The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-09-22
GERMAN TOURIST CLUBS,

GERMAN TOURIST CLUES,
 When the average British tourist is arranging his plans for continental holiday he Is apt to leave out of the reckoning most of those centers In Ger many which lie off the beaten track of English travel, his impression being that, however great their cham, It would be difficult for him, with more or less inadequate command of the lan- guage, to find his way about in them. The possibility of his getting lost in what he regards as the trackless eX- panse of a German forest deters him from fresh enterprises, and he invaria- bly, keeps to the recognized routes, in which alone he thinks there is safety for him. But, however reasonable his fears may have been years ago, the fact should be recognized that there now exists throughout practically the whole of the innumerable forest dis tricts and play grounds" of Germany an almost perfect network of organiza- tions employed Il, facilitating the movements and increasing the com forts of tourists in every possible way, carrying on, in fact a work the like of which is unknown among ourselves, but one that, for its ceaseless activity, It's thoroughgoing and most practical plan of operations, and It's extremely beneficial results, deserves the most cordial recognition. It is found to be of no use to rely on local or other au- thorities for the real opening up of a district. The authorities will keep main roads in repair, and put up sign posts thereon: but the route of the tourist in search of the picturesque lies as often as rot, in Germany, away from the main roads, through more or less dense forests, along unfrequented valleys, or over mountain tops; and if these by-paths are to be indicated and kept in order it must be done by pri- vate agency, This is where the work of the Tourist Verein mainly comes in, and so well, indeed, is the work done that there Is to-day hardly forest or mountain region in Germany where tourist cannot find his way about or reach g given point with an ease en- tirely lacking in the case of 0 stranger who gets into the inner recesses of Ep- ping Forest, of Wales of the New For est, or of almost any other of our own holiday resorts.
 EIdIu NSItlIi, OL CllAD ID IOlI Ihcb Ny some hundreds, or, it may be, some thousands, of residents in 8 particular district, the funds being provided by means of small subscriptions, ranging from 2s to 5s. a year. The owaniza- ton consists, as rule, of central body and a. sufficient number of sec tions to cover the whole of the district. each section taking charge of it's own locality. The practice varies some what, but q favorite method is for the members to join a section, and pay their subscription to that section, part Of the money being retained for local purposes, while the remainder goes to the central body to form a fund for the payment of general expenses or for the making of special grants. Each sec tion has it's Independent organization for local purposes, but sends represen- tatives to the general assembly of the club. A large number of the cluhs have also joined themselves into fed eration, which meets year by year in different parts of Germany
 The objects aimed at are, generally speaking, the indication of routes ac- cording to a uniform system; the con- struction of foot-paths and the keeping in order of paths already made; the opening out of good points of view, or the facilitating of access to them; the provision of seats, shelters, and also of prospect towers in the case, say, of mountain tops where an elevation above the height of the trees would give greatly extended view: the pub lication of guide-books and maps, and so on. The advantage of each club be- ing split up into sections is that the members in a particular locality are naturally better acquainted with it than those living elsewhere would be, and take more direct personal inter- est ill carrying out the desired arrange ments therein as thoroughly as they can. Not only this, but each particular section within the district becomes, practically a separate club, which, be- sides the actual work done, has eXcur- sions in the summer and periodical gatherings in the winter for the pur- poses either of social enjoyment or of hearing lectures on travels, scientific subjects, or questions of the day In a large number of instances the branch club forms in it's particular Stadtchen, or in it's group of villages, a center of 1 social and intellectual activity which tends largely to promote the well being of the community y.-London Times.
 -.