Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1918-12-13
1872 ssssssss
.a4~tSs SssssssSSAas
for home use ID the form
~ FIR sets sold for $1,000 ip.

some imitation soft soap at 81 per
pound. People said 1t was made from
human corpses, but it was the only
thing available outside OF the substi-
tutes which were soap only in name. A
small cake Of toiletsoap easily brought
So. A servants plain wooden ward
robe, formerly costing 50, was unoD-
tainable for less than $50. We PAID
as high IS IS pound for butter, from
u Spectator, and my last Christmas
dinner in Berlin consisted of a small
goose, just enough for one meal Tor
three persons, for which paid $50.
One of the things the people missed
most. of course, was their beer. While
it was put on sale at s p. m. every
night, only limited amount was avail
able and as soon as it was disposed
of, only coffee or tea substitute, with
out sugar, milk or lemons, could be
had.
The scarcity of metals required To-
munitions was evidenced early IN the
war when the interiors and eXterlors
of houses throughout the country were
thoroughly ransacked and everything
in the way of copper, brass or alu-
minum fixtures or cooking utensils that
wasn't absolutely necessary was
seized.
Horses were gradually disappearing
from sight when l left early this year.
One saw them lying about the streets
where they dropped from exhaustion
and what disposition was made of their
caY3scs can we'll be imagined. It is
gui.a certain that no part was wasted.
Da:-s, too, nearly vanished from city
life. 4 man know, who had kept g
sne Newfoundland dog, told me that II
I'D disappeared one night and tn:
n~xt day its skin was found hanging
4 the fence with a sign reading
Died for the fatherland."
OU3 Of the principal articles of fresi.
.,a:,r 10 be seen in the butcher shop
INSISTED of black crows. They wer'
ling at Is cents apiece. There wa
,e2ething ludicrous in the thought
~ Germans being compelled to "ea'
row." but there was little to laugh
i eating it oneself.
10 obtain oil, prizes were offered tt
he school children to collect frui
;cyds, from which it could be extract
i, and veritable mountains Of th'
,ccds were thus obtained.
The last meal l had in Berlin wa
n January q, 1918, when 1 dined a
lie Hotel Adlon. 1t consisted Of on
.ardine, three thin slices of COLI
,ro!5ed salmon, soup which was hard
= more than hot salt water. two small
boiled potatoes and as substitute for
cornStarch pudding. No butter and No
sauces of any kind were served. Black
| bread took in MY pocket. The checf
for this elaborate table d'hote meaj
amounted to $3.50.
To sum up the situation as I wa:
able to observe it, living conditions il
Germany in January Of this year We're
rapidly becoming absolutely unbear
able. How much worse they can be
come without bringing on interna
troubles which will bring about thu
collapse Of the German empire can bt
only a matter Of conjecture.
The twentieth century has seen sucl
radical changes in world condition
views and aspirations, that am afraii
history will prove but poor guide t.
! the future. In the past few centuries
Germany has experienced several NOR,
| or less serious social revolutions, but Il
would be dangerous to predicate yer,
much upon those abortive uprisinGs.
As long as the officers remain stancl
TO the kaiser little may be expected
N the way Of a successful revolution
no matter how disconnected and rebel
lious the people at large may grow, bu'
[ believe that the time will surely CONT
when the officers themselves will turn
against their government.
There may be two revolutions. Tho
civilians, consisting Of women, old mer
and youths and others who hive no.
been called into the army, may rise up
but their effort will lie in vain. The
defeat Cf such an uprising, however
may be the signal for greater one il
which Il portion of the army itself will
take part, and then a civil war will re-
suit which will have no counterpart II
the worlds history.
The basis for this belief lies in the
fact that the officers Of the German
army realize the extent of the distress
prevailing throughout the country
Their families, as well as those of the
rank and file are suffering from under
nourishment and privations, and they
know, even better than their interiors
the extent Of the reverseS which the
German army has suffered and vii
continue to suffer and how the govern.
ment has misrepresented actual con
ditions.
II the German officers consisted Ell
tirely Of men Of the old school-mer
who were willing to fight for fighting's
sake and who would rather continue
the war until the last German haf
dropped than give in-we could moi
look for much in this direction.
But the ravageS Of war have dis
posed Of a large percentage Of these
bred-in-thc-bone officers and theil
places have been taken by civilians
who have been raised from the ranks
Therein lies the hope of successful
revolution.
will not venture a guess as to wheL
that will be, but feel sure that it will
cnrtninl1, nnnna ahnur Enrtifinl hy q