El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-12-20
GERMANS In
FRENZY OF
FRIV0LITY
Christmas Spirit Pervades
the Capital; Streets
Crowded.
SIX TREES FOR
ROYAL CHILDREN
BY STEVEN Burnett.

II ERLIN, GERMANY, Dec. 20
X Christmas is almost here and to-
day. the last market day before
the festival, Berlin looks almost as
much like a forest of fir trees as like
a city All the squares are full of
them and every street is lined with a
double row of Christmas trees in all
sizes, filling the air with their resinOus
fragrance. Everywhere you see sales
men struggling along under the weight
Of the trees intended for the mansions
Of the rich.
On Wednesday evening next there
will be a Christmas tree for every lam
lily, as the Germans celebrate Christ
mas eve more than Christmas day, and
charitable societies PROVIDE small
trimmed Christmas trees for those
families who cannot afford to buy one
themselves.
Rich Eat Goose; Poor Take Pork.
From now on until Wednesday eve
ming at eight Friedrichstrasse, the
main artery of Berlin, and its tribu-
taries on both sides viii be thronged
with ever increaS sing crowds of shop
perS, but then as if by magic the
crowds will suddenly disappear, the
restaurants and cafes viii stand empty
and deserted but for a single solitary
waiter who will remain on duty to look
after the needs of a few hapleSS, home
goose and red cabbage will pervade
the whole atmosphere, while Berlin
eats its Christmas supper, which is
practically the same everywhere, seX-
cept that the very poor have to sub
stitute roast pork stuffed with apples
and prunes for the more succulent
goose
Six Trees in Palace.
In the royal palace there will be six
magnificent trees selected from the
kaiser's own mountain forests, each
absolutely perfect in shape and reach
ing from floor to ceiling, covered with
artificial snow. boar frost and icicles
and brilliantly illuminated with in
candescent lamps.
The kaiser's daughtersinlaw will
personally trim these trees, task once
performed by the empress, and around
the trees will be arranged the Christ
mas presents, of which there viii be
several for every person in the employ
of the imperial family. The celebration
will be a strictly family affair marked
by the absence of all usual court cere-
mOny, and il will be equally enjoyed
by kaiser and scullery maid There
will be practically no difference be-
tween the Christmas dinners Of mas
tiers and servants.
Kaiser's Task Difficult.
The kaiser, who makes 1t a rule to
lay aside all thoughts of the cares OF
state during the Christmas holidays,
will probably find this a harder task
than usual this year. for he is keenly
aware not only of the prevalence Of
poverty and lack of employment in
practically all the large cities of the
empire, but he has been greatly af-
fected by the recent events at Zabern
in Alsace-Lorraine, not only because
the whole blame rests on officers in
the German army. but also because
these events have proved the utter
failure Of German regime in these con-
quered provinces. Their people, al
though now speaking the German
tongue, at least as far as the younger
generation is concerned, are as deeply
attached to France as ever and would
hail with iOy being made a part of the
great republic.
Empress in Poor Health.
Another source of worry is the slow
" falling health of the empress, which
even her most heroic efforts cannot
conceal from her husband. In all Ger
many, there is no more devoted cOu-
pie than the kaiser and the kaiserin,
and even among the most bitter enc
mes of the political system which the
kaiser represents, it would be difficult
to find a single individual who does
not sincerely wish that her life may
be spared for many years yet