Norwich bulletin., 1922-12-12
PUTNAM

Putnam looks good to H. G. Olson of North Grosvenordale. just returned from a, stay of several months in Germany of which country he talked Interestingly and entertainingly Monday. Mir. Olson went abroad in April and has just returned to this country. He was Ill for weeks in 8 hospital in Cologne. but during his stay visited in numbers of German cities and country districts and had opportunities to observe the stricken nations economic condition and to make keen studies of the after the war German.
 His experiences were varied and in some instances out Of the ordinary and times without number he was impressed with tise all powerful influence of the American dollar in the land where the mark has fallen In value to an infnitesi- nal part of ;ts former worth. With the dollar as a basis of exchange, the value of the mark fuctuates from day to day, and there were times while MT. Olson was in Germany when dollar would buy 1000 marks. It was because of this that Mir. Olson for a period hired a room in a respectable quarter for 4,000 marks, i the equivalent of one dollar, for a period of one month.
 l While the incident now appears anus ing to him, an occasion when he pre- sented an American check for $224.50, to have it cashed, and bank had to re- fuse hin-for two reaSons-was a serious one at the time. The bankers would not concede his request for payment in American money, and. again. they did not happen to have handy the approxi- mately a million and quarter marks | that would be required to make the pay ment.
 Mir. Olson found it necessary to do bus mess with the American steamship agency with which he had taken passage in order that he might get American money when he wanted it and in such quantities as he had need of for the time being. Once in the hands of German these days. an American dollar has taken flight for good, insofar as getting any part of it back in American money is concerned. One must take goods or marks, MT. Olson says.
 MT. Olson came away with the i'm pression that Germany is recovering not w1thstanding the tremendous handicap it has incurred through it's loss of the World war. He mentioned the fact that the great Krupp works at Essen are run ming day and night and that the man. moth plants are barred to visitors. There is evidence of feverish, industrial activity at Stettin. Cologne, Berlin. Bremen Cob. lenz and other cities where Mir. ,Olsor visited and out in the country districts the agrtculturists are producing in theil old-tine remarkable manner
 Yet poverty stalks through the lani and soup kitchens are maintained by the government :p great numbers. Hordes o. workmen are to be found out of employ ment in many cities that Mr. Olson visit ed. While there is good food in Germany it is so. expensive because of the unheart ] of depreciation of the mark that million, must go without meats and good quality flour and are subsisting on a form O. black bread, some vegetables and milk and are getting along without butter eggs, sugar and other such commodities Wooden shoes have replaced leather foot wear for millions of the poorer classes When MT. Olson left Germany in Novem Der cold weather had set in. The peopl, were warmly dressed, though clad in gar ments that show signs of long wear.
 An American is quickly Identified b, his clothes and ability to buy things, bu identification is not an asset to him. H. is taxed unnercifully for this, that ant every otheE thing and does well not t< venture out alone either by day or night Crime is rampant in what were very or deTly cities before the war. Mfr. Olsor had the experience of being struck on tn, head by a bandit while taking an after noon stroll in a large city, but thu chance appearance of two letter carrier frightened away his assailant.
 MT. Olson's mission in Germany wal to visit where his son, a member Of tn U. s. Marine corps stationed for a lon, time at Cobtenz. The son IS now dead Mir. Olson had not been abroad since h first came to this country in 1882. and h had to abandon a plan to visit in Swede1 because of the prohibitive tax the Ger mans named as the price of allowing hin