GERMANY FROM WITHIN.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXXI, 22 February 1916, Page 2

GERMANY FROM WITHIN.

Two Batley ladies, who have been in Wittenbeige, a German industrial town between Berlin and Hamburg, from the beginning of the war. until December 6, have returned to England (says the Yorkshire Post). Their husbands were interned at lluhleben over a year ago, and the ladies were the sole English women left in the town. They speak very gratefully of kindnesses shown by German friends, and of the courteous demeanor of textile j workers who had worked under their I husbands, but in the streets they! were at times subjected to gross in-1 suits from "educated" people, notably of their own sex. "Englander swine" they were called by one lady of "Kultur." Both ladies, with a little girl of three, were compelled to report to the police between 9 and 10 a.m., and between 5 and 6 p.m. each day, but the irksomeness of that regulation was made tolerable by the courtesy of the police. They were not allowed out of doors, however, after eight, so they never attended in a public place of entertainment or service. They saw no English papers for over a year, and never got out of Wittenberge, but they surprised their friends by announcing their intention of returning to the country which they had been so often told was in ruins! What were they, going to England for? England was beaten. It didn't matter, they were going home. But they would have submarines, bombs, and Zeppelins to contend with on the way. It didn't matter; they were not afraid. Since the food riots began in Berlin the authorities have fixed a maximum price for buter, which in Wttenberge is now 2s 6sd per German pound, as compared with 3s before the riots, but margarine cannot be got, and lard and dripping are so scarce that the price has gone up to 2s and over. Ham and bacon are 3s alb, beef, mutton, and pork 2s, and the best sausage went up to 2s lOd, but is a little easier at 2s Bd. Bread is just double the price that was charged before the war, and rice is Is £er lb. The bread tickets issued last winter are still in vogue. A certain amount of bread is allowed to each person, and no more. Meat tickets are also in use, and on two days in each week all the butchers' shops are closed by Government orders. The famine in fat has led to the issue of tickets for that essential, the allowance per head being ' fixed by the authorites, and on one day in each week no butter, fat, or cheese can be purchased. New unskimmed milk is reserved for babies, and tickets for skimm^ed milk are now being issued, so that all may share alike if they have the money to pay for it. Every precaution is taken to prevent people taking money out of the country. Those who hf>v° obtained permission to leave are forbidden to take more than £5 to cover their travelling expenses beyond their railway fare, and are" searched by officials to secure obedience to this rule.

Ladies who have left Germany this week were asked on the train whether they had any money, and were warned that if they did not speak the truth they would be "strafed" and kept prisoners. One lady confessed she had 3000 marks (£lso)* in her possession. It was taken from her, and the lady was vigorously reprimanded for having taken the money on to the train with her. A receipt indicating that the money was held in trust for her until the close of the war was all she got for it. '■ ■ *