TRUTH ABOUT GERMANY

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 90, 13 October 1920, Page 6

TRUTH ABOUT GERMANY

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —Your correspondent "Englishman" professes a desire to know the facts with regard to feeding in Germany. Perhaps the following extracts from the report of the American 'Belief Mission for the first six months of this year will enlighten him, although it may be said in passing that the cable referred to neither slated nor implied what his letter would suggest. "In the larger cities 1 of which there are. about 100 of over 50,000 population, the number of children badly in need of some supplementary feeding appears to average about 5 per cent, of the total population. Probably to have met the greatest need during the past spring, rations for between 1,000,000 and 1,250,----000 should have been served. This was, however, out of the question, and we had to choose the places where the need appeared most serious, and where effective organisations could be most easily realised.

"In most of the cities the food obtainable on ration cards is only about half the normal requirements. This is supplemented for those who have the means by non-rationed foodstuffs, but it is exceedingly difficult for even well-to-do families in the larger cities to get sufficient proper food. Foreigns in the larger hotels can fare quite well on 'Schleichhandel'—food which they can obtain at prices which are prohibitive to natives, but which seem low. to them on account of the favourable exchange values. "On 29th June we were feeding approximately 632,300 children and mothers in 88 cities and about 90 separate districts. This feeding is carried on in 3392 feeding centres with the help of German personnel, which was already organised for relief work or which we had organised for this special purpose. • "We feel that a minimum of 600,000 children and mothers should be fed from about December to June of next'year. To feed an average of 500,000 from September to June would cost approximately 6,300,000 dollars, or about 5.4 cents per meal for food cost." The report shows that up to 19th July a total of 32,928,000 meals had been served.

It may be added that the relief of Germany has been left almost entirely to the generosity of America., British efforts being concentrated in the main on Austria, Serbia, and Poland, where famine and disease are becoming a grave menace to the. whole of Europe, if not to the world. The influenza epidemic has shown that even the, isolation of New Zealund cannot save her from .plugue. If "Englishman" therefore feels any generous impulse to help, let him in no wise restrain it. The Red Cross Society will accept and forward any contribution to the Imperial War Relief Fund, which is subsidised by the British Government. —I am, etc.,

JOHN H. HOW ELL.

ath October.