The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-02-28

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 Pneumonia, bronchitis and other chest troubles were rampant and 1 then came the most fearful scourge"o1 { all, hunger typhus. It was no un- common thing to see people drop In i the snow-covered streets, and to ole | before medical aid could be obtained. | But no matter how skilful the physf- ] elan, of what use was his skill when his patients had constitutions tha' were completely broken?
 | The hospitals were full, and the : death rate mounted up at a most alarming rate. Women and prisoners were constantly employed in digging | graves, and making collins for the victims.
 During this fearful period there was no respite at Krupps works, where even in the most bitter weather the old '4routine'' was rigidly adhered to- Many were the .pitiable and heartrend- ing sights4which I witnessed. Long be- fore dawn on these awful winter mornings, when Essen was buried be- meath the snows, the shrill hooters would summon the weary laborers tc their work.
 Slaves Break Down
 After a fortnight of this continuous bitter weather the workers began tC \ break down in large numbers. Even the slave drivers began to realize thai poor wretches in such condition could be driven no further. Still, Ill as they were, little or no medical at' tention was given them by the au- thorities No attempt was made al l first to organize a nursing system Drugs and medical supplies were | scarce also for the military author1- ] ties had communicated nearly all the available supplies. Eventually the : death rate mounted to such a height ! that the output of the works became seriously affected, and special reports were sent to Berlin.
 l I heard that the Kaiser and Head. quarters Staff became greatly con cerned, for they were depending 'upoI the great supplies from Essen to en able them to undertake an offensiv' in the spring which was to complete ly smash the Allies.
 A Medical Commission was sent tt Essen at the order of the Kaiser tt investigate the position of affairs, ant to make recommendations for stop. ping at all costs the raEages of tht typhus plag1ie.
 Bertha Krupp vonaBohlen had beer spending some weeks at Wiesbaden where the family have a. seat, and re I ports of the terrible typhus condi tions reached her. she returned tt Essen, and took a leading part in or ganiZing remedial measures. an convinced that the Lady of Essen i in every way fond of the people o her town and she had great compas sion towards the victims who ha been brought to work there agains their will.
 As a result of allvthese efforts, al most Immediately supplies of food stuffs were diverted from other cen tres and sent to Essen, and for time during the six weeks or so that tn terrible weather prevailed the peopl were allowed an increased food ratior
 By this means and careful nursin their workers poor physique was i'm proved, and the spread of the diseas arrested.
 BOlder in Spirit
 With the improvement of the phy siQue the men and. women becam bolder in spirit, and almost on ever hand loud demands were made fc still more food and better condition Little or no notice was, however, taB en of these demands, and the adveI of the warmer weather was made tn excuse for getting the people back the old level. The result of all tn was that food riots were by no meaI | infrequent amongst the people Twin outside the works.
 I was one day the witness of a mos serious outbreak. In passing throug one of the poorer districts I saw hun Glreds of men and women lined up queues outside bakers shop in th window of which was displayed tt following notice:
 ''Hier Ist Brod, Gegan Brod-Kart Zu Kaufen, Swischen 10 und 12 (Bread can be bought here on produt ing tickets between 10 and 12 o'clock
 noticed that all the people wei obeying the instruction, for all ha their ration cards in their hands. / passed the shop on the opposite siC of the strasse, the baker, a burly ma dressed in white-overals, who did n appear to have lost any weight the privations, roughly pushed tv poor women out of his premises ( to the footpath-
 The women protested loudly tn they had not received their ration bread. Standing on the step, the ba- CT shouted, 'HThere is no bread left
 Terrible Riot
 Bring out that bread, baker, wen fetch it." shouted one woma who appeared to be the ringleade She was typicaIthausfrau, powerf of build, and with her sleeves roll tupsto theselbow. The baker attemr edhto beat a retreat into the shop, al as he was backing to the doorwa the woman raised her heavy bask andsstrack him a, violent blow in t face.
 Thisswasthei signal fora general a saHH on the baker and his premis, StoneSrwere thrown, and the windo7 of fhe~shop were smashed to aton There were several glass dishes display purposes in the window, a, the mob, seizing these, commenced peft-the unhappy baker. One of the pretty heavy implements caught hi full on the head, and with a mas