The Washington herald., 1911-03-19
THREE LAY CLAIM
TO "GAYEST" CITY
London and Berlin at Odds
Over the Honor.
PARIS sERENELY INDIFFERENT
French Capital Satisfied to Allow
visitors to Judge for Themselves,
German MetropoIii Are Mt DagSers
Drawn Over the Proposition.

Berlin. March 1S.-London. Paris, and
Berlin are each laying claim to being
the gayest capital in Europe, but while
Paris is satisfied to let visitors judge
for themselves, English correspondents
here and German correspondents in Lon
don are at daggers drawn, each defend
ing their native city. In reality London
is not in it at all, for outside the desert
of Sahara l do not think there is any
more desolate place in the world than
the village of London after the hour
when curfew has rung. that is to say
after midnight. Even the English have
been forced TO admit this silently, for
while they have said nothing about night
life, they have among the 'gayeties' of
London, included such giddy pleasures
as inspecting the mummies in the Brit
ish museum. Leaving London out
think l am in a position to say a few
words on the claims of Berlin and Paris,
which may be of interest to the thou
sands of Americans coming over here
this summer, for l have lived for years
in both cities
Brands of Gnyety Differ.
Judgment of course. turns largely on
in this connection, and on the tempera-
ment and age of the judge. One thing
is quite certain: The gayety of Paris is
not the gayety OF Berlin. The gayety of
Paris. TO a careless person of middle
age. is something spiritual, something
artistic, something intellectual. Its ele-
ments are wit, good nature. an effer-
vescence of the mind. stimulated by the
bright play of fancy in others and made
delightful by a charming cosmopolitanism
which neither takes nor gives offenSe-
a glass OF champagne with bubbles wink
ing at the brim.
Far different, though. to another temp
erament and age perhaps equally pleas
ing is the gayety of Berlin. In Berlin
the gayety is something sensual. some
thing parvenu. depending for its crea-
tiOn on abundance of rich foods, grandi-
ose surroundings. velvet divans, gariSh
lighting. all. in short, that. appeals to
the body and its appetites. Where is
public Gayety mostly to be sought and
observed? In the theater and the res
taurantS. In Paris there is a gayety Of
the street, but that you never see or are
moved to notice in Berlin. But to take
only the theater and the restaurants
In Paris both places incline the entering
visitor to gayety; everywhere are bright
looks. eloquent and often charming
gestures. rippIes of laughter and no un-
pleasant curiosity or examination of
other guests or of the foreigner
Berlin Theaters Solemn.
Berlin theater, on the other hand.
is usually as solemn as a church, and
the promenade in the foyer a funeral
procession. In the restaurant too. the
scene is more often than not lugubrious.
You think of the Frenchman in London
who, struck by the quietness of the
place. inquired of the waiter whether
any one laughed there and received the
reply that there 'ad been complaints"
Probably there is more champagne drunk
in Berlin restaurants than those of Paris,
but a good deal of it is made in Ger
many and produces kindness and humor
more often than originality and wit.
In Berlin the center of the city is up
all night; certain cafes. bars. and dane
ing places never close. and it has be-
come the fashion for the Berliner as well
as foreign pleasure-seeker to make a
regular round of these haunts of enter
tainment. The round never varies, and
has consequently become stereotyped in
the popular imagination as the type and
height of 'gayety." Perhaps its most
salient feature is the presence of an
=
move in crowds from one night place of
distraction to another. The result is that
one evenings gayety in Berlin is exact
ly the same as another. In Paris one
can be amused differently every night.
The true and genuine gayety of Ber-
lin should be looked for elsewhere than
in its might life" 1t would be dis
covered by visit, or a series of visits.
to the numerous great popular balls
got up during the season by charitable
societies under distinguished patronage
by the Berlin press, or by private clubs
whose annual entertainments are recur-
ring features of Berlin social life. The
Artists Ball, the Press Ball. the Ball
of Bad Boys" the Orpkanage Ball. and
a host of others draw enormous numbers
to such vast halls as the Philharmonic,
Krolrs Theater. and the Agricultural
Exhibition Building.
At these places the Berlin bourgeoise
Is represented almost in suffocation and
may be seen in it's mingled devotion to
the pleasures of the table, the beer
saloon, and the dancing floor. The scene
Is moving and variegated, there is much
noise and good humor, the dresses are
mostly homemade, and there is a pleas
ing suggestion of old German simplicity
and heartiness. 1t was at such a ball
that a well-known tailor, addressing him
self to the Prince of Pless, remarked
how mixed the company was. Very
true" replied -he prince affably; but
then, you know, we cannot all be tailors."