WAR MISERY IN GERMANY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16169, 4 March 1916, Page 2 (Supplement)

WAR MISERY IN GERMANY.

: aRgyELATIpNS. TrjK following despatch Leei'f received from Mr. H. Warner Allen, the .representative of the British press with the French army. Letters taken from prisoners captured by the French at Hartmaiiiuweilerkopf throw a vivid light on the general state of mind, not only of the German civilian population, but also of the men with' the colours. Sometimes there are letters from one soldier to another, fighting at different points, which 6how discontent with the German commissariat. A letter dated December 17 contained the following sentence : " The men had to eat potatoes without salt or. fat they Jiad-no more bread. That was in Russia." Here is a typical letter :— "December. 9.—You know that I am compelled to send panaris to Johanii. It is in the 142 nd Regiment that they are the worst off. They havo practically nothing to eat. They say they have a noncommissioned officer who is a perfect beast, and tortures his men in every way. Then they have very little bread—not enough to satisfy their hunger." In hundreds of loiters there is the same refrain: "When will the war end? We can't bear it much longer." Every rumour that hostilities will soon be over is eagerly accepted and believed. " Everyone is so happy," writes a German on November - 3, " that this is the last month of the war. They aie counting the days between now and peace." The enormous casualty lists and the continued departure of reservists have produced a great effect in the mind of the civilian population. In a letter dated December 5 there is the following complaint; !y^°, w all the old men have left for the front, it is the turn of the boys of 18."