GERMANS FACING DARK FUTURE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14287, 2 May 1917, Page 5

GERMANS FACING DARK FUTURE.

ROTTERDAM, April 9. Sevei'ai persons Mho have arrived here f i-orri Germany to-day bring the vnformatioii that niuch discontent exists 'among tha Teutonic troops at the front.- 'One reasoit foi' this discontent is the distinction Matte between officers and men as regards food, the officers being provided with every luxury, • . • While the informants agreed that there was iio likelihood of a revolution during the war, they said that sooial-denlbcratic doctrines had gained eiioi-mous acceptance anioilg Ihb men at the froilt, and predicted that A tidal wave of socialism would swaerj. over Germany as« [ sOon as hostilities -were concluded. They added that one of the most remarkable facts m Germany to-day is the apparent denudation of men In th&.i'fcjountry. An enormous number of ni_it aTe being continually sent to the froilt. Men serving - at" thfe froilt who are granted ten .days leave are compelled to work- severt days of that time either at agriculture op m raihvay shops of munitions factories. Aiv English Woman, long resident m Germany, \V-ho lias-just been allowed to leave there, statfcs .that the working classes are suffering irb'm their privations. Cases of collapse among the manual laborers were numerous.

When the English woman applied for permission to leave, the officials asked her if she was not afraid to travel to England now. They said, laughing : '^Ye sink overy ship going to Eng-

She asked : "Surely not ships carrying women aii'l children 1" but the officers replied, again laughing : "Yes, every ship." No one m Germany, now believes the country will derive any advantage fi'ora the war, while the more intelligent- Germans foresee bankruptcy, destitution and an endless prospect of unremunerative toil after the war. It is now commonly said: "Germany will gain the victory, but England will win the -war."