The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-13
W. G. Ballantine in the Springfield (Mass.' Republican,

Ni HlRTY-SlX years ago I made my
 l0 first visit to Berlin. The new en-
 pire was then but a year and half old. William the Great had in- vited his neighbors, Francis Joseph, still today Emperor of Austria, and Alexander II, Emperor of Russia, to visit him in his capital and with him review a part of that grand army that had just crushed France, created the new German empire and made it the leading stae in Europe. All of the great statesmen and soldiers who had participated in those stupendous victories were there-Bismarck, Moltke, Von Roon, the Crown Prince Frederick, afterward Emperor, and the rest. Ger many was intoxicated with triumph and throbbing with the novel consciousness of unity and freedom and power to realize her ideals.
 Nearly 40 years of uninterrupted peace have now passed and many of those wild hopes have materialized. Agricultural Germany has become covered with factory chimneys. Steamship companies, like the North German-Lloyd and the Hamburg American line, carry the German flag into every sea. Luxury and splendor abound where simplicity and poverty dwelt. Quiet bucolic Berlin has become a cosmopolitan metropolis. It abounds in magnificent monuments to commemorate the men and events of 1S70-71. In front of the imperial parliament house stands a colossal bronze statue of Bismarck, the man of blood and iron. Across the wide plaza old warrior Moltke looks at him in marble Between the two rises the column of victory, dec orated with captured French cannon. From the column extends the broad ave- nue of victory with IS white marble groups on each side, representing the rulers of Prussia and the great men of Germany
 One has somewhat the feeling in walk ing about in Berlin that a visitor must have had in ancient imperial Rome. Back of everything, underlying everything, dom- mating eevrything, one feels the invincibe strength of the army. A single wave of the imperial hand could launch instanta- neously a resistless host, every man or whom would know his exact duty. In England traditional policy keeps the army out of sight. In France one sees enough
 
 rarely an officer, and there Is nothing about the French army of today that stirs the imagination. In Berlin stately officers in immaculate uniforms and white gloves throng the streets. The poor sentinels that stand on guard before various public buildings have nervous time of 1t and must keep their eyes rolling; for failure to present arms to any single one of the officers passing in the throng on either sidewalk, or in the crush of autos and carriages going in both directions In the street. means three days in the guard house.
 Whatever one may say of the folly and wickedness of war, 1t is undeniable that nothing but the development of the army and the fighting of victorious wars has made possible the progress first of Prus- sian and then of Germany as whole. But for the Prussian army, reactionary Austria would still be predominant in g. l dismembered snd impoverished Germany, which imperial France would still be bull lying at her pleasure. Still it may be true | that the army which was essential to | progress so far is the very thing to be l got rid Of In Order 10 nODler progress. | Prussia is the most powerful and ef- fective depotism now existing upon earth. It is the most benevolent and benignly | paternal depotism that ever has existed. In Turkey and Russia the people have been exploited solely in the interest of the rulers. Not so in Prussia. The dearest object of the government is the welfare of | the people down to the smallest child. | Sanitation. education, public welfare, pub | lie pleasure, are scientifically planned and | provided and enforced with an intelligence and fidelity astonishing to Americans. Berlin is the cleanest city in the world | far cleaner than Springfield It has beau-
 tiful avenues. parks, flower gardens and | public buildings There are public play
 grounds for children. Statues abound l everywhere. Art galleries and museums are numerous and free to the public In
 the royal opera house the best operas
 are presented every night in the year, ex-
 cept for short time in the summer In
 the royal playhouse classical plays, often Shakespeares. are put on in the highest