The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1919-08-15
From Austria.

That our readers may have ar
idea of some of the privations the
people of war scourged and stricken
Europe have undergone during the
war we print the following letter,
which was received by Mr.. Mat
thew Salzle from his brother in
Austria, and which Mr.. Joe Salzle
has translated into English for US
Salzburg, Austria,
July IA, 1919.
Dear Brother and all:
Next month it will be five years
since | sent you my last letter.
Since that time, terrible changes
have taken place, which changes to
our surprise have ended entirely diff.
ferent from what were our calcula-
tions. We have in the past few
years experienced great deal, al
though we were not located near
any actual warfare. But the many
thousands of captured and refugees
which had to be fed and cared for,
in the second year of war caused a
very serious shortage in foods.uffs,
and as time went on those condi-
tions became more critical. All
eateables, were given out under the
card system and we often had to
wait three to four hours standing
in the lines waiting our turn to
get two pounds of potatoes as we'll
as all other articles of food. | have
during this time Of starvation lost
twenty pounds and was a mere skel-
eton. this was the first two years
and | could hardly stand on my
feet, was fiat on my back for four
teen days and am just at the pres.
ent time regaining my strength.
My wife underwent the hard times
better as she is somewhat younger.
The high prices on all food COM
modities are beyond all comprehen.
sion, everything is much dearer in
Austria than in Germany, one pound
pork is nine Marks or 1925 a Id.
American pork, 9 Marks or 1925
l lb. soup meat 2 Marks so l ID.
butter from smugglers 10 to 13
Marks or 1926. l egg l Mark or
rs each etc. | take it for granted
that you have learned all this thru
the medium of your newspapers.
These high prices are not to the
top yet as they are still soaring.
We are anxiously awaiting for
American supplies to arrive, ! will
let you know more regarding the
war later but for this time | am
most anxious to let you hear from
me so that you may know we are
still alive, and as we are also anX-
ious to hear from you, and how
you are all getting along. Five
years is a long time and many
things could have happened, and
have happened in that time, | hope
you are all still alive and WE'LL We
are lucky that we own our own
home as residences are very scarce
here, our garden is very nice again,
we have a little fruit to expect
from our trees this year, the past
years were very good fruit produc-
ing years, we have made, every
year in the past, from three to
four hundred quarts Of cider. Veg
etables are plentiful now and our
goat furnishes us with % quarts Of
milk daily. what a blessing this is
at this time, when there were weeks
and weeks IN the past when we
never received a drop of milk, and
never more than quart per capata
per day. Dear Brother. now to
close | have Just one wish to make:
tobacco is very scarce here, and l
am so fond Of a good smoke. If it
is possible l would ask that you
send me one pound of coarse tobac-
co. | will gladly pay you for it and
also the duty on it. 1t is so hard
for me to quit smoking. Here we
can only get leaves from pitch trees
and at a very high price, so please.
If it be possible to send it. you will
do me great favor.
have not heard a word from
brother John for several months,
and at the present unsettled time
it does not make anyone much rleas-
ure to sit down and write very
much. Closing for this time with
kindest regards to you and your
wife and children.
Your Loving Brother,
and Sister-in-law,
Max Joseph Salzle.
MAA~4AA