The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1890-12-20
"A SUMMER sIEsrA IN EUROPE"
Hon. Simon Wolf Talks Entertainingl,


Hon. Simon Wolf, cxMnistcr to Egypt
and who has recently returned from
Europe, lecturcd last night at the hall Of
the Y. NJ. c. a. upon the subject "a SUM
mer Siosta in Europe"
Mr.. Wolf has an excellent voice and
presence for the rostrum, and his remarks
were listened to with undivided interest
and marked appreciation by the large
audience present.
Born amid the vine-clad hills of Ger
many" he said, ~ came to America in
1913, and since that time have twice re-
visited the home of my ancestors
"Some people" continued the lecturer,
"go to Europe for change and rest, but |
am afraid that their experience Is too
much in the waiter getting the change
and the landlord all the rest They re-
turn bankrupt in purse and bankrupt in
ideas. Some go through Europe heller
skclter, with Il rush and with guide
book in their hands, and another class go
to Europe, who know but very little about
their own country and who claim to be
representative Americans. visited
Europe with my eyes open and in search
of items Of interest that thought might
be Of some good to the general public. /
endeavored to show myself an American
citizen In its noblest sense, and not merely
as many tourists from my adopted coun-
ing of money, and as barren of honors as
thay are Of titles"
"Ours is a country of politicians-of
Democrats, Republicans. Mugwumps and
Farmers Alliance-but politics cease
when we visit Europe. There we are one
people, and only Americans: There we
should defend our country whatever may
be said against II or its representatives in
Congress. At the Savoy Hotel, in London,
! heard an American traveller denouncing
Mckinley and his Tariff bill, but my
friends applauded me for taking issue
against him and telling him that he was
not worthy to be a representative Amer
lean citizen. We do not go abroad as New
Englanders or South Carolinians, but as
Americans. The ladies should not go
abroad merely to see the Bon, Marche,' or
the Louvre, but to gain such impressions
as will be for their general good and future
| prosperity"
"1'here are some things that strike n
visitor to Europe very forcibly, and one of
them is that the people five to enjoy
themselves. Everything with them Is not
is not that restless hurrying and ceaseless
round of everyday business experience
devoid of real enjoyment such as tipyfies
the so-called "hustling" American. An
other thing we see in Europe is the enjoy
ment Of educating the masses by illustra-
ton, system of education that is doing
much good. The picture galleries in
Dresden, in Berlin and Paris, are opened
to the laboring classes on Sunday. We
have all classes of people in America, and
what we want is better assimilation,
blending and harmOnizing between
them. The laboring man has only Sum
day in which to visit the galleries, and it
is source of education to them Of great
value"
"There are painful scenes in Europe,
and the most painful one of all is to see
women working in the fields among the
beasts, while their husbands and brothers
are doing service in the army. In all of
our short comings, with much criticism
that is passed upon our hurrying propen-
sites, we are n thousand times better off
in the love, charm and equality of
woman.
1.-THE attention and courtesy of railway
| officials in Europe is superior to that
shown by the officials on railway trains
in this country, although our trains are
| provided with every comfort and elegance.
| Then, again, the economy with which
municipal affairs are conducted, the sys-
ten and order which prevails, is very
| noticeable. There is no partially shown
in the adjustment of claims. Here bills
are sent through both houses of Congress
like shuttle-cocks. Claims are delayed in
| adjustment which should long ago have
been settled, while some bill in which
the member from Wayback is interested
is rushed through"
Mr. Wolf took his audience through the
hamlets, hooks and valleys of well .known
| spots in continental Europe, and in de-
scribing some of its monuments paid a
| glowing tribute to the one erected to the
memory of Martin Luther, who laid the
foundation of our free, civil and religious
| institutions.
Very few, he said, visit the tomb of
Napoleon. He did, and contrasted its
magniiicence with the simple grandeur Of
the mausoleum which holds all that is
mortal of the Father of his Country on
the banks of the Potomac at Mount Yer
non. The field of Waterloo was referred
toby the lecturer; the cathedral at Cologne,
which marks both the eras of disrupted
and united Germany. He met Bismarck,
the king of diplomats, whose policy gave
unity TO Germany and its present great
ness; but the Emperor of Germany was
absent, he said, when he visited the pal
ace at Berlin. He is not only the EN-
peror of Germany, but the Emperor of
the people, who idolze him. He Is al
ways seeking information and is in favor
of peace.
Strasburg, the lecturer said, is to-day but
a city of the dead, and not the Strasbnre
| of the past. Mr.. Wolf referred to what
Heidelberg had done for the world in fur.
nishing missionaries to enfranchise and
evangelize mankind.
Through the rugged Businesses and over
the translucent lakes of Switzerland the
lecturer took his audience, and, returning
to + frankfort, he said that there had been
a wonderful national development in that
beautiful city, due to some extent t.
its American residents.
The lecturer closed by thanking the
audience for their kind attention, and was
loudly applauded.