The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1943-02-01
WHY MORALE
J OF GERMANS
IS DECLINING
ELITz AND TERROR WHICH
WERE TO HAVE WON A
SHORT WAR HAVE FAILED
IN OBJECT
BY HERBERT HOOVER
tBy Associated PreSs)

BY HERBERT HOOVER
tBy Associated Press)
All IS not well upon the Ger
man home front today. The blitz
and terror which were to have
won a short war have in a large
sense failed. Germany has aban-
done d the hope that she can bring
tie, war to a swift conclusion.
Warned by the collapse on the
home front in World War |, the
Ge1manS this time made great
Irer ararIonS In expanded agricul-
ture, IN stored food, metals, Tex
tiles and synthetic production of
oil, rubber, explosives. Upon in
Vaslon OF Norway, Holland, Bel
GUM, Jugoslavia, France, Poland
and the Ukraine she seized their
accumulated stores.
In consequence of this advance
preparation and this robbery,
Germany was not substantially
short Of supplies during the first
two years of the war. But she has
consumed her stocks and there is
much less to be taken from the in
Vaded countries. The tide has now
turned on the home front, and all
the forces of internal degeneration
are now in action.
BY working millions of prisoners
and imported labor the Germans
have kept up the bread, potato,
and vegetable supplies. The So
called normal bread and cereal
ration amounts to a rate of about
260 pounds per person per annum
against the 200 pounds the Amer
lean people eat.
But the story in meats and fats
is far different. The blockade has
greatly reduced her imports of
Vege table and fish oils and feed
for her animals. Her animal prod
uctS have greatly diminished.
-, Health Margin Thin
iAu calculations of meat and fat
Supplies are very involved, but the
f3llowing represent an approxima-
ton end indicate the trend. In
1886 the Germans consumed at
the rate of about 1865 opunds of
conrbiped meats and fats of all
xmas Fer person per annum. In
1899 the normal ration was at
the rate of about 1865 pounds of
l94Q it was. about 20 pounds per
-annum. Hard workers get more.
This does not indicate any sub
sStanilaI meat or fat supplies from
the Ukraine.
AT my direction after the last
war, an investigation of the food
experience during the war indi-
cate that the present amount of
fats IN their ration is below the
full health level to the ordinary
consumer.
Bu. equally important is the de-
generation of practically all other
supplies for civilian use. including
clothing and coal. The people suf-
fer from cold in winter. Over
&C Vding is adding its miseries.
The wear and tear on the rail
Wavs and machine shops and their
destruction by air attack are Gre
ating difficulties in tranSporta-
sti"n ard manufacture. German
II arooWer on the home front is
weakening steadily despite forced
slabor from the occupied coun-
tries.
: n work week of 60 hours is the
r'inimi'm in factories compared
TO orr average Of under A hours.
The workmen are feeling the pres
sIre Of overwork. She is making
frantic efforts to secure skilled
rrs3npewer from the occupied
countries,
German Dream Gone
Mentally the people have re-
treated from confidence of vic
tory and have fallen back uron
resolutions of defense. They now
realize that they are an island in
a sea of 200,000,000 invaded and
statving people who hate them
With IN irreparable bitterness.
fna thus the Germans know the
dream of the rev order in Europe
has vanished. The terrors of aerial
F0mhardment and the losses in
hattle arc having a decreasing Of
feet unon the spirit of the people.