Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 155, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 July 1919 — AMERICANS LAUGH AS GERMANS RAIL [ARTICLE]

AMERICANS LAUGH AS GERMANS RAIL

Smell of Doughnuts Cooked in Coblenz Makes Teuton Noses Wag. TRY TO PUT YANKS IN BAD Anti-American Propaganda Published in German Newspapers Purports to Give Feelings of Germans in Occupied Area. Coblenz. —Considerable anti-Ameri-can propaganda is being published in German newspapers by German newspaper men who have visited the Rhine zone occupied by the American army. Some of their writings set forth what purports to be their own opinions of the feelings of the Germans in the occupied territory. The writings of one German in a Leipsic newspaper have afforded amusement to the American intelligence officers, though he wrote with the evident intention to put Americans in a bad light before the German civilians. “On account of the sundry annoying acts of the authorities/’--he writes, “the population is not at all satisfied with the American occupation and is loud in its abuse of these molestations, though, to be sure, this is all kept within closed walls. Nobody dares to make any criticism in public since recent heavy sentences were imposed on those guilty of careless rumors.” Truth About Food. Civilian visitors from unoccupied Germany expect to find great stocks of food In all stores, many coming to the occupied area with the hope of securing supplies for themselves and taking them back with them. This is not allowed. Regarding food the writer In the Leipsic newspaper says: “There have been all kinds of stories In Leipsic recently about the marvelous things one can purchase in the American occupied territory. It was related that American stores had been established where all kinds of food was sold at unbelievably low prices. That Is all very true; but the German Inhabitants are permitted only to look at all these beautiful articles. They can buy nothing. Everything Is for the troops only. And only to be gazed at by the Germans are the doughnuts, the savory odors of which fill the city of Coblenz and which are baked from early morning until late at night by the American soldiers in no less than twenty great bakeries.” The writer also touches on the work of the military police, saying: “A very unpleasant institution 'in Coblenz is the spy system. Possession of American property Is forbidden. Whoever buys from American soldiers cigarettes, food, shoes and clothing and is caught with the goods is punished with a drastic fine or prison sentence.” Yanks Very Proper. Summarizing, after writing several

columns, the writer says in conclusion: “Disregarding the arrogant behavior of the conqueror, the Americans in Coblenz and the bridgehead on the night of the Rhine conduct themselves in a very proper manner. Of course there are cases of disturbances by soldiers now and then, but if an American soldier tries to assault a German and a military policeman is near enough to arrest the soldier one may rest assured that the military court will punish the American accordingly. “All in all, judgment of the Americans may be summed up thus: They do not in reality behave worse than would any other army of occupation, although the soldiers do annoy the population —annoy it in many respects. And that is a desirable state of affairs. Thereby the idea of separation, which has already made considerable progress here and there in the Rhineland, will lose more and more of its supporters, and it will be easier for the people of the Rhineland to remain a part of the empire.”