Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-01
HUNS IMPOSE ON
FRENCH PEASANTS
Civilians Behind the German
Lines Practically Slaves.
Girls Forced to Work In
Forests, Chopping Down
Trees.

French Front. April 21.-Life among
the French civilians behind the Germans
lines in the occupied departments OF
France has become almost slavery. Ine
oppressed people have to submit to re-
strictions depriying them OF all the
usual amenities of human existence. De-
tails of the terroriZing process intro
duced by the Germans. when rs da1y
becoming more severe, have reached the
correspondent of The Associated Press
from number Of centers where the Ger
man army holds possession.
According to some of these communica-
lions eyerybody-that is to say, men,
women and children--is forced to work
for the German conquerors, especially IN
the country districts and towns near the
front. One young woman-and she IS
only one among many-tells hoy she was
made to fell trees in the forest of SAINT
Gobain. which was under constant gun
fire while in the same vicinity all the
supply columns for the troops in the
most dangerous parts OF the line were
formed of French civilins.
In the neighborhood OF Cambria an
agricultural work is carried out BY the.
peasants under the surveillance of Ger
man soldiers and when the produce is
ripe it is all requisitioned by the mill
tary authorities The factories in the
city itself have been robbed of their ma
chinery with the result that large num-
bers of workers have been reduced TO
SEMI starvation and consequent sickness.
At the end of 1917 there were still 10Ou
inhabitants in the city, all of whom were
compelled to take refuge in the cellars,
In most parts of the country the
Spanish Dutch relief which has taken
the place Of the American Relief Com
mission, goes on normally, but 1t is as
serted that the German authorities
manage to obtain possession Of a portion
Of the provisions. In Lille the prices of
food are extremely high. and the popula-
ton. already impoverished. has great
trouble to obtain food. Eggs cost 80
cents apiece, meat 81. go to So pound
,tL, 8 tes s1ot.l chhn Or a tT
cloth costs SIG yard. and there is no
beer. milk or soap to be had, while coal
is distributed at the rate of Sc pounds
per head of the population per month
at the price of 36 q pound or $720 per ton
of 1000 pounds.
In ChrleVille matters are even worse.
The people have not had any fresh meat
for two and a half years and for other
provisions they have to rely on the re-
lief committee which makes a dstribu-
lion twice O week. Each person is given
In the course of every fortnight the fol-
lowing articles half a pound of bacon,
half a pound Of lard. half a pound of salt
meat, half pound of haricots. four
fifths of a pound Of salt. n quarter OF q
pound of sugar and small quantities OF
corn residue. Besides these things each
person receives once month can OF
condensed milk, IN the stores coffee
costs about 81 aFpound, sugar nearly
So, chocolate nearly 81. The sale OF po-
tatoes is forbidden
Nearly all the men work for the Ger
mans, who forbid them to leVe their
houses before seven in the morning and
they must return by eight in the even
ing.
At Domain French prisoners have
been employed in the destruction of the
factories. from which all the machinery
has been taken and sent to Germany,
while at Saint Quentin all the statues
nave been taken down and specialists
from Germany have removed everything
of value from the basilca.
Even children OF school age. most Of
whom have not had the opportunity to
go to school three years. are made to
work along the roads and in the forests.