Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-24
"Six Months in
Hell and Back"
German Socialists Viclos after
Six Months Tracel Through
out the Empire.
By IGNATIUS IXINAST.
Copyright. International News Bureau.

I
first question ] was asked by my Eng
lish friends was: What do the Ger
man masses think Of Americas en-
trance into the war;" My answer to
them was that the German people. at
least great number of them, still
think what their rulers tell them.
There are a great number of Germans
who. lately. regard their rulers with
suspicion. but the average German is
still willing 10 permit his government
TO think for him.
If | had passed through Germany and
observed present day conditions super
ticially. would have come out and
published to the world the news that
Germany was rocking with rebellion.
Judging from the surface expressions.
any casual observer could not help
coming TO that conclusion. But after
closer study. the investigator must Sor-
rowfully admit that the present dis
content OF the German people is not
OF the quality that will make rcvolu-
ton. II is immoral and selfish diScon-
tent. and ii is a discomfort not accom-
panied with scientific reasoning. in
the Socialist and Liberal quarters it is
true. people arc curSinE their rulers
and their Kaiser freely. but these arc
not in power or within the reach Of
power. Whenever the discomfort of
the workers becomes serious, tho au-
thoritics find some way to first remove
their leaders. and then increase their
food ration or their wages a little
| Every such incident means that the
middle class will so shorter.
In the district OF Munchcn during
the period of 1917 the death rate be-
tween the ages OF fifty-fvc and Seven
ty-tivc was twenty -onc per 1000. | was
authoritativoly informed by Bavarian
official that this WAS nearly nine per
/. 1000 more than tho pcacc-timc aver
age death rate, during the last ten
years. AlottinE to Munchcn district
population OF 100000 souls. this ratio
of death rate means that during the
Year OF 1917, 1000 more people died
between tho ages of fifty-ivc and
sevcnty-hvc than did in the years be-
fore tho war.
OFFICIAL FIGURES SHOW
HEAVY CIVILIAN CASUALTIES
Judging from this rate. and assum-
ing that Germany has n population or
100000 souls, il must he concluded
That 10000 more people between the
ages of ifiyfvc and scvcnty-fve died
in the year of 1917 than died during
tho years before tho war. II made my
heart sad. and tried to rcfutc il. But
these were not my own srcculations.
These were tho findings OF a we'll
known Eavarian scientific investigator.
and tho conclusions were the result OF
anxious scarchings after truth.
Some time later. when I preached this
painful subject tc a high health Of
fetal. | became struck with surprise
when that diEni;ary smiled rcaSsurins-
~ and informed nc that the authorities
were we'll aware OF the fact.
Then YOU admit. ENccllcncy. that We
arc in the process Of cXtcrmination?'
| inquired acitatcdly
Once moro he smiled scrcncly, and
assured me that there was no cause
for alarm. And this was tho way he
reasoned; Admitting that the 10000
abnormal death rate is correct. II
proves that every day tho German
power Of resistance is increasing. Men
between the ages Of fny-fivc and
Scvcnty-iivc do not create food. or any
other commodities. II il is true that
during the year Of 1917, 10000 moro
people died than in the year Of 1919
or 1914 IL is an incon;rovcrtiblo proof
that in 1918 tho food reserve OF the
empire will be that much more. lie
Went on t6 prove to me "bv tho
cramme' that in 1918 tho food ration
Of tho German people would be SO much
increased. The more people upward
from hfiy-nvc and below ton years of
age who died. tho more invinciblc
would become the Fathcrland
mad to admit that his hIathcnish
and cynical reasonings were too true.
If the life and happiness of nation
must be judged from it's power Of re-
Sistancc during n blockade. then he was
right. The determination of the nom
productive ages would leave the re-
manning population unimpcdcd and un-
hampered 10 conduct destructive war
fare. Nevertheless. these are the rea-
sonines of desperate and defeated
race. Germany is defeated. but cannot
be persuaded TO acknowledge it.
GAINS IMPORTATION AT
SECRET SOCIALIST CONFERENCE
Towards the end OF the third week
OF my stay at Munchcn. through tho
Kind solicitation of fratcrnal friends.
attended n Secrc, meeting Of promi-
ncnt Socialists, more than forty of
whom took part in this special gath
ering. They were mostly men Of LIB
eral professions. TO be exact only six
or the men who attended this meeting