The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1919-02-07

war when the interiors and exterior
: of houses throughout the country wer
: thoroughly ransacked and rythinl
: in the way of copper, brass or alu
, minum fixtures or cooking utensils tina
wasn't absolutely necessary wa!
seized.
Horses were gradually disappearing
from sight when I left early year
One saw them lying about ,treet'
where they dropped from eAnaustioa
and what disposition was made Of thell
corpses can we'll be imagined. 1t is
quite certain that no part was wasted
| Dogs, too, nearly vanished from city
life. A man I know, who had kept q
fine Newfoundland dog, told me that It
had disappeared one night and the
next day its. skin was found hanging
on the fence with a sign reading
'Died for the fatherland."
One of the principal articles OF fresh
meat to be seen In the butcher shops
consisted of black crows. They were
selling at rs cents apiece. There was
something ludicrous in the thought OF
the Germans being compelled to "eat
| crow" but there was little to laugh at
In eating it oneself.
| To obtain oil, prizes were offered to
the school children to collect fruit
seeds, from which it could be extract
ed, and veritable mountains of the
seeds were thus obtained.
The last meal l had in Berlin vas
on January p, 1918, when dined at
the Hotel AdlOn. 1t consisted of one
sardine, three thin slices Of cold
smoked salmon, soup which was hard
ly 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 I took in my pocket The check
for this elaborate table d'hOte meal
amounted to $3.50.
To sum up the situation as I wal
able to observe it, living conditions liz
Germany In January of this year were
rapidly becoming absolutely unbear
able. How much worse they can be
come without bringing on internal
troubles which will bring about the
collapse of the German empire can be
only a matter VI conjecture.
The twentieth century has seen such |
radical changes In world conditions
views and aspirations. that am afrais
history will prove but poor guide te
the future. In the past few centuries
Germany has experienced several more
or less serious social revolutions, but f.
would be dangerous to predicate very
much upon those abortive uprisings.
AS long as the officers remain stancl
to the kaiser little may be expected
in the way of successful revolution
no matter how discontinued and rebel
Iious the people at large may grow, but
believe that the time will surely come
when the officers themselves will turf
against their government.
There may be two revolutions. The
civilians. consisting of women, old meL
and youths and others who have moi
been called into the army, may rise up
put their effort will be in vain. Tho
1efeat Of such an uprising, however
nay be the signal FOE greater one IL
which portion Of the army itself viii
AXE part, and then civil war will re
suit which will have no counterpart IL
he worlds history.
The basis for this belief lies in thu
act that the officers of the German
Irmy realize the extent Of the distress
REVEALING throughout tho country
Their families, as well as those of tho
ank and file are suffering from under |
punishment and privations, and they
now, even better than their interiors
he extent Of the reverses which the
ierman army has suffered and viii |
ontinue to suffer and how the govern )
1ent has misrepresented actual con
itions.
II the German officers consisted en- t
rely of men of the old school-men S
Tho were willing to fight for fighting'f
axe and who would rather continue
he war until the last German had
ropped than give in-we could moi :
,ok for much in this direction.
But the ravages of war have dis
osed of large percentage Of these 2
officers and theiI Il
laces have been taken by civilians I
no have been raised from the ranks
herein lies the hope Of successful
evolution.
will not venture guess as to when
lat will be, but feel sure that 1t will u
,rtainly come about. Fortified by 9
rye portion of the army, the German II
eople will at last turn on their rulers u
Id destroy the throne and the whole
ohenzollern regime.
In this connection, I recall .
'ophecy made early In the war by IN Il
,nored colleague of mine Of Dresden = =
| American dentist who had lived and B
acticed In Germany for forty years q
i'd understood the German people and g
cir rulers as well, perhaps, as any !,
an alive. He was a leader of his c
ofession and a man whose judgment N
all things was most accurate. He
Is in close contact with many leading
ures Of tLe German nobility.
Germany will lose the war because
+ cause is wrong" he declared. "She to
II a rbA = <h~or~b -, <l,c htkkov n,I