Statements of H.M. Minister at Berne as to stocking of wheat for the Germans on estates near Russo-German frontier

certain quantity which they have bought from the small and large propritors. But on the other hand I doubt the possibility of this kind of operation taking place on a large scale, not only on account of the hostile feeling of the rural population to- wards the Germans, in the districts near the front, and of the impossibility of commercial operations of this kind taking place on a large scale without it being known for whom the stocks were destined; but because this year the wheat har- vest in these parts has been extremely small in view of the devastation of the country by the troops quartered there and by the bands of fugitives, who systematically destroyed not only the large estates and the villages, but burnt every- thing which appeared of any value, and first and before all the sheaves of wheat. As for the peasants, they carefully hid the products of their soil, foreseeing the likelyhood of famine. This devastation covered an enormous extent of territory from 200 to 300 kilometers behind the battle front.