Evening journal., 1918-12-30
HUNS Will PAY
WAR DAMAGES TO
FRANCE, BELGIUM
continued From Flrst Page.


ly foreslghted to store their stocks I'M
III they have enough TO last through
the winter. Inasmuch as a greater Part
OF the region Is agricultural, conditions
as a whole are fairly good
Many persons In the Moselle Valley
wine growers-will be forced 10 lb.
foodstuffs.
In the towns ratlonlng Is still being
enforced. There is serious shortage
OF butter, eggs and milk. These are
practically non-existent In the towns
The wealthier citizens are able to obtain
them by backdoor dealing.
The ofllclal food allowance during the
last week in December for each per-
son was four pounds, eight ounces Of
bread. twelve ounces OF. -four, seven
pounds of potatoes, ten ounces OF but
ter, eight ounces Of sugar, twelve
ounces OF turnipiops.
There was no meat 10 be had. Heavy
workers were permitted an additional
pound of potatoes.
The cost OF this. the intelligence -e-
port shows, averaged about ten marks
daily, while in the cities II Is much
higher.
German officials claim the potato crop
on which is placed the greatest de-
pendence for food Is a partial failure
and declare the situation may become
serious late In February unless stocks
not now scheduled make their appear
ance. Due TO unsettled financial con-
ditlons dealers are not replenishing
their stocks as usual and thei, shelves
are growing bare.
Pay for workers Is not keeping up
with the advanced cost OF living La
borers are averaging a wage OF flve TO
seven marks day. Figures collected
on labor conditions show a basis for
complaints. Business men OF Mayen
that eight marks a day con-
stitiites a fair living wage, but the |
are not getting 10. They are
averaging about 1--WE marks, while the /
women workers are paid much less
The chief OF the Cobenz bankers as
soclatlon estimates that business priog
10 The signing OF the armistce was
about GO per cent. of It's no NAL vol-
anne and that now has dropped OF TO - \
per cent. Interviews with other bankers
bear out this statement Shipments Of
supplies are not looked forward TO so
long as political conditions remain un-
settled.
The situation as regards clothing IS
much worse than that with food. A
common suit TO- civilians costs from
'60 TO 500 and stocks are low. The cost
lf any kind Of cloth FOR apparel is well
night proh'bitlve compared with the
scale Of wages. Nevertheless. people
n the streets are well clothed, in ap-
oearance.
As regards footwear there Is not al
single pslrsof leather shoes on display
N the shop windows Canvas appears
'or the uppers, while some have soles
)f straps, cut and sewed together. Only
,ivilians and peasants wear wooden
ioled shoes. The majority OF persons
n the street wear leather shoes. OBJ
'iously repaired many times. Inquiries
among servant girls and walters at the
hotel where the press Is quartered.
brought out the fact that they had
bought shoes only few months ago at
3 which was consldered high price. i
In view OF the shortage of cloth.
american officials have consented 20
lllow soldiers to convert their grey uni
o~ms into civilian clothing by cutting
he coat to flt a roll collar. One firm Is
rg9ged in manufacturing civilian
l0thing from German uniform cloth
Investigation OF conditions in cloth
ng stores revealed that gloves. cost
ne $3.50 TO % ~ in the United states a,o T,
elling for $500 here. In Coblenz, the !
heapesi kind Of a Handkerchief can be
ought for the equivalent OF a dollar.
Iats which would cost about 50 90 in =
he United States bring $500. Shops 4
re selling a handwoven substitute for \
nderwear which has a warm, clothlike =
ppearance.