Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-02-22
SITUATION IN GERMANY
Hundreds of Students Are Said to Be
Starving
HOW THEY LIVE A REAL MYSTERY
Young Germans Must Be Given Aid
Women Students Show Result of
Poor Food and insufficient Com
BY Frederick ]. Haskin.

TcrtS.
BY Frederick ]. Hasllin.
Washington, D. c., Feb. 21-Provid-
ing food for German students in uni
versities and technical schools, so that
they can continue their educations
and their work in the reconstruction
of their wrecked country is the latest
activity of the American Friends Ser
vice committee, which has the admin
fstration of the funds that generous
Americans are sending to the strick-
en- people who were their enemies
such a short time ago.
The response to the plea Of the
Quakers for money to be used in Ger
many shows how quickly the war
time spirit Of hatred is dying down in
this country. Probably the bitterest
anti-German will admit that the chill
dren and youths did not make the war
and they must be fed and educated if
Germany is to be Of any future use to
civilization. The students in Ger
man universities today will be the
Germany of tomorrow. They will be
it's government, it's press, its educa-
ton. They will carry on the creative
work in music, philosophy and science
in which Germany has l?sen world
leader.
Many object that it Is useless for
Americans to pour food and. money
into Germany when it is being so much
more rapidly drained out by repara-
ton demands. This may be sound In
a general way, but it does not dimin-
ish the importance of saving the Ger
man students from their immediate
pressing wants.
We have a detailed and exclusive
report from Berlin, showing just how
this work is done, and how badly 1t
is needed.
Thousands Aided.
At the close of the Christmas holi-
days thirty of the big universities of
Germany were on the budget to receive
this help. The authorized number Of
students to benefit by this additional
food is now 10000 and this number
will be increased or decreased for the
spring term in proportion to the sup
port, financial and otherwise, which is
from England and Amer
tic.
The total number of German univer-
sity students today Is about 10000.
The 10000 selected from the entire
student body are chosen by the uni
versities on the grounds Of under
nourishment Or poverty. From sta
tistical survey made by student COM
mites in all parts Of the country it is
shown that less than third are re-
ceiving an income from all sources OF
more than 800 marks n month (about
four dollars at present rate of ex-
chanse). Obviously it is impossible to
provide the barest necessities OF life
from this income. An adequate meal
in a cheap restaurant cannot be OBJ
tanned for less than IA or 20 marks
and 4 room without heat or light Will
cost from so to so marks 4 month, at
the cheapest. In addition. the stud
ents' income must cover clothes, laun-
dry, books and tuition. How many OF
the students exist at all is Il mystery
to the foreign visitor. In many uni
versities, tuition fees are being re-
mitted or postponed, but this cannot
be permanent arrangement.
In every university a committee
composed Of the rector or principal OF
the university, a physician and q
member Of the Deutsche Studenten-
schaft, has been appointed to select
the students who are TO profit from
the Quaker meals. To facilitate their
task questionable is filled in by all
students who wish to apply for this
help. These. papers are carefully
checked. 1t can be seen by looking
over some Of the Questionnaires that in
spite Of many students untiring ef-
forts TO get work which will add to
their incomes this work is difficult to
find, and if found the remuneration IS
so slight and falls so far short OF
meeting the needs as to he hardly
worth willie. Employment as tutors,
or in libraries or offices, which would
he hest for students, is the hardest to
find the many young men must turn TO
manual labor
A woman student who will take ex-
aminations this year for doctors de-
gree works three hours n day rs n
charwoman in order that she may con-
tinuc her studies.
Some Individual Stories.
X. s., a student OF law at Frank
rurt on Main, lives at home with his
mother and younger brother of IL
Not only is il impossible for his moth
er to give him an allowance, but he
must contribute to the household eX-
pcnses from his earnings. Hitherto he
has not been able to eat anything n
midday rs he has not time to go home
and the meal served ut the students
cafeteria WAS too expensive for him
He earns $50 marks month by giving
lessons and may br considered lucky
to be able to earn that much. He sui.
rers from chronic bronchitis.