Evening star., 1918-04-16
KAISER FORCING
CR|PPLES TOF|GHT
Sensational Disclosures as to
Army Conditions Made in
German Reichstag.
OFFICERS TAKE MEMS FOOD

| By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. April 16.-Germany is so
hard pressed for man power that per-
manently disabled soldiers are retained in
| the army and cripples are called to the
colors. This statement was made in the
| reichstag by Deputy Ryssel, an inde-
pendent socialist. February 2s. accord
ing to the Berlin vorwaerts, copy of
which has been received here.
Other deputies also laid bare sensa-
tional conditions prevailing in the Ger
man army.
The disclosures were made in a de-
bate which was precipitated by q
motion introduced by Deputies Mueller
Meiningen. peoples party; Fehrenbach,
centrist party; DR.. Stresemann, national
liberal, and Stuecklen, socialist, request
ing the chancellor to see to it that the
classes of 1859 and 1870 be discharged
from the army as soon as possible and
that the men of the landsturm who
have been in active service since the
beginning of the war and who have
been one year in the front line trenches
be permanently transferred to the
home reserves
Cannot Be Withdrawn.
Deputy Ryssel said it was explained
that the men in question could not be
withdrawn because they could not be
replaced. He added:
The resolution adopted by the reich
stag two years ago, providing for the
discharge of persons permanently sick
and unfit for service, Is not being acted
upon. In the 1st Reserve Battalion OF
Infantry Regiment No. 81 a great many
cripples have been drafted and the
same is the case regarding Infantry
Regiment No. It's at Graudenx. A man
who had been stricken three times with
apoplexy was accepted without exam
nation as fit for service In the Hussar
regiment at Grossenhain.
strikers and such persons as had
caused offense politically are put into
the army as punishment. In Rue
stringen twenty men who Joined the
drafted into the army on February IA.
Soldiers Poorly Fed.
THE soldiers in general complain Of
insufficient and bad food. What be-
comes of the food articles which are
supplied the army? The non-commis-
stoned officers employed in the canteens
continually take food home. In such
manner some individuals enrich them
selves by taking what belonEs to the
soldiers. Many officers eat as much as
they like while the soldiers received
bad meat There are now troops who
have been named hunger companies.'
LII JfdHy luSthuCcS u 1uItpUku Hl0y
be bought. 1t is granted to persons
who have subscribed to the war loan.
Those undesirable politically receive no
furloughs. Soldiers belonging to the
socialist party are treated like dogs"
Deputy Stuecklen said there were
general and severe criticism Of the fact
that soldiers forty-eight years of age
are still in the trenches. He said the
furlough situation was chaotic, and
that much favoritism was being shown.
Majors Cabbages Guarded
Soldiers at home were often employed
to perform ''the most ridiculous duties''
declared Deputy Schoepf1in. socialist.
One infantryman and four artillery
men, he said, were employed in SWINE
muende to guard the cabbages OF the
major in command.
Gen. Scheuch. representing tho war
department. said no one was being
drafted because of political affiliations
This caused laughter among the social
lists. and the general added:
But we draft persons proven to be
propaRandi0te or fnatiRatora"