New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-31
u. S. Army Fights
Rhine Flood Will
German Soldiers
Occupation Foroca Forbid
den to Speak 70 Women
in Coblemz ynsler Penalty
of Quick Court Martial

CoBLENz, Dee % (By The Asso-
ciated Press Tho River EhinA began
30 rise Thursday snA durng the last
twenty -four hours has foodcd tAa road
paralleling the east banl. Of The river
and causing considerable trouble to the
American &rmy Of occupation. yhe
rise in the river has made ii possible
to transport supplies from Coblenz TO
the division headquarters ut Meuwe /
by boat
Traffic across the pontoon bridge Al:
Coblcnz haa been hindcrcd to some e.-
tent owing to the difficulty in adjusting
the floating approaches, but American
and German soldiers wording SIDE by
side have managed to keep the bridge
passablc.
No Music at Meals
The dinner hour in Coblenz al 4
throughout the American zone Of occu-
patton has been advanced from ono to
cwo hours. In restaurants and hotels
the evening meal is now eaten without
music. These changes arc regarded as
necessary because Of the recent Ameri-
can order that the sale and gift OF
light wines be prohibited except be-
tween the hours OF s and z O'CLOCK il
the evening
Several days q tho operation Of re-
stricted regulations has produced some
grumbling By the Germans There has
been no open protest. but many of the
people appear 10 DO mystified as 20 the
reasons for the change in the American
attitude, as, it seems, they believed that
tho Americans would not be SO strict
rs the British or French. In addition,
propagandists have been dhgent in
urging the people to be friendly to the
Americans, in the apparent hope that
IN attit@dc of friendilness might have
some effect on the peace negotiations.
The prohibition Of the sale of alco-
holic liquors OF any kind and the re-
strict;ons on light wines have upset the
ordinary routine CT the Germans and
have resulted in some cafes closing, in
and in grocery stores withdrawing
stocks from their windows.
An order has been issued 10 the
American soldiers that an officer or
soldier who speaks to q German woman
does so ut the risk Of courtmartial.
The steadily increasing number OF
unemployed men in Coblenz and other
towns in the occupied area is causing
American officers considerable anxiety
Many of the idle men are discharged
German soldiers. An official count
made to-day by the burgomastcr shows
500 laborers idle and $50 skilled work
men without employment
Those who cannot obtain work are
entitled TO a daily bounty Of 8 marks
so pfennigs from the city Unem-
ployed laborers have been offered work
by the city at marks q day, but only
q few have accepted as the ordinary
wage is 6 marks a day.
Reports from the country indicate
there is plenty of work there, but
officials have found difficulty in in
ducing laborers to leave the cities,
particularly in time of social unrest
like the present.
May Use German Cloth
More than 100000 yards of gray Ger
man uniform cloth has come into the
hands OF the Americans from the ware
houses at Coblenz, and the Americans
are considering to use it, 1t may be
practicable to dye it and release it for
use. In n warehouse in Coblenz- Lutzel,
ncross the Moselle River from this city,
Americans have found $4,000 pounds Of
shoe leather and machinery for repair
ms shoes. a plan is under consider
ntior 10 use this repair factory By the
army of occupations
Material abandoned by the Germans
includes harness made OF paper and
steel breastplates worn by snipers At
Mulheim the Germans left so many
shells that the work of Counting them
10 barely begun, although American
soldiers have been busy OF the task