The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-01-11

suddenly publishing propaganda in the press against smoking. Hitler Youth were given lectures on the harm done by smoking tv their be- dies, which they must preserve for the Fuehrer. Then, the Nazt "cor- poration" for restaurants and cafes issued an order to the effect that in the future women would not be sold cigarettes in any LOKAL. The result was a rush on existing sup plies. As consequence, the in- dividual ration of cigarettes dropped from as many as one wanted to buy at the outset of Russian war, to three a day on days when there were any at all. after five months The recent introduction of "smok- ing ration cards" is an empty ges. ture. Rations were three or none and will probably remain three. when available, and none most of the time. The theory of the cards Is that they prevent people with lots of time from standing in more than one queue day. But nobody in Germany has lots of time.
 END OF GERMAN BEER
 HARDEST BLOW or ALL
 But, certainly the unkindest cut of all to alcohol-loving German 5UEARGER was the sudden depar- ture of that commodity from tav- erns and shops. The troops needed every drop both for drinks and "in- ternal heating" and for medica-
 ments. Beer suffered first, because 1t had been most abundant and could more easily bear a reduction. By official order, production was lowered twenty per cent in the be- ginning of the campaign. Then, as in the case of everything else, more reductions were ordered but not an- ncunced. Taverns began closing one day week. Then two days a week. Then they began closing for periods of month at time on pretext of undertaking repairs" Repairs were certainly needed in pubs as every. where else, but the pretext was false because 1t was impossible to find anyone to do repairs after the AUFMARSCH for Russia had drain ed away every reasinably young man, and many old ones. Actually, there was no law against receiving weekly deliveries of beer whether the pub was open or not. So, in order not to have to close doors after a couple of hours of serving each day, taverns simply accumulat- ed stocks in this manner for a month, and then could stay open a whole week or more. Even with this strategy, after five months of defeating Russia, there were only four places in all Berlin where one could get beer consistently, and their supplies were maintained for sheer propaganda effect, the biggest ho- tels and the press clubs. Even here, however, hours" were set outside which beer could not be ordered, and, at least one of these places, the Adlon Hotel, where the foreign office lodges visiting diplomats, be- gan frankly watering its beer!
 It was almost pathetic watching these fine old hotels with glorious pastS, and in whose registers had appeared the names of many of the crowned heads and political leaders of Europe struggling to keep up ap- pearanceS. The Kaiserhcf bar, Its counter empty, set up a display of bottles of colored water against Its mirror background. It caused wis., ible pain to the old bartender to answer an order for a cocktail say- ing he was dreadfully sorry but to- day precisely today, he had run out of ingredients. But perhaps tomor- row. Actually, all he had was some raw liquor the management had been able to squeeze out of farm house outside Berlin, HIMBEER- CHEST, or fake Vodka that took the roof off your mouth, or wood al- cohol with perfume in it which was served under the name of SCLIBO- VITz, two fingers to customer and no more, but tomorrow, MEINE HEREIN, maybe. The colored wa ter trick was widely applied after that, but 1t became embarrassing when thirsty citizens began plaguing the places which displayed flagons of 1t to sell bottle or two. One fancy delicatesSen on Kurfuersten- damn, eventually placed the frank sign in its window. These bottles are filled with colored water and nothing else. They are purely for purposes of decoration. We have no liquor, so please do not bother our sales staff, which is short due to the war" Wine, which had been second only to beer in abundance, disap- peared from shops abruptly the last week in November of 1941. Wine shops were simply closed by official order and their contents bought at fixed prices for the troops. Thus Germany entered upon the bleak est, dryest Christmas in its history, and in that statement the World War period is included. When I eft, there was virtually nothing. al- most no alcoholic beverage left to drink. Against its will, Germany had become. perhaps, the most tenn perate nation on earth.
 Copyright. l943. by Howard K. Smith. Distributed by United Fea- tllre Syndicate, Incl
 TOMORROW:-ShOes and shel. ter; a charwOman and a Crown
 Prince have their troubles.