The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-07-23
From Pearson's Weekly. London.

-uEPE is eonsternation in the ranks of German students, for the kaiser
 ! has inst announced that he thinks thev drink too much beer. To tell Ger man undergraduate that he ought 10 give up his beer mug is very like suggest ing that football and cricket should De abolished at Oxford and Cambridge. For centuries the German student has been in the habit of drinking peer III company. and in this time an elaborate code of etiquette has been evolved which everyone consorting on visiting terms with students club must understand. If must always be remembered that the beer consumed in Germany is light lager. and not the heavy, heady liquor usually drunk in England.
 Anyone who has been a guest at one of these beer evenings will never forget the experience. There is an air of gay conviviality about the meeting, but the good fellowship is mixed with the disci- plihe of a rigid code
 The honored guest of the eevning will probably be seated next the president or chairman, who has a mallet by hls side for keeping order or demanding silence.
 The visitor is introduced to the members and has friendly chat before the presi- dent takes his seat and proceedings start. The president will rap on the table With his fnallet and demand "Silentium! for most of the commands are given in Latin,' introducing the guest of the evening with a short speech, after which the company drink his health with many "Prosits.' Later on the guest must ask leave to address the party, when he must say nice things about the kind hospitality he is experiencing. and end by drinking the heaths of those present in the same | amount of beer in which his health has | been drunk For instance, if the presi- | dent has ordered a full one" to be drunk, | the visitor must also drink a full one in return Of course, the evening does not consist entirely of the drinking of healths, | for different members of the club will sing songs, play the piano, and give reef tations, while the favorite student songs will be sung in chorus.
 | It is very funny to see a room full of young men sitting round long table and
 
 ty or a rousing patriotic chorus, an open songbook in front of each. The president will rise, and, after rap on the table, will utter his usual "Silentium, and then say: we will now sing number so-and- so,' adding the opening line.
 | After the song is over there is a clink- | ing of lids as the mugs are raised for deep draught of the golden liquor. while chorus of "Prosits'' is heard But the visitor must always consume exactly the same amount of beer as the person drink | ing to him if that amount is specified Then one student calls to another as he lifts his mug: MT. Smith, I drink a
 mugfuI to you 'first,' whereupon the gen tleman addressed cries "Prosit." Later
 on he replies to his friend: MT. Meyer
 I drink a full one to you afterwards. .
 and drains his mug with one deep
 draught. And the prescribed ritual be- tween those two is duly fulfilled.
 But the most solemn rite connected
 with drinking etiquette is what is known
 as the salamander. This is usually an act Il of special honor to guest or the person
 such as the kaiser on his birthday.
 When the momentous moment arrives
 the president looks all around the table while the walters fill each beer mug to the
 brim; then, slowly. rising, he gives an extra vigorous rap with his mallet and says: we will now rub a three-fold sal amander in honor of -"
 All the mugs having been duly charged, he asks: "Is everything ready?' tc
 which vigorous chorus answers: "sunt. ? | ,ll materials Jprepared?" and the reply in Latin: "They are.o
 Then comes the command, given slowly hut with military precision: I'd exerci- tium Salamandr. Fins, zwei, drei." At
 the first three words all seize their beer
 mugs and open the lids; at ''eins' (one)
 they are raised to the lips; at 'zwei' 1itwo) they are emptied at one draught,
 and at "drsi'' Cthree) they are banged