Evening star., 1918-01-27
PEOPLE LACK FUEL,
FO0DAND LEATHER
Partial List Of Hardships Emu
merated by Newspapers Rep
resenting Central Powers.
GRAVE PROBLEMS FACED

Leading German newspapers received
by tho COMMITTEES on public information
contain repeated references to the in
creasing hardships to which tho people
of tho central powers are subjected.
For example, as long ago as early in
October German civilians were able to
obtain nothing but wooden soles for
repairing their shoes. sole leather be-
ing practically non-existent in Ger
many.
tical failure of the late summer and
autumn fishing in the Baltic also were
reported last October.
Coal shortage throughout all OF Ger
many and Austria was a grave problem
last fall Moving picture theaters in
Austria were not permitted to use any
coal for heating purposes while the
German government planned the adop-
ton of permits to travel on railway
means of saving fuel.
Leather Soles Out of Reach.
The Leipzig vo1kszeitung Of October
4 states that the ever-increasing scar
city Of sole leather makes 1t impossible
In future for shoemakers to supply
leather soles. Soling can only be done
with substitute soles. especially Of
wooden soles, to be obtained from the
Substitute Sole Company. in Berlin.
'tShoemakers who are competent to
special technique, will be known by a
sign over their shops. The public are
recommended to have damaged foot
gear provided with substitute soles be-
fore the advent of wet and cold
weather. 1t is only due to the excep-
that leather soles have lasted as long
as they have"
The Vienna Zeit of September % says
that Vienna cinema proprietors are
complaining that they are receiving un-
fair treatment in the matter of coal
supply. AS matters stand at present,
the theaters may be heated. but the
cinemas may not. Representations
through the burgermeister resulted in
assurances from the minister of public
works, Won Homann. that the wishes
of the cinema proprietors should re-
ceive consideration.
Further Restrictions Proposed.
The vossische Zeitung of October s
learns that further restrictions. especially
in the heavy Sunday traffic. are contem-
plated in the passenger railway service,
and suggests the introduction Of permits
for travelling as the best means of accom-
plishing the object in view-the economy
of coal.
The Deutsche Tageszeitung of October
says that by an order coming into force
October 2 the surrender prices of copper
|
dtsttllation apparatus is retrospectively
raised. In addition to this, bonus of /
mark per kilogram will be paid for fix
lures II they are voluntarily surrendered
UP to October 81.
A Budapest telegram to the F'rankfurter
Zeitung, dated October Z, shows that the
Hungarians are still distrustful of the
much discussed economic union Of the
central powers.
The Hungarian Manufacturers Asso-
citation declares that any such union must
be absolutely conditional upon Hungary
preserving, unrestricted. her economic In
dependence, while the existence of her
national industries must be in no way en-
dangered, as only the development of
these industries after the war can bring
about an improvement in the financial
situation and make good the economic
damage caused by the war. The associa-
ton further insists that the negotiations
now proceeding between the Hungarian
and German governments should be only
Of an Informative character, and no def
mite or binding agreements should be en-
tered into as long as the economic results
Of the conclusion of peace cannot be
known.
Catches of Fish Insignificant.
The Munchner Neueste Nachrichten
of September 27 receives the following
fishing report from the coast:
The catches from the chief fishing
centers on the Baltic-namely, Kiel,
Flensburg and Eckernforde-have been
insignificant this month also. At the
beginning of August large supplies
reached F1ensburg. but since then
there have been no good catches; the
Sonderburg have not been repeated to
any great extent, and sprats, too. are
scarce.
THE Holding fishing fleet, which. in
mid-August. brought good catches to
Flensburg. including mackerel and cod,
now only arrives with scanty catches
of sea fish; Danish mackerel is very
dear, much more SO than last year.
The reduction Of prices expected
from the Capitalization of the fish
trade has unfortunately not been at
tanned; on the contrary, the price of
almost every kind of fish has consider
ably increased since early summer.
some flenSDuTS USneTIlen, encouraged
by last years catches, started on the
winter herring, but with such poor
results that the expedition. which, in
deed, started too soon. was postponed.
No herrings are caught in the Schles-
wig -Holstein coastal waters, either.
Only at Aalen are fairly rich catches
obtained and placed on the market.
LAS mackerel fishing has begun in
Kiel waters, it is assumed that large
shoals of mackerel have visited the
western Baltic. On the whole, there
fore, the sea fishing in western Baltic
waters and in the neighboring Danish
fishing grounds has achieved no i'm
portant results"