Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-02
SAYS CRIME rs
RUNNING RIOT
OVER GERMANY
Decentralization Following War
Has Left Permanent Stamp,
Jurist Declares.
PILLAGING CHIEF TRADE

BERLIN, Jan. 2.-The effects of the
Generalization resulting from the Ger
man methods Of conducting the war are
still apparent and a Berlin Judge de-
clared recently that 1--WE are living in an
age of rapine and of extortion." Moth
ing of any value which is not carefully
guarded is safe in Berlin today, and
burglary has become a species of sport
that is eminently remunerative. -.
The blockade has rendered carpets,
clothing, bed linen and boots and any
thing made of silver and leather, to men
ton only the most important articles. OF
immense value, and stolen goods of this
nature are easily disposed of. One day S
police report land the daily report men
tions only the more important burglaries)
records that blouses, silk, and other ma
terial to the value of 100000 marks were
stolen from blouse shop, that two syn
agogues were broken into and vestments,
silver and brass candlesticks, candelabra,
and stocks Of candles, valued at very
large sum, removed, and that a thief en-
gagged room in a boarding house and
disappeared the same evening with all
the clothes of a member Of the Finn le-
CATION. who occupied an adjacent room.
TRAINS PILLAGED
WHILE IN TRANSIT.
Goods trains are boarded near small
stations and cars and trucks pillaged,
and a few days ago a chemical factory
in Berlin suburb had to close down be-
cause during the night every motor, even
that for working the lift, was removed.
The loss entailed by the postottice ano
the state railways during the last year
owing to pilfering and wholesale THEY
ing is not yet estimated, but must be
enormous.
The Discrimination Of the food supply
has resulted in the enrichment Of large
numbers of so-calIed Schieber, who buy
up or smuggle into the country eatables
of all kinds not included in the rations
and gain immense sums by sale to the puo-
| lie. This practice can be carried on only
by underground means, and a socialist
deputy stated in the national assembly
at the end Of October that S00oO.00C
marks were paid monthly in brioes TO
railway officials in order to secure the
passage and unloading Of the cars carry
fng goods under false declarations.
PEOPLE CAN EXIST,
But THAT Is ALL.
/ The outcome of the present economic
system Is that people can exist on the ra-
lions doled out by the government, but
that is all that can be said. Bread and
war jam for breakfast, pearl barley or
oatmeal soup. followed by boiled pota-
/ toes and cabbage, for dinner, and bread
end war jam for supper will keep a per
son alive. but will hardly At him for
making strenuous efforts Many thou
sands OF Berlin families have not seen
I fresh meat for months, in spite OF the
fact that supplies to the armies have
ceased. The weekly ration Of nine ounces
of meat with bone per person has con-
sisted OF frozen beef. and instead OF 1t
seven ounces of very poor corned beef
have frequently been given.
For this weeks meat cards oatmeal
can he obtained, and owing to the fact
that many thousand tons Of potatoes
have been frozen in transit or while
awaiting transport, the weekly ration OF
seven pounds per person is reduced to
flour. The sugar ration OF one and one.
half pounds per person per month is
maintained as also the butter ration
of three-fourth ounce per week. Geese
are fairly plentiful at ~ marks per
pound. and substantial portion OF roast
goose or hare of excellent quality can
be obtained at most good restaurants
without a meat card for IS marks.
Most things can be. obtained ia Ber-
lin today IL one likes to pay for them,
except fresh milk which one never sees,
and cheese, which is again exceedingly
scarce Prices have increased of lats
very considerably. however American
condensed milk, for example, which was
freely offered two months ago at b
marks per tin, now costs Is marks per
tin, and has to be sought even at that
price.
HUNGER NEVER SATISFIED
FOR MANY THOUSANDS.
The consequence is that while a num-
Der Of people, especially foreigners who
change their money into German marks,
can live quite we'll If they choose to
spend enough, there are thousands OF
families IN Berlin who are longing for a
good meal and whose hunger is never
satisfied. Some of this is due to bad
management, for there is undoubtedly
plenty Of food I'm the country districts,
and some is due to the determination OF
the ruling powers to use all their re-
sources In order to gain a victory. For
example, 1t is now admitted that huge
quantities of sugar produced IN Ger