The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-11-15


of houses throughout the country were
thoroughly ransacked and -~erything
in the way OF copper, brass or alu-
minum fixtures or cooking utensils that
wasn't absolutely necessary was
seized.
Horses were gradually disappearing
from sight when left early this year.
One saw them lying about the streets
where they dropped from exhaustion,
and what disposition was made Of their
corpses can well be imagined. 1t Is
quite certain that no part was wasted
Dogs, too, nearly vanished from city
life. A man know, who had kept a
fine Newfoundland dog told me that It
had disappeared one night and the
next day its skin was found hanging
on the fence with sign reading;
"Died for the fatherland."
One Of the principal articles Of fresh
meat to be seen in the butcher shops
consisted of black crows. They were
selling at rs cents apiece. There was
something Iudicrous In the thought of
the Germans being compelled to "eat
crow" but there was little to laugh at
In eating it oneself.
To obtain oil, prizes were offered to
the school children to collect fruit
seeds, from which 1t could be extract
ed, and veritable mountains of the
seeds were thus obtained.
The last meal / had in Berlin was
on January 81, 1918, when dined at
the Hotel Adlon. 1t consisted of one
sardine, three thin slices of cold
smoked salmon, soup which was hard
ly more than hot salt water, two small
boiled potatoes and as a substitute for
cornstarch pudding. No butter and no
sauces of any kind were served. Black
bread took in my pocket. The check
for this elaborate table d'hote meal
amounted to $3.50.
To sum up the situation as / was
able to observe it, living conditions in
Germany in January of this year were
rapidly becoming absolutely unbear-
able. How much worse they can be-
come without bringing on internal
troubles which will bring about the
collapse of the German empire can be
only a matter of conjecture.
The twentieth century has seen such
radical changes in world conditions,
views and aspirations, that am afraid
history will prove but a poor guide to
the future. In the past few centuries
Germany has experienced several more
or less serious social revolutions, but it
would be dangerous to predicate very
much upon those abortive uprisings.
As long as the officers remain stanch
to the kaiser little may be expected
in the way Of successful revolution,
no matter how discontinued and rebel
lious the people at large may grow, but
believe that the time will surely come
when the omcers themselves will turn
against their government.
There may be two revolutions. The
civilians, consisting of women, old men
and youths and others who have not
been called into the army, may rise up,
but their effort will be in vain. The
defeat Of such an uprising, however,
may be the signal for a greater one in
which portion of the army itself will
take part, and then civil war will re-
suit which will have no counterpart In
the worlds history.
The basis for this belief lies in the
fact that the officers of the German
army realize the extent of the distress
prevailing throughout the country.
Their families, as well as those of the
rank and file are suffering from under.
nourishment and prlvations, and they
know, even better than their interiors,
the extent of the reyerses which the
German army has suffered and will
continue to suffer and how the govern
ment has misrepresented actual con-
ditions.
If the German officers consisted en-
tlrely of men of the old school-men
who were willing to fight for fighting's
sake and who would rather continue
the war until the last German had
dropped than give in--we could not
look for much in this direction.
But the ravages of war have dis
posed of large percentage of these
bred-in-the-bone officers and their
places have been taken by civilians
who have been raised from the ranks.
Therein lies the hope Of a successful
revolution.
VIII not venture a guess as to when
that will be, but feel sure that 1t will
certainly come about. Fortified by n
large portion of the army, the German
people will at last turn on their rulers
and destroy the throne and the whole
Hohenzollern regime.
In this connection, / recall n
prophecy made early in the war by an
honored colleague of mine of Dresden
an American dentist who had lived and
practiced in Germany for forty years
and understood the German people and
their rulers as well, perhaps, as any
man alive. He was leader Of his
profession and man whose Judgment
on all things was most accurate. He
was in close contact with many leading
figures of the German nobility.
Germany will lose the war because
u n.