Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1918-01-08


Carlson, arrived in Bonners Ferry
Sunday after an absence of about two
years. For the past few months Mr..
Carson has been in Chicago attend
ing a school for the instruction
of moving picture operators and he
plans to go to Canada in the near
future to open up moving picture
show.
Mr.. Carson returned to America
on September % after having been
in Sweden living with his parents
for nearly two years. A CONVERSE
ton with Mr.. Carson gives one a
first-rate idea of conditions in the
European country.
81 was mighty glad TO get back
to America" said Carson, "the peo-
pie in this country have no idea of
the hardships the war in Europe
is working even in the neutral coun-
tries. In Sweden the grain crop this
year was a failure although the
farmers harvested a good crop of
potatoes. One has to wait in line
for from four to five hours to get
the ordinary necessities of life and
the amount you can buy is strictly
regulated You are only allowed
from four to five ounces of bread
per day and this is not white bread.
1t is "war-bread" made up of about
% per cent white flour and the re-
mainder potato, oat or bean flour.
You cannot buy coffee-there is none
in the country. You are allowed two
pounds of sugar each month. There
is a shortage CT all kinds of fats
and there is no kerosene in the
country"
"There were serious food riots in
nearly all the cities of Sweden the
first part of May. But little of this
trouble reaches the daily papers CT
this country. At this time a great
revolution was planned to be started
but the authorities found out about
it in time and nipped it. The riot
ers carried large banners upon which
we've printed in large letters Long
Live the Revolution They wore i'm
lnediately arrested but were turned
Loose when it was found that i'll very
small printing underneath the legend
continued 'in Russia.
MANY of the poorer psoDle Ct
Sweden are actually starving. There
has been a lot of sickness in the
country the last year or so on ac-
Mt of the fact that the people have
not had sufficient nourishncE.. II
is not generally known but there
have been many cases Of smallpox
in sweden also aud thousands have
died of the disease. Many Swedish
people think that the Germans
= brought the smallpox into the coun-
try as there was an endemic of the
/ disease in Germany before it broke
out in Sweden and in one city in
/ Germany nearly the entire popu-
lation suffered and many died"
In speaking of the war sentiments
of the Swedish people in the native
country Mr.. Carson said, "The mid
die and poor classes of Swedish peo-
pie favor the Allies while the aristo-
Gratis and army officers are very
much pro-German. The officers are
nearly all trained in Germany anC
Austria and most of the higher class
es are inte1married with the Ger
mans. The Queen of Sweden is {
German. The pro-German sentiment
however, is not nearly as strong al
it was two years ago. Many of thu
government officials who were pro
German have been replaced bv mel
government is much stricter in re
gard to giving aid to Germany ant
manufacturers are not allowed Il
ship any foodstuffs out of the coun
try. Both Germany and the Allie
are allowed to get Swedish iron or
but they have to come and ret /
themselves"
''In Norway the food conditions ar
LA .&oAr,1a ~
suffering so much. 1t is also tru
that in Norway sentiment favors tn
Allies strongly and the Germans VIII
are suspected of in any way violating
neutrality laws are sent out of tn
country.
an Germany the soldiers in tn
trenches are fairly we'll fed. l talke
to a lot of them, both soldiers an
officers. Some think they will wi
the war and many do not. Tn
common folks of Germany are sui
T. fering many privations. When on
considers what the conditions
t Sweden are where the country is nc
7 in war and does not have to supper
S a fighting army, then an idea Q
what conditions in Germany are
$ gained"
= Il don't THINK tnefe is any DANCE
r of either Sweden or Norway enter
Y ing the war. 1t is common talk thu
: Germany does not want Sweden
i the war as Germany figures tn;
= Sweden would be a burden rattle
than an aid Sweden has a larg
d and well trained standard army bI
+ she has not the equipment for he
army which would be necessary
she went to war. She has but ver
few 10-inch guns and the guns whic
: are being. used en- the Western froi
e are mostly II and 1S-inch guns"
n "All the foreigners in Sweden al
n anxious to get out and hundreds {
e Americans and English are at the
i consulates every day to get pas
g ports. Passengers on steamships ha,
been offered as high as 80 ~owI