The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1918-01-31
.RAHM TELLS OF
WAR CONDITIONS


an interesting insight into the minds
of the people of Sweden and which
tells of living and economic conditions
in the far northern neutral country.
Mr.. Rahm says in part, his letter hav-
ing been written November g:
"And what will Christmas bring US?
Shall the Almighty in His infinite wis
dom have decided that the powers of
hell have played their bloody game
long enough, or shall the Imperial
scourge of the world be allowed to
continue his satanic work?
For my part, can see no glimpse
Of approaching peace, not ray of
hope that would indicate an early ces-
sation of carnage and rapine. Every
thing goes on as merrily as ever. Only
few days ago some Prussian raiders
destroyed IL Scandinavian cargo boats
in the North Sea in less than an hour 5
time. The sailors tried to get out the
lifeboats, but most of them were killed
in the attempt, the teutonic devils even
firing volleys at the defenseless men AS
they endeavored to row away from
their sinking ships.
What did write in the Glacier the
first year of the war? have somehow
lost those copies of the paper in the
round they made among interested
friends, but | remember one thing
very distinctly. | warned the United
States against the Prussian spies. We
who have the misfortune to live here
in the northern countries during these
times that try mems souls, know full
we'll the sneaking devils ways with
their bombs and dynamite and death
dealing germs. All the Scandinavian
countries are full of that murderous
breed, the Prussian spy. A few have
been caught red.banded and impris-
oned others chased out of the country.
But alas, the many still remain under
the mask of one character or another.
''Were not the Scandinavian coun-
as weak as they are war against the
piratical Teutons would have been de-
clared long ago. But what does a
small nation amount to in this world
fight? When a big nation turns loose
his dogs of war against weak one,
the latter is crushed as easily as an
egg under a steam roller. Where is
Belgium, Serbia, Montenegro and Ru
mania? Ruined without having done
much toward the cause of the western
powers. On the contrary they consti-
tute a weakness on the allied side.
Especially is that the case with Ru
mania, where the central powers have
secured considerable quantities of food,
etc.
"There are great difficulties and in
many instances considerable hardships
existing in the whole of Scandinavia.
Food of all descriptions is getting
scarce and the price high. although the
governments are doing their best to
regulate the latter. Wheat and rye
flour cost somewhat more than five
cents pound (the government pays
the difference in the import price and
the selling price, and no person gets
more than seven ounces day. Bacon
costs az cents a pound; smoked ham,
so cents; good beef, rs and 80 cents !;
butter 81 cents; eggs 70 cents per
dozen; milk 81 cents per quart; sugar,
eight cents pound; beans 10 cents !;
potatoes. 81 hundred; German coal,
$25 per ton ibid cost--there is no more
to be had now). Prime beachwood is
$22 per cord, birch and pine consider
ably cheaper. Coffee is doled out once
in great while, every six weeks or
so, by the governmental quarter
pound to the head. A little tea might
be scared up in some places in the
country at 500 pound; chocolate 81. so
and limited in quantity. But the Sean
dinavian people have one great eGvan-
tage over people living where there is
little or no fish to be had. We can any
day buy the best kind of cod fish at II
cents pound, and fine, fat, fresh her.
ring for Is and 20 cents beside other
kinds of salt water fish.
Cotton and woollen goods are soon
out of sight and, like every thing else
which Sweden usually imports, there
is nothing coming into the country. If
the war continues year or two longer
and the United States refuses to sell
the most necessary articles for the
people to exist on, dire distress will
stare the Scandinavian nations in the
face, and even actual famine, with all
its consequences, will follow. Swed-
ems grain crops this year were consid-
erably under the average in quantity,
but fortunately the root crops are
good.
"Our bread allowance is not quite
nine ounces a day, so you might i'm
agine what figure the lowly spud and
other roots cut in our daily rations.
The quantity of potatoes that con-
sumo every day is almost unbelievable,
as there is no restriction on this kind
of food. This heavy potato diet en-
ables US to economize on our soft bread
rations, and thus we save number of
bread coupons each week. With these
saved coupons we buy dried or hard
bread which is stored away for future,
possible emergencies. Sometimes we
buy oat or rye meal for the same pur-
pose. Our butter allowance is about
three ounces week, but by using
strong glasses and hot knives when
spreading the butter on our bread this
seemingly small quantity goes a long
way-especially when there are about
25 pounds packed away in a jar in the
cellar. Our bean ration is supposed to
be only 90 pounds in three months.
All the sugar we can get is % pounds
month for all purposes. Fortunately.
however, we found half sackful in
an old trunk out in the hall--besides a
big crock of syrup. Strange how many
things happen in these queer times
provided one has few hobgobblin
friends scattered around in the coun-
try. But may the Lord help those who
have to depend on themselves, who
have no influence, no friends who are
better situated than they are and little
or no worldly possessions. The ap.
preaching winter will be one replete
with hardships and privations for the
great mass of the people of these
northern lands.
''The political election that has TAX
en- place this fall in Sweden came
nearly being what is called landslide.
The Conservative party which has been
in power for the past three years and
which as a party is pro-German (al-
though there are many notable excep.
tions) has been thrown out by vote
of three to one. The king accepted the
- e L.,