GERMANY FROM WITHIN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2971, 8 January 1917, Page 3

GERMANY FROM WITHIN

A NATION ORGANISED

LADY {VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS,

When the war broke out 'many of the English and Australian residents in or visitors, to Germany were not able to leave the country (before the frontiers were closed. Amongst,:them was a lady, now in who did iiot succeed in gottingout of Germany till May last. Then, after many difficulties, she was able to secure a passport and make her way to Copenhagen, thence to England.. '

"Germany and her allies are in a state of siege," she said) "if you canuse tho terin, of a vast belt; of country extending right across Europe. When I left Germany the Swiss frontier was reported as being closed altogether, except for tEe exchange of prisoners, who are Bent into Germany and out of it by way of Switzerland, wlien they t are permanently incapacitated for further service. There.is a certain amount of passenger traffic to and from Holland and Scandinavia,, but the examination at the frontier is most searching.' l'ou cannot travel without a passport, and passports are very difficult to obtain, and are only granted to those' who have a definite and specified busi--ness. I ■ ■ - English Papers in ,Cermany. "&< curious feature is .the. ease with which English newspapers can be obtained in Germany., jln, the city,, in the interior of Germany, in which I ■lived, one could,, right up to the .time I left, buy "The Times, 1 the 'Morning Post, , and*" other London journals on the street stands. It is true that they ■ f.'ere dearj I have paid as much os 7}d. for a penny London daily.-Eng-lish journals were still kept on the tables in the public reading-rooms. Then, too, the American rector had, for the benefit of the members of his congregation, a reading-room, in which one could see the English and American newspapers and magazines. The Kaiser and Germany generally were very faithfully dealt with, especially

[ in some 'of file cartoons, but no attempt was made by tho authorities to ■ censor them. Indeed, wo were able to seebqth sides of the modal much hotter than in London, because there wo could got no German newspapers. "Gott Strafe England,"., "I must say that the German newspapers often used to mako my blood boil. We hear of the 'Hymn of Hate,' but it is impossible at this distance to form a just idea of the strength of tho hatred which the German Press directs against England. Many individuals were kindly and considerate, but in the mass tho Germans look on Britain as the nation thatuupsett t their plans, and they ha to her'accordingly.' They feel, a-sort of kindly, if rather contemptuous, pity for the French, but the way in which the British .stopped in and prevented them from overthrowing France fills them with rago and loathing." Our feelings of dislike towards Germany aro mild 7 indeed compared with their feelings against lis. "It is remarkable, by the way, how quickly news about the British Empire circulates in Germany. For instance, to take a comparatively minor instance, we read in the German newspapers all, and more than all, about the Australian troops in Cairo. We know that the Germans knew all about the referendum results, and I have no doubt that they have had- full information about the coal strike, the I.W.W. outbreak, and other recent troubles in 'Australia. Government Control of Food. "As to the economic position in Germany,- , thero is no doubt that it bears very hard",'on the poorer classes. The food prices aro very little guide. If Ht- is 'true, -as stated in a recent cable message, that food prices have' not advanced miTch nioro since the outbreak of war in Berlin than in London, 109 per cent, as against 84, that is very little indication of the relative abundance of food in the two places. ■Prices have not gone higher in Germany because "they are' controlled by the Government, which has taken over the stocks'of most articles of food, and doles them out. You have meat tickets, tickets, milk tickets, butter tickets, ceSeo tickets, fat ticketsi and tickets of every kind. As an instance of what I mean, while I was in Copenhagen I. read complaints about the high

price fixed for milk. It was 3Jd. po quart, which would bo thought cheap ii Melbourne, but was a big advance 01 tlio' 2<ll or 2{<\. per quart charged ii Germany beforo tho war. But for si: weeks before I left' Germany I saw in milk." It was reserved for infants ani for invalids, who had an order from i doctor, and no ono else could get any no matter what'they were prepared t< pay. I do not know liow things an in Austria, but I am inclined to tliinl that, tho fact, if it is a fact, tliat pricei have , risen 176 per'cent, in Vienna, i< duo to tho system there being loosci and the Government control much les: effective. Provision; Rations. ■ "Bub/to return.to. Germany. '.. Th< ration. allowed each week in Saxon; is 51b. of broad, jib. of sugar, ant other things'-.in proportion, l'ou an supposed to get some fat, but in prac tico allyyou get is the ticket, because there is no tat to lie'had for love 01 money. For tho poor, who cannot sup plement the ration by any outside luxuries, it is hardly enough to live on much less work hard on. Tho Germans feel it tho more because the; are good eaters under normal conditions, accustomed to hearty meals anc plenty of fat, and such things. 01 course, conditions, differ in the-different States of tho German Empire, because food had not been "pooled" before 1 loft. Bavaria,, which is mainly an agricultural'country, was far better ofl than Saxony, with its liugje industrial and manufacturing population, and, indeed, better off than any other part oi the Empire. ' ' ..".''" ■ Effect on Outlook. "I do not feel th.it I ought to enlarge too much on the food scarcity in German} - , because it may lead somo people to conclude-that the end is near, and that there is no need for increased eii'orts on our part. That is not the case. The German people are" suffering privations, but there is no doubt that they will go on fighting stubbornly in spito of short commons, if, indeed, as some think, the seizure of part of Rumania does not improve the position as far as food supplies are concerned. Nor do I put much faith in tho idea, of revolution in Germany. For the most part he people suffer-whatever the war iriugs on them silently.- and submissiveThere nave been riots in I'arioue cities—indeed, there was a riot in he city I was living in—but they are isolated and sporadic outbreaks. , Spirit of the People. ."The different spirit in which the wo peoples took the war in the earlier stages -used to come homo to me when I read the; English newspapers, and compared the'account they gave of life in England with what I saw around me. Tho Germans tooK it in grim and deadly earnest from the first. Kings and Governments economised, as well as their subjects, and there was none of,, the "business as usual" cry. We read in the English papers of dances and dinners, but such things ceased to be irr Germany. There "wereno inen left to dance, and no one would have dreamt of eating big public dinners. Rich people's menservants' wont to the front, and so did their horses, and everyone settled down to a life of the simplest character. Of course, this is a generalisation, and not absolutely true. Some people have been making a lot of money out of the war, armament firms, for instance, and they felt that they had to spend it somehow. Some bought pictures; an artist in Berlin said that the first year of the war was the best he had ever had. But on_ the whole the Germans irom _ the beginning faced tile 'stern realities of war in a spirit which was long in being roused in Britain. They are awake in Britain now; I am not sure about Australia.

V- • German organisation. "The .way.in .which Germany has been able to _ finance the, war and to organise for it has surprised even tho Germans themselves. They looked for a short war • and a smashing victory There-is no doubt that the battle of the Marne gave them the surprise of their lives. They had the superiority m numbers, and felt that they ought to have won. The turning back of the great inroad into France was a tremendous disillusionment to the German people. The existence of the great 42 centimetre gun was, at the outset of war, a complete secret to the German people and the army, apart from.a few. It was a 'Krupp' secret But this, too, after the fall of Ank werp. failed to do what was expected of it. Yet, in spite of disappointments, the people generally, when I left Germany, believed, in sp'ite of their terrible losses and sufferings, that they were going to win. Even those who were less confident thought that they could make a draw, of it. But in England people were quite determined that thero was not going to be any draw about it. • .After what I saw of Germany, I feel that the Allies want every ounce of strength, for Germany is far from beaten."

Mr. arid Mrs. P. S. Jl'Lean, Napier, are staying at the Hotel Cecil.

Mr. and Mrs. Forrest and pupils gave a very enjoyable concert at the Victoria Hospital on Thursday evening. Songs and part-songs were given by the Misses Guy, Morgan, White, Boon, Chartrcs, and little Queenie Savage, and instrumental .trios by the-Misses Sunderland, Guy,. Morgan, and Norman Key. ' Noel Wilson played two violin solos m good style, and Mrs. Duff, the well-known Chnstchurch reciter, gave three very acceptable items. ■ . ■

Enrolments for the rifle practice section of the Women's National Reserve will close at tho Headquarters Office, 107 I'eatherston Street, on or before January 12. Practices are still going on, but another class is also being formed, enrolments for which will not bo accepted after that date.

ATTRACTIVE' DRAPERT SALE, rho attention of our readers is called to the advertisement appearing in this usue on behalf of Goorge and Kersley's half-yearly sale. This important event commences to-morrow (Tuesday), ivhen theentire drapery 'stocks of this wellJvnown firm, except a few proprietary lines, ivjll be. offered at very substantial reductions. One of the leading features of tho 6ale will be a manufacturer's range of sample Mouses, secured by George and Kersley, ltd., at a very handsomo discouiif-. These blousss will

be sold at prices much below those usually quoted for such fino quality In these times of advancing prices, tho savings offered at Georjo and Kersley's sn.le should prove irresistible io the women of Wellington, find should brinj; them early to Inmbton Quay on Tuesday lo iuspecl the thousands of sale bargains.

The Patlie Disc, playing through the medium of a smooth, ball-pointed, iinivcarable sapphire in lieu of the sharppointed needle, represents tho last word in tho faithful reproduction of sound. It is unwearable and, with ordinary care', unbreakable. Tho tdne is rich, full, and mellow. A ll r existing Pise Maeliino can be oasily fitted with tho Patlie Sound Bo.v, 10 , enable its own to enjoy tho pleasures of tho largest and most artistic repertoire in the talkinp machine world. Catalo"uos, etc.. Oscar Hen-ett nnd Co.. 5G Culm Street (just below Bank N. 7..).— Advt.

"S.vdal" is without doubt the most perfect emollient you cm use at this time of tliß year to protect your skin and complexion from the ill-effects. of wind, dust, and henfc. Ttousthnes.', redness, irritation, and chaps can all be prevented; while, if you already suffer jrom 6uch condition "Sydnl" will speedily banish it. Use "Syilal" daily and keep your hands, face, arms, and neck in perfect condition. 2s. at all chemists and 6torea. .-Advt.