WITH THE ENEMY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15648, 21 July 1916, Page 8

WITH THE ENEMY.

CONDITIONS IN

GERMANY.

FOOD PROBLEM ACUTE.

COMMUNAL FEEDING IN BERLIN,

tßy Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

AMSTERDAM, July 19. There are conflicting accounts as to the internal conditions of Germany.

Though the fear of defeat is growing, the authorities are making an intense effort to prevent the public from understanding the significance of the Somme offensive. The public is hypnotised by means of lying messages from newepapers in neutial countries which are in German pay. The general impression among politicians is that Prince von Biilow is about to supersede Ihr. von Bethmann Hollweg as Chancellor.

The food problem continues acute. Herr von Batocki (Director of Food Supplies) failed to persuade the Southern States to permit the exportation of foods, in order to secure equal distribution. The Prussian authorities strongly resent the action of the Southerners.' Owing to the failure of the kitchens on -wheels the problem of communal feeding in Berlin is being solved by establishing huge public dining-halls. The first kitchen has 63 boilers, holding 30,000 litres of food. Hundreds of _ women are employed in preparing meals, using electrical potato cutting machines, gas stoves, and other labour-saving appliances. Specially constructed motor-caTs carry the food to the distribution depots. The following is the week's bill-of-fare: — Monday—Rice and potatoes. Tuesday—Meat. Wednesday—Beans and fat. Thursday—Meat and macaroni. Friday—Beans and potatoes. Saturday—Cabbages and potatoes. Sunday—Minced meat and potatoes. A portion equal to a litre is sold for fourpence. and 250,000 litres are sold daily. In Berlin better class people are willing to rub shoulders with the humblest in the common dining-halls.

A STATE OF SIEGE. DICTATORSHIP OF THE SABRE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received July 20th, 10.40 p.m.) BERNE, July 20. A vlctter from Germany says the state of siege is beginning to be felt everywhere. A veritable dictatorship of the sabre reigns in Germany. The tyranny of the police is unimaginable. Following on the Liebknecht demonstrations, 600 well-known Socialists were imprisoned at Stuttgart. LUXEMBURG'S PLIGHT. A REVICTUALONG SCHEME. (Renter's Telegrams.) (Received July 20th, 9.10 p.m.) LONDON, July 20. The "Frankfurter Zeitung" states that Britain and France have assented to the United States revictualling Luxemburg. GERMANY'S NEED. SERMON BY THE KAISER. ("The Times.") LONDON, July 19 The Amsterdam-correspondent of "The Times" reports that in the Kaiser's spring sermon to his field chaplains, he said: —"We must show a stern front in- this time _ ofv trial. The world war is' separating the. corn from the chaff. We need -practical Christianity. If the Lord walked into this room, do tou think we could look him in the fare? You must show us the personality of the Lord, who is now assuredly walking through the -world—perhaps to judgment."