Evening star., 1918-02-24
Suffering Workers Believe
Themselves Duped by Junk
ers, But Have No Remedy.
FOOD NOW LACKING;
COMFORTS ARE DENIED
Rich Fare Little Better Than Poor
n Obtaining. Meager
Clothing.
FEAR WARS PR0L0NGATI0N
Commercial Outlook for Nation
Deemed Far From Bright-Little
Enthusiasm in Kaiser's Realm
Over Immediate Future.
FEAR WARS PR0L0NGATI0l

Cablesram to The sunday Star and
New York Tribune. Copyright. 1913.
BERN, Switzerland, Febru-
airy 23-The approach OF spring
finds all Germany weary. There
is no party in Germany which
views the war in the. same light
that the mass of the people did in
August, 1914. Germany's war
parties, the junkers and pan
Germans, say that, now Russia IS
out of it, the Germans certainly
cannot lose the war and have
fair chance to win it. Many OF
those in the middle class are
making money, and to them the
commercial advantages weigh
just as heavily as the terms of
PEACE. The working people de-
sire peace above everything.
3
Masses Have Suffered.
The workers have grown somewhat
callous from so much suffering and
peivation and lack of energy and en-
tAuBaasm. The masses know what it is
to suffer from lack of food, coal, il
lnminants, soap and the most ordinary
comforts Of normal life. and SO when
they are told that England, France and
Italy are experiencing the szsne- Feksss-'
tions through the work of their U-boats
they hold on grimly-
This has been a hard winter in Ger
many. Through December all water
borne traffic was closed, and the over
worked railways began to crack under
the strain Of food and coal transporta-
tion. finally breaking down badly.
Right in the middle of winter the fat
ration was reduced two and one-half
ounces week. cabbages disappeared
from municipal markets and the meat
ration Of half a pound a week was fire.
quently unobtainable.
Hoped to Move Government.
The working people, who were com
PEELED to work long hours in munitions
plants. and then take their places in
the coal queues before they could cook
their scanty evening meal in their cold
and often lightless rooms. rebelIed last
month in the hope of moving the gov
ernment to end the war Their strikes
were intended primarily as a demon
stration to last three days, but the
longed it.
The masses feel that they have been
duped by the junkers.. but they have
not yet found a way to remedy their
~ 10
are extremely desirous of peace, but
not on account of the food shortage.
Instances have been told me Of single
eadhy ensb for fami1ies faad rSeS spending ling $500
geese at $25 each. butter at SIS a pound
ham at $40 pound and apples at Al
cents each. When it comes to clothing
the rich fare little better than the poor
for cotton. wool. leather and silk are
almost unobtainable for civilian pur-
poses. An ordinary coat and skirt for
q woman sell as high as 5000, while a
yard Of silk brings $50.
Rich Buy Secondhand Clothes.
Many wealthy people have been
forced to buy secondhand clothing
Schleichensanded. or secret trading. is
practiced generally. and in Prussia
alone the number of prosecutions foI
violations Of the food restrictions ex-
ceeds 500. 900. penalties being inflict ed
In more than half the cases.
practice of the upper middle classes
to spend the week end ostensibly shoot
ing, returning to the cities with well
stocked bags Of provisions obthined
from farmers. Finally this was stdpped
by the working people, who acted as
spies and informed the police, because
their supplies OF country produce were
no longer obtainable. Suspicion ha.
is constantly deluged with complaints
OF violations of his restrictions Dug
outs have been built in outlying sec
tions by food hoarders.
Bankruptcy Is Feared.
However, the real reason why s,
many of the wealthy are desirous o,
peace is because they fear that the pro.
longation Of the war means that they
will become commercially bankrupt
They know that Germany's store of raw
materials has rapidly diminished thai
the allies have cornered the world.
supplies. and that unless they can make
satisfactory peace the commercial out
look is far from bright.
In the Rhine valley, wheSe 300 900 mu
milton workers are earning large wages
there is a semblance of conten,ment
and the authorities make an effort t,
keep the people in good temper by modi
enteftainments-an amusements. Their
Is more reaf life here than in Berlin
where supplies are shorter and none,
less plentiful among the working classes
Hotels have been especially hard hit
Nome Of them takes visitor for longe
than . week. Munich hotel managers
who suffered many fines for contraven
tions Of the food regulations, recentl.
held q meeting at which it was declare
impossible to supply their customers un
less changes were made. They asked tn
people to agree to special concessions
but to date they have made no headway
Conditions Slightly Better.
Since the treaty was signed with tn
provement in conditions. probably be
cause the authorities released som
food In the expectation of getting NOR