The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1919-04-24

Of houses throughout the country were
thoroughly rnnsackcd and cN'rI'h'nE
In the way of copper, brass or !'u.
minum fixtures or cooking utensils INV
wasn't absolutely necessary WIZ
seized.
Horses were gradually disappearing
from sight when ! left carly thiS year
one saw them lying about the streets
where they dropped from exhaustion
and what disposition was made ot th'lr
corpScs can well be imagined IL u
quite certain that no part was WaS''u'
Dogs. too, nearly vanished from cltE
life. A man I know, who had Kept u
fine Newfoundland dog, told me t'a' u
had disappeared one night nhC tue
next day It's skin was found hanging
on the fence with n sign readihg'
"Dled for the fathcrland.'
one Of the principal articles Of fresh
meat to be seen In the butcher shops
consisted Of black crows. They were
selling at a. 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 10
the school children to collect fruit
seeds, from which 1t could be extract
ed, and veritable mountains OF the
seeds were thus obtained.
The last meal | had In Berlin was
on January 81, 1913, when dined mt
the Hotel Adlon. II consisted Of n
sardine, three thin slices OF cold
smoked salmon, soup which was hard
~ more than hot salt water, two small
boiled potatoes and us n substitute for
c%ornstarch pudding. No butter and no
sauces of any kind were served. Black
bread I took in my pocket. The check
for this elaborate table dhote meal
amounted to Si.5O.
To sum up the situation ms ! was
able to observe II, living conditions In
Germany in January Of this year were
rapidly becoming absolutely unhcnr-
able. How much worse they can DO.
come without bringing on Internal
troubles which will bring about the
collapse OF the German empire can be
only Il matter OF conjecture.
The twentieth century has seen such
radical changes IN world conditions,
views and aspirations, that nm afraid
history will prove but a poor guide 10
the future. In the past few centuries
Germany has experienced several more
or less serious social revolutions, bit II
would be dangerous tn predicate very
much upon those abortlyc upyisings.
As long ms the officers remain s'unch
to the kaiser little may be expected
In the way Of Il successful, revolution.
no matter how diScoutoutcd and rebel.
lious the people nj large may grow, but
l believe that the time will surely come
when the officers themselves win turn
against their government.
There may be two revolutions. The
civilians, consisting Of women, old men
and youths and others who have not
been called into the army. may rise up,
but their effort will be In vain. The
defeat OF such an uprising, however,
may be the signal for II greater one In
which II portion Of the army itself will
take part, md then a civil war viii re-.
suit which will have no counterpart ia
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, rs well as those Of th.
rank and file ar" suffering fron under.
nuurishmont ANA urlyutlOns, aud they
Know. even better than their Interiors
thc extent Of the rcycrscs which tho
German army has suffered and will
continue TO suffer and how the govern.
mont has m!Srcprcsented actual con
ditions.
If the German officers consisted en-
tircly Of men Of the old school-lncr
who were willing to fight for Fighting,
sake and who would rather continue
the war until the last German hat
dropped than give in-wc could moi
look for much In this direction.
But the ravagcs of war have dis
posed of II large percentage OF thes,
bred-ln-the-bonc officers and thclr
places have been taken by civilian.
who have been raised from the ranks
Therein lies the hope Of Il successful
revolution.
VIII not venture n guess rs 10 when
that will be, but | feel sure that Il will
certainly come about. Fortified by q
large portion of the army, the German
people will ut last turn on their rulers
ana destroy the throne aud the Who'll,
lio~hcnzOllcrn regime.
In this connection, I recall n
prophecy made early In the war hy an
honorcd colleague of mine Of Dresden
an American dentist who had lived and
prncticcd In Germany for forty year,
and understood the German pcople md
Their rulers ms well, perhaps, us any
man alive. He was Il leader OF his
profession ana n man whose Iudgmcp,
on all things was most accurate. Uc
was In clos" contact with man LEADING
hgurcs of the German nobility.
"Gcrmany will lugn tho vr,r I,,.,,