The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-11-30
Germans Had Plenty of Cheap
Money, But Stores Were
Closed and Falling
Down.
REVOLUTION rs GENUINE
Repatrated American Soldier Tells of
Conditions in German Towns
When Peace
Came.

[By Leroy Congleton, Repatriated
American Soldier.l
ICcpyrighted 1913 by The United
Press
LONDON, Nov. 3O.-The German
revolution is genuine, Judging from
what saw in Darmstadt, Limburg and
Oppladen. =
The common people realize for the
first time that the militarists duped
them. 1t is impossible for militarism
to return to power.
On Nov. 8 German marines went
throwing away their weapons and dis
arming other soldiers.
At Oppladen the people and the
garrison were wild with Joy. The en-
tire garrison then packed UP and all
Of them returned to their l.omes.
My guard, announcing the news,
tossed his cap and cartridge belt in
the air, crying:
tNow We'll have freedom!"
I had acted as interpreter and rs a
result was allowed the freedom Of the
towns where we were quartered.
1 talked with many people regarding
the food situation which was extreme
1y serious. Here Is a menu Of a typi-
cal family, such as often dined with:
For breakfast-a substitute for cof-
fee, consisting Of barley, etc, and
bread made out of potato flour and
saw dust
For luncheon Ia soup made from
substitutes for fats and potatoes or
onions. alternating with cabbage. On
Sundays meat was allowed for dinner
bread and jam.
All restaurants were closed. The
people had plenty of iron and paper
money, but no gold, silver or copper
Anyway. they did not have anything
to spend 1t for
The factories were making only
such necessities as war materials,
household furniture, etc. Everything
was expensive paid II marks ($3.60)
for a knife and fork. Laborers. who
were mostly women, earned from sew
en- to nine marks ($1 6S to $2.16) a
day.
Prisoners did all the farm work.
The country was fairly orderly but
presented q very dilapidated appear
ance. Houses, mills and fences were
dropping to pieces.
All work clothes were made from
pdptE, Wu1ie uIbSS CIOIutS were re-
made from old things Shoe tops were
paper and the soles were either paper
or wood Hats were made Of straw.
The only amusement was the movies.
Prisoners Return.
LONDON. Nov 3O.-After spending
seven months in German prison
camps, eight doughboys have arrived
-, T nj, IN, JS,-if ip1, ,,sF
which they obtained in Rotterdam.
Seven of the repatriated prisoners are
members of the 1O2nd infantry They
are Corporals Thomas Barry and Jack
Bathgate, and Private Frank Butler,
all of New Haven, Conn; Private Will
liam O'Sullivan, of Forestville, Conn:
ton. Conn: Private James Pitochilli,
Roy Congleton, OF Philadelphia.
One, corporal Lee Whitehead OF
Jeffry, Ky, is member of the Fifth
macnlne gun COMPANY
All except Whitehead were among
80 prisoners taken at Seichprey-the
largest lot Of Americans captured by
the Germans.
In that engagement the Americans
NSle tIl1dSheu Aplu hAp ny S'AVO Nti-
mans. of which only 600 survived af-
ter four hours bitter fighting. The
were finally surrounded
and forced to surrender. The Germans
them to march seven kiio-
meters to detention camp. Lilly, Ba'.
~ and Bathgate made this mar 4
while suffering from bad wounds.
was captured in the St MI
hiel sector April 13
The men agreed that although the
Germans were very stern, they were