CONDITIONS IN GERMANY

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14599, 24 February 1921, Page 5

CONDITIONS IN GERMANY

A VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS PEOPLE POOR, BUT PROUD. HOPEFUL FOR THE FUTURE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received February 23, 7.15 p.m. LONDON, February 22. Sir Robert Anderson has returned j from a visit to Germany. He says the , conditions are distressing. The people " are very poor, but proud, and arc suf- • fering humiliation without showing it. i They arc very shabby, wearing clothes i made of paper, and are working hard ! and long hours. Their output is good, , with increasing efficiency. There arc i few profiteers, but considerable ex- - travagance is prevalent, mostly : amongst affluent foreigners. Undert feeding Is apparent everywhere, espeeii ally amongst the children. The Ger- • mans do not object to a heavy indem--1 n.'ty, but resent the long delay in pay- ; ment. They attribute their defeat to , the British Navy, and are exceedingly • proud of the work of their army. F.x----l officers are in a deplorable state, many - being reduced to selling newspapers t and novelties, whilst hunger is compelling many others to join the Russian Reels. The English soldiers at Cologne are popular, but the French are loathed, and the Germans will never forgive the use of black troops. The impression gained by Sir R. Anderson is that the people are suffering from depression, not? despair, and the country will eventually come out strong, self-reliant ard vigorous. He says that Australia will be compelled to trade with Germany, her attitude being regarded by tile Germans with amusement rather than anger. The Germans have a high . opinion of the New Zealanders, who are generally described as a "division of gentlemen," born use of their treatment of German prisoner? and their demeanour when imprisoned.