Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-17
ROuMANJANS BACK OF GERMAN
LINES LIVING IN EXTREME
POVERTY.
SOME ENTIRELY WITHOUT
SHELTER OF ANY KIND
Forced to Abandon Homes. They Are
Suffering Untold Hardships and Oy-
ing Of Hunger and Oisease-Many
Remain in Danger From Enemy
Guns Rather Than Leave.
[ Correspondence Associated Press. J

Jassy, Rouman.a. Nov. I.-EXtreme
poverty and suffering exists among
refugees and peasants IN the little
mountain villages that are so numerous
just back Of the RoumanianCerman
battle line. In large number Of cases
the refugees are without shoes ana
without shelter of any kind. many OF
thcm being compelled TO live in the
fields and to endure the exposure Of the
prevailing cold autumn nights. Often
their clothing consists only Of a few
thin ragged cotton garments that give
scarcely any warmth TO their wasted
bodies Their situation IS rendered the
moro precarious by the fact that the
districts in which they are living are
subject 70 frequent artillery fire and
10 bombing by atrpIanes.
Those who are fortunate enough to
have even the poor comfort OF shelter
in the shattered adobe houses that re-
main standing are in almost every in
stance living under conditions of the
most wretched misery. Forced sud
denly by the ex;geaCies OF the military
situation 20 abandon their former
homes. they nave found even severcr
Aarfsh:1s awaiting them IN the desc
;a:ed districts 10 which they have fed;
to- IN these small villages there IS
neither anything 70 sustain life nor
that medical care which often would
save life. Al doctors are needed on
ne front. and t>ese unfortunate Deo-
pie who n ghr otherwise 5e useful
= ~ =
are LEI. either to struggle alone with
me ravagos OF famine and disease or
70 de Of starvation.
IN some villages the refugees and
peasants receive bread ;w.ro a week:
in others none at al. !; = t"ue tha;
: scan: supply OF corn nca! : obtain
aa,e by application q government
agencies. but this slender staple for
ave-v ma, : 11- calculated - gil
strength and suSteHa1ce 10 people al
ready reduced 10 the las extremity o.
dest!.-.:o. ~ he loss Q: their mate
ria, b.,o~E.nzs and ~ financial sup
port usually gwen them by husbands
Or sons or brothers now serving -h.7.
country IN -vo instances refugees
we-e observed picking n the feds
Kind ot Wild grass. which they eat but
which u America We would think only
Of feeding 20 cattle
Typical Gases.
The most pathetic case OF suffering
and wan. was witaes Sei in the little
village u Sol-ju. IN the district Of
PUMA IN a sQuaiid shack Of WOOD aud
mud were three little children on the
point OF exhaustion FOR lack Of proper
care and food. They were orphans.
-hs mother mad lately died OF -yphus,
winch has 5!.-hyed nearly -he who.@
O: Pggnar.a- the father was serving
a. ,ha front. and little g!-l OF 20 vas
acting as mother - two tiny tots o.
ana TIE youngest child was lying
helpless ~ q nag OF 4 stone Hoo-,
rage =C--r-a-.e Of famine and disease.
\ second tasa which was o1ir
~ -aI Of rurnba-lstss o'hers. was OBJ
sa-re5 II 6..aD .1a:s5 house 10 ,ars9-
han - ordinary american bedroom
-oz-= VS. 70 E.a-~s II ne windows
The roof was .an q holes. Elsewh@re
T. - house - open Spaces were
s,-:E45 VIII rags. Here tha-e we-a
~ -s@-sc1s r-3~5sd together IN
- Guns .or4s .: 50 Iai3r AMI misery
Ezgs and altered patch 1.l-s formed
- "a. "-re-.ogs - ~ TaktS:!.t-
Is
o. q -ae inmates w. an elderly
rc-.&. w1o ,at recently lost her hus-
- ~: WIGS pro- = Was . have
.Iret Tr-s sarr..g n ne army. For
80 solemn c41-rlJIL.Oa 10 the "a Use
= -ar country however she had not
sr.s-. - srraI reward from her gov