The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1918-06-04
GERMAN PEOPLE
CONFIDENT OF
WINNING SOON
Wife Of Singer Says Huns
Kept Ignorant Of True War
Conditions.

NEW YORK, June Mrs. Herbert
Challis, wife of the American opera
singer, has just returned to the United
States from Berlin with her two chill
dren and Is on the way to her home
in Kansas City after being away for
eight years. She said that her hus-
band had many Influential friends
among the Prussian aristocracy and
said she believed the report published
on April "a, 1917. that Prince Eitel
Friedrich. the second son Of the
Kaiser, had died Of typhus fever was
true.
Speaking Of the conditions in Ger
many, Mrs. Challis said:
THE German people know nothing
of true war conditions. They believe
that their armies are victorious and
have no doubt Of their ultimate tri-
umph. The wounded in the present
offensive are not taken publicly to the
great cities, and as the people do not
wear mourning on account OF the high
cost of clothing there is little to lead
them to believe that the losses Of the
Germans are as heavy as they are.
Never before has there been so
much money in Germany. There are
no longer any really poor people, for
every one has received good wages In
the different war work and there is
little time for useless expenditures. In
fact 1t Is very hard to spend money,
for there is nothing to buy. All food
is rationed at price fixed by the Gov
ernment, and every one is forbidden to
sell any personal effects or household
belongings.
when I left there surreptitiously
sold some of my belongings, and when
few OF my acquaintances learned that
| wished to dispose of my things they
begged for a chance to buy them. For
my sheets, which I had bought long
ago at dollar apiece, I received 500,
and worn-out rug, which was prac-
tically valueless. was bought by two
women who paid me three times what
I paid for 1t many years ago.
Wool and soap are two articles that
are now entirely unknown in Germany.
Automobiles, too, have become extinct.
All clothing is made Of shoddy and one
is allowed but one dress, and that can
only be obtained by permission OF the
Government The people are patient
in spite Of the filth and disease, tor
they believe it will only be short
time now until the war is over.
"The familiar stout German figure
Is no longer to be seen. ! was simply
aghast when I saw the first fat man
here. for | had not seen one for so
long. am now more than fifty pounds
below my average weight.
ut is really strange to see able
bodied men again. All the men have
been away from Berlin so long that
every one has grown accustomed To
their absence. Only the very old ones
remain, and the children are not tile
sturdy youngsters they used to be.
There is no news of the war to be
had except that favorable to Germany
The people hear nothing OF the move
ment OF American troops, except that
they are not being able to reach their
destination and that at every turn the
enemy is being thwarted. There IS
never any question as to the provoca-
ton of Germany for entering the war,
and the feeling has always been
strong that had the Belgians not re-
sisted there would have been little
trouble at all.
"The people in the country are
really better off than those in the city,
for, being thrifty, they have been able
TO raise enough to maintain them.
The city people have now converted
their courtyards, which were kept in
splendid condition, into pig pens, and
the pig is the pet Of every household.