The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1920-08-09
GERMAN PEOPLE
EAGER TO WORK
Lack of Food and Materials Pre-
vents Their Working With
Old Tine Vigor; Have
No Hate For Yanks

new loThs-lne he deFlilaH ntople hTt
eager 10 work and readjust themselves
, and pay their war lndemnlties. but
they cannot do SO until they have help
In the way OF food and materials, ac-
1 agent for an American Leather com
Z pany In Milwaukee. who recently ar
rived from Germany. He says thai the
German workman Is so r.GsTed that
he cannot possibly do a Tfbper days
work. ald that the high prices for all
the necessities there. combined with
the pay OF the laborer with the marx
az it's present low rate of value, is
causing hardshlps and great suffering
among the working classes that can
scarcely be realized
THE visitors who come TO Germany.
put up at the best hotels where there
is plenty of good food, and make
superficial inspection of some of the
more accessible districts, cannot judge
OF the lack of food throughout the
country" said Mr.. Marum. "Deformed
children are seen everywhere where
the working people live but one fails
to take into consideration that their
wkole organism is undermined aud
that they will always bear the marks
of what they have suffered In the last
few years.
Nothing for Expert.
"There is nothing at present for ex-
port, partly because of the great
dearth of coal for factories and manu-
featuring purposes, and also because
there are so few raw materials. The
raw materials now available I'LL only
very small percentage of the domestic
needs. The people are striving TO at
tain their old-time efficiency, but liv-
ing costs must 60 down in order that
wages may be reduced for profitable
production.
"The same general problems that con-
front other countries now are present
in Germany in a more aggravated
form. For instance, the housing prob
lem had reached much more acute
state than here. The government made
an erort to adjust this by obiiging
those with more rooms In their resi-
dences than were actually needed for
their own families to take others ilto
their homeS-as renters, of course
but since tEey are allowed the use Of
tie kitchens and laundries and other
parts OF the houses the arrangement
has made for great confusion and
much discomfort.
The high prices for all building
materials and the high wages for
workmen have made 1t almost pro-
hbitive to build any but the simplest
structures. However, ii is believed
that by fall conditions must improve
somewhat and prices will be reduced.
Prices on all commodities are most
Mems suits that were
few years ago l20 marks are now
as high as 1000 to 5000 |
marks. Shoes which were Is to % /
marks are now 400 to 500. Only the
profteers can afford such prices, and I
there are protiteers In Germany as /
well as elsewhere. All meat, -four,
sugar, butter. milk and other neces-
stiles are still rationed by the govern.
meat and it is quite likely that this
will continue for some time.
Trade With Italy.
TRADE has been established with |
Italy and relations with that country |
are good, and gradually improving. If
the people of this country could get |
real facts and correct statements, there |
would be little, II any. Ill feeling be
tween the two countries The war feel
Ing is rapidly disappearing a2d in Ger
many there is none of the hate that
some of the newspapers speak Of.
There exists the best Of feeling
throughout Germany for the Ameri-
cans In general.
The influx of the Senegal negroes
to Frankfort and other places in Ger
many caused no end of III feeling and
misunderstanding, with keen bitter !
ness. The negroes We're quartered In
the school houses and other public
buildings and so much disorder result
ed that finally the French were obliged /
10 remove them.
THE German people are mainly law |
abiding, and the bolsheyiki will never
take strong hold there. The great |
mass OF people are good workers and !
very industrious, II given a chance,
and are not at all In sympathy with !
The methods Of the present disturbers |
of Europe. Their ambition is TO be-
come steady, progressive country
but they greatly need assistance to
build up and grow strong again. Their
coal fields are now owned by France;
iEeir farm lands have deteriorated,
and much Of their manufacturing ma
is gone. II is next to impos-
sible for the farmers to operate, be-
u13uuom