GERMANY AND PEACE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16964, 28 March 1917, Page 9

GERMANY AND PEACE

" THE PEOPLE ARE STARVING." NEUTRAL'S AMAZING STORY. The American newspapers i'i January gavo rrrcat proniinonco to the real reasons why Germany wants peace, as described by Emu Can Ber Kier, a journeyman Dutch pr.r.ler, who hns just returned to New York after sixteen months' soiourn in the heart of Germany, where he was an intimate and keen observer of the conditionslie writes:—

Germany wants peace, and she must havo

it at once, because tho German people urc » starving. The German Government wants peueo because tho German people are clamouring for peace. It is not the foreign journalists who have the best opportunities of studying the conditions in Guinany. foreign journalists in Germany live 111 hotels, converse with tho waiters, receive favours from high officials, and report what the censor wishes them to report; consequently, as chroniclers of vital facts, they . are poor mediums. I entered Germany on August 17, 1915, and left it about seven weeks ago. I Jived in Germany nearly fourteen months, and travelled as far south as Switzerland. I worked at my'trade, and in Germany they want men who can work. 1 obtained a passport from the Gorman Consul-general at Amsterdam, who kuew 1 was a journeyman printer. I entered Aix-la-Chapelle, the frontier city of Germany, and lor tlie lirst time it began to dawn on inc that Germany was at war, tootli and nail, with several inightv foes. As I approached the city 1 began *lo seo evidences of tho. miglity conflict between the Teutons and tho rest of tile world. But not until I reached Germany did 1 gasp with horror. That was 16 months ago, and even then Germany was bleeding, bleeding profusely, but she was bleeding red. Shortly before 1 loft Germany 1 saw symptoms which unmistakably led mo to believe that she was about to bleed white. When I entered Germany 16 months ago only meat and bread cards had been issued. About six weeks later—on October 3. 1915— potato cards were issued; two weeks later sugar and milk cards_ were issued. There aro many other food, items for which cards have not boon issued, because these items cannot be obtained at any price. When I lett Berlin you could buy eggs for sd, but such eggs! iVecsh eggs brought Is each. When 1 entered Germany I weighed 1421b"when 1 left Germany 1 weighed 1201b. 1 made good money, but I saved none, and my privation was not attributable to lack of funds. It was quality, tho quality of the food I was permitted to obtain that told so effectively 'on my health. Yes, Germany is starving; she is starving en masse, and for that reason sho may be able to tolerate her privations a little while longer. On reaching Aix-la-Chapelle, I was formed that 1 must submit to a two hours' rigid personal search and examination. Aot only were the linings of my coat ripped open and the heels of my shoes removed and replaced, and my shoes slashed and replaced, but even my .white linen was 'examined by a certain X-ray process. I assert that nothing can pass by tho German authorities. Even white paper is not allowed to go through. Even my family photograph was taken away from mo If anyone wishes to send to Germany or out of Uerraany anytiling important it is safer to send it through the regular mail route.

COLLAPSE AT HAND. Never shall I forget my first impression of tho Aix-la-G'hapeilo station war scenes. Jjiitoi, during u)y long stop in. 'Gcrmanv, 1 have seen scenes 10 times more horrible,"but by then I had got used to them. The sights sickened mo. The station was crowded with women. Everyone was in black ihey were either waiting for their dca>one to return from tho front, or were there to bid their friends good-bve. Many women were crying loudly. The women all looked pale and liollow-eheeked, and there were very few of them in that station who did not wear black. It iooked like universal nioiu-'jing. Another thing that forced itself on my attention was the majority of war cripples among the young men, and that was sixteen months ago. To-day the scenes are indescribable. Pour months ago I saw hundreds of 18-year-old war cripples m tno suburbs of Berlin. ITor military reaions these youths are secreted from observation in the metropolitan districts. Germany is cracking. -Germany's founda 11 on, stones are being eaten hollow by the war, and sho will come down with a crash Her utter, dollapsa is at hand. Germany is training her 17-year-old boys for active service next 3pnng. About three weeks before I left Germany I saw a group of 50 Dr so of these youths, slightly wounded, being marched to a suburban sanatorium, bermany, six months ago, started to train all the boys of the ages of from 12 to 16. Aftci school hours they form into companies, und go through a rigid training, varying from two to four hours per day. They vcai* regulation uniform, with the exception of the steel helmet. I havo known several instances wheio overgrown boys of 16 years of age have been forced into the classes of 17 and If years of ago." TRAGIC SCENES;

The German station scenes are tragic and horrible, but the spectacle the stranger gets on entering a German city is still worse. Iho people on the streets appear as though the life is out of them; they look like walking skeletons. For the first few weeks I felt sick of soul and body. The city of Aix-la-Chapelle resembled a Jiving morgue filled with crippled soldiers, cavernous-eyed men women, and children, black-garbed widows, packs of Magclalenes, who roamed the' blreets, crowds that never laugh. That was 16 months ago. To-day it is 10 times worse, but I got used to these tragic scenes, and uv tne time I left Berlin everything appeared to me as a matter-of-fact, everyday atmosphere. The hospitals, public schools, and public buildings have been taken by tho Government, but what does it matter? These no longer excite pathos in one's breast." Rich and poor are suffering; money can jicro and there obtain food by bribing a butcher or butter seller, but money cannot procure double food cards. The whole German nation is on ration, and tho ration has been reduced to siege conditions. My bread card lasted only till Thursday morning; I could finish up >with my meat card about Tuesday. My butter card would, under ordinary conditions, last about eight meals. Practically, I short 13 meals per week; I mean withoutPbutter. The only foodstuffs lor which cards have not boon issued is fish, but I found fish meals expensive, and not nourishing. Germany is at last caving in, t«ml the crash will come suddenly and unexpectedly.