Evening star., 1948-09-04
Underground Reports
Indicate Starvation in
Soviet Zone Of Reich
By Judy Borden
North American Nswspapsr AlLiane,

BERLIN, Aug. % (by AirmaiD -
Underground reports are coming
from Germans in the Russian zone
that starvation is upon them. The
Russians, in an effort to prove that
they can feed Berlin, are sacrificing
the Germans in their quarter OF
this country.
Doctors in the Eastern zone have
been ordered not to issue certifi-
Gates Of death as being due to either
tuberculosis or other t-deficiency
diseases. Despite this, a report
from Halle shows an increase of
5000 cases from Christmas, 1914
to the spring OF this year, making
in all. $4,000 persons
AL death certificates bear the
words heart attack" or cancer. "
All records of discharged prisoners
Of war who were sick have been de-
stroyed. From which country they
came, in their deplorable condition,
will not show on paper.
Halle and Magdeburg have been
without grain-and therefore with
out bread-five days. The flour has
been shipped to Berlin. Workers in
the Krupp- -Gruson plant and the
Schaefer works at Magdeburg struck
because of the desperate bread
situation.
In many communities there has
not been any fat ration for months.
A substitute" sugar ration has
taken its place. From Leipzig comes
the report that they have been
without meat and fat three weeks.
People in the eastern zone owning
the smallest kitchen garden no
longer get the regular ration card.
They are listed as self-supporters
and must live from their gardens.
The Russians blame q bad harvest
the preceding year. The highly
praised planned economy of the
Red zone does not correspond to
the smallest needs of the popula-
ton.
1t is reported that the Lausitz
textile industries, famous in the
past for quality products, are using
every kind of substitute Sugar
sacking is made into mems suits.
Women's work clothes are made
from -four bags After the first
washing. these materials shrank so
that they were useful only for chill
dren.
In Thuringia, the states economy
plans never were fulfilled. From
the 1000 bicycles planned, only $50
were delivered, all without tires.
From the $50 radio sets, 100 were
sold 70 the public. all without tubes
From the $3.50 wrist watches, $50
arrived on the market.
While Russian administration in
the zone is going to pieces, the
Soviet continues to promise Berlin
ers the fairy doll off the Christmas
tree if only they will listen,
Not only do they proclaim the
airlift to be unnecessary, but they
say that they can do better, even
going so far as to promise extra ra-
tions. Whole page articles are run
in the Russian-kept press tempting
the population with fresh potatoes.
rather than the dehydrated ones
brought in by the Americans.
The coming winter, they say, will
see Western Berliners shivering with
cold, whereas, if they would only
register for their fuel in the east
ern sector, all would be well with
them. But it takes more than news
paper chat to convince Berliners.
Undernourished people struggling in
from the Russian zone are a poor
advertisement for the good the Rus
slams say they will do for Germans
following them.
Flour Takes Long Trip.
Recently they declared that an
extra consignment of flour had been
shipped to Berlin from Russia. 1t
later was proved that this flour
came from the farmers in Rangs-
dorf, suburb OF Berlin in the Rus
sian zone