Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-04-08
Germany Selling
Grains and Meats;
People Dissatisfied

With the French Armies in the
Field, April 5.-This is the econom-
ic and food situation in Germany,
as told by the German people them
selves.
Great numbers of letters found
on German soldiers captured during
French raids in February and March
written by people back home to
their fathers, sons and brothers at
the front. tell of food restrictions
and suffering.
All these letters passed through
the hands of German censors and
phrases that painted the situation a
little dark we're deleted. Here are
excerpts taken from two or three
letters on each subject:
Food Restriction.
"Bierbergen, Jan. live have
Just received a notice that we must
deliver 5000 pounds of winter grain
and we have never harvested that
much. Our dairy does not work any
more on account of the lack of cab
bages, and the bakers are unable to
make any more bread"
"Langwere, Jan. 20.-We are oc-
cupied daily with threshing. Every
thing was ordered threshed before
Jan. N15, because Feb. l everything.
must be declared. All the pigs must
be killed before Feb. and only the
sows remain. Everything that
weighs more than rs pounds must
be turned over to the slaughter
house. Now that Russia has made
peace, if France and England would
do the same we could probably get
some Russian horses cheap"
"Geroda, Jan. 2O.-After Feb. 1
it is prohibited to slaughter any ami
mails. The pigs have all been requi-
sitioned-each pig must have a
mark on its ear"
"Suhein, Feb. 10.-The last week
all of the grain was weighed. Some
only had pound of beans to give
over and others only two pounds of
oats. We were forced to deliver up
1000 pounds. We are not even per-
mitted to keep a little oats for our
cattle. / put little meat in the back
room where they won't be able to
see it."
Shoes and Leather Scarce.
"Seppenhofer, Dec. 23.-It is i'm
possible to find shoes any more and
we are often seen wearing shoes
completely worn out. Many soldiers
don't even send back any more their
thread A little box now costs Is to
25 marks.
"Eichstadt, Dec. 29.-Repairs are
a miserable business now because it
is no longer possible to get leather
or thread We have big pile Of
III hiob ;~
and the poor people who own them
are obliged to go out without any
thing on their feet. 1t is necessary
that peace come quickly.
"Neirlot, Feb. 6.-I went to Bre-
men yesterday to buy a pair of
shoes and they cost 10 marks. I
also bought a pair for Marguerite
for 16 marks and pair for Etty at
10. Even with money it is now al
most impossible to buy anything"
Coal Shortage.
"Koenigsburg. Jan. live can
only find coal here in very small
quantities and our room at the pen
sion is heated only two or three
times week.
Hanover, Feb. 5.-Let us hope
that spring comes early this year,
for the people no longer have coal.
"Eichstatt, Dec. 29.-They are
not working any more at the gas
plant because there's no coal.'
High Prices.
"Nivershen,, Feb Jean and I
went yesterday to Strassburg. II
bought a black apron at 8 marks.
They showed me a paper one for TO-
marks. Ak
"Hunster, Feb. Ill am just
back from trying to buy an umbrel-
la. / went TO at least 10 stores, but
SO marks was the cheapest could
find. 1 did not take one, as would
rather get wet than pay so marks
for an umbrella.
Scarcity of Tobacco.
"Knesbeck, Feb. 15.-You wrote
that your father could not get any
tobacco. We are inst like you, for
August has already gone twice for
his father and the cheapest he can
get is Is marks a pound.
'Luneberg, Feb. 10.-The cheap
.