Mr. Olson came away with the im
pression that Germany is recovering
notwithstanding the tremendous handi
cap it has incurred through it loss of
the World War. He mentioned the
fact that the great Krupp works at
Essen are running day and night and
that the mammoth plants are barred
to visitors. There is evidence, of fev
erish industrial activity at Stettin,
Cologne^ Berlin, Bremen, Coblenz and
other cities where Mr. Olson visited
and out in the^country districts the
agriculturists are producing in their
old-time remarkable manner.
Yet poverty stalks through the land
and soup kitchens are maintained by
the government in great numbers.
Hordes of workmen are to be found
out of employment in many cities that
Mr. Olson visited. While there is
good food in Germany it is so expen
sive because of the unheard of depre
ciation of the mark that mlilions must
go without meats and good quality
flour and are subsisting pn a form
of black bread, some vegetables and
milk, and are getting along without
butter, eggs, sugar and other such
commodities. Wooden shoes have re
placed leather footwear for millions
of the poorer classes. When Mr. Ol
son left Germany in November, cold
weather had set in. The people were
warmly dressed, though clad in gar
ments that show signs of long wear.
