New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-20
FATHERLAND INDEED.
GERMAN IMPRESSIONS AND ODDITIES.

! RED TAPE AND REAsON-GEEMAN BOYS AT FOOT
| BALt-PUBLIC OFFICE \ PUBLIC Trust.
iron AZ OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIDUNEi
! BERLIN. Dee 1.-The Fatherand 1t is hard
| for one who has not heard it to imagine with what
feeling the Germans utter this word. They ltle sus-
pect one of the reasons why the laughing Americans
so freely acsnC Wedge Its aptc>s. IL ever Govern
nent stood IN ioco parents 10 its people. the German
Empire is that Government You mustn't 40 that; MS
AGAINST the law - has become familiar that cease 10
regard curious Inconveuient at first 10 be sure to
Us sep-chldren OF this mighty father have seen 80
many Americans get angry however and make io"s of
themselves In trying 20 assert their supposed rights,
that have concluded rather TO submit to whole barrels
Of red tape aud seek the nlterwdrd For there
always reason II is pleasant TO he ARRESTED for
throwing a minute oil jet out Of n window into The
street. especially II the cupit has forgotten all about
his long before the policeman comes around hnt
there's In IT, for all that The reckless creature
! who could endanger the lives OF his fellow mon by
casting broken button out OF third-stOry window
might also be capable OF rlayns piano after 10 p
and before a. H.. and "a line must be drawn some
where il has been made to include both these terrible
offences. The innocent public must ana stall he
preserved" To be the magnificent ground Iriu-
cipe OF all rules Of proprcty and daily conduct.
The is degencratng physically" was recently
the cr and the law forth the effect that no type
under certain size should be used in printing lessons
in the puhic schools cu down. turner societies
became the Of the eOple and Ia bows prcparn for
the universities given that dangerous Ango-saNOn
! toy-a football. Now anybody who has investigated
the German schOOlnOy knows what fun II mnSt be 10
watch him at his patriotic struggles with the football
and appreciate the effort little children make to
he true the beloved Fathersnd and to the ideal o
physical culture. When one Of these high
shoudcred thin legged. smoky faced lads pick the bali
W tendcrly and throw it high apple tree or
telegraph and dion watt at safe distance. TIL II
has got quiet before touching IL again, say TO myself
What a fine example OF the boosted German fidelity .
What noble self sacrifice III the interest OF atherand and
humanity! That youth Is profoundly impressed with
"A sense OF duty Leaving his dear Homer aud matho-
mates he risks his life aud gees Oyerhoatcd for the
general good. lie puts himself IN jeopardy that the
! ply sical degeneracy may be checked"
With similar reflections do | comfort myself while
| travelling. so many Americans make fools Of them
selves here again by always being In IA hurry to get
there and showing right out before the rest OF the
passengers they do not share the general delight in
twelve minute stops way stations. Now. phlosophi
caly, they should argue do: This is only another
instance OF tender raterna care. The Government
knows that ralrOading is dangerous thing when 1t
engaged this line 1t took precautions TO prevent
loss of life OF course Americans don't need such
watchfulness; never have railroad accidents In
America. But these Germans would get like
sheep he all the time missing their trains. If the Gov
allowed less than twelve minutes to get hot
sausage and glass of beer. one minute less would
!
In the Berlin NdiOidi ZeitUlg the other day, read
the praises of high officer OF the Treasury, who had
| been faithful in "a small thing. Numerous little pine
sticks each cOsI cent and half had been used In
the great Royal Library to separate the books the
Shelves something OF that sort one day. long. long
ago. jantor cut one up a window prop. TINS
part the story is inherently weak aud throws s1htn
shade OF doubt over the whole account for Il is
incOncciyabe that he was going to admit fresh air. J
At any rate, II one Is TO believe this dubious narrative
he the little stick two, and everybody forgot about
IT, ana time rolled and the dust gathered thicker and
thicker the 100000 volumes In the Royal Library.
Bat dust gathers on tho account books Of the Royal
! Treasury. The guilty jantor interrupted fine
day The performance OF his duties by the receipt
bill due the Imperial Bank OF and nalf cents
account of property missing. The sticks had been
counted.
solemn earnest this fable teaches, what every right
minded traveller finds H. tina the German
especially he has the honor 10 be Official Of any kind
regards his citizenship sacred trust Fidelity to
good, regard for tho safety, fearless
in frownng down irregularities and infringement
of public rights real everyday German traits
and If Americans fall to appreciate them that
only sad reflection upon their owa patriotism.
Wait I'LL you have seen Bern by all means go to
Berlin" This is what is usually told the foreigner who
inquiries in what part OF the Empire he ought spend
the winter by the younger generation. at least,
advice is enthusiastically and firmly urged. The
world began for them In 1870. Aud even older men,
with longer Orie who forgotten
or 1876, lie th'y Hanoyerians, saxOns or south
cOunry-men cannot deny TO the imperial capital It's
need OF praise as the centre ana product Of the
spirit which has made itself widely felt every year
since the war. Vas perhaps fortunate in having
most OF the other important cities OF the realm and In
having lived for months In the province Han
over, before making acquaintance with Berlin IL
is by representative city. IL stands almO.
chief excellencics. and in its dencen
ces. IL gives hint OF the picturesque of tho
southern cathedral towns, an cannot claim of
historical charm to which Mayence Strasburg ana
Leipzig the iausc cities and host OF other places owe
a great part OF their attractiysness Not Berlin
from historical point OF view has not been more in
pOrant Than any OF these But the partiular,sOTt Of
history which Interests travellers H. the romantic not
the dynamic kind. In the minds OF people. the
legends aud biographical associations which lngcr
about the OF many little white walled Rhine
village, "reminiscences at any rate, OF time when far
reaching activity resided tere. outweigh the solid
which she has been the cradle the trlnphs OF her kings
and field marshas, and the great reality that there Is at
| last "A German Empire OF which she is the head.
When one has lived for time in the provinces he
begins to wonder where Is the OF spiritual md
that Is to say also the physical force which nancst
itself IN such extensive ana comI Heated sys.em Of
government. For the life touched almost
every point by the ppe a pJwcr; society articulate
and ogauized 10 the last degree aud the nerves OF this
rainiied structure send their million messages into
brain And the contrast between iis head-Be-in and
the nenbcrs-he smaller ci ties AID country towus-is