imprisonment
Starve for Meat.
'The rationing of meat has reached
the point where instead of nourishment
being the basis Of calculation 1t Is
only negligible point. At Journal,
for instance, nil the meat shops and
pork shops were closed by the order
Of the German authorities since Octo-
Der 1, 1916, and the inhabitants could
buy only at communal butcher shops
1.-THE Germans let them have a few
beasts a week, but SO few that the
ration per person per week, according
to a German notice posted before the
witness left there, was to be limited
beginning October Is, 1917, to the rtdi
culous quantity of between two and
three ounces, including bones. Pork Is
vigorously forbidden, and woe tc
those who are found in possession Of
a ham; that misdeed would cost them
for instance, not only the ham, worth
Mt least $40, but in addition fine OF
500, sometimes even also several days
in prison.
THUS It is that the great majority
Of the people already worn out by long
and careful economy are reduced tc
the peoples SOUP" quite insufficient
for them, and so decrease in vigol
day by day. Marked out as 1t were
for tuberculosis, nevertheless, instead
Of allowing themselves to be crush
ed by this course Of trea tment, the
Tournafsians maintain n courage truly
admirable. The only effect Of the suf
ferings they have endured Is to en-
gender deep down in their hearts ar
in,placable hatred toward Germany
This silent, bitter hate passes all de
scrlption; 1t is the active form of {
patriotism suppressed by the enemy
l