New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-04
ST. Louis Oil Man Well
Treated on Journey
from Rumania.
FINDS AUSTRIANS
ALSO COURTEOUS
United States Flag In Buttonhole
Proves Valuable Aid on
Railway Trip.


Ionden. Sent. 3. William Parker, Of
81 Louis. with Z. Vickers, of New
York. has reached London from Ru-
mania, where they had been engaged
in the oil business. Mr.. Parker tells
An interesting story, in which he says:
"We left Ploesti, Rumania, on Au-
gust 10. Our train stopped at Preoeal,
on the Hungarian border, and was not
allowed to cross. So an Austrian train
backed down to the border, and we
walked over. The King of Rumanla Is
.. German. and consequently he and the
ruling classes are pro-German, but the
bulk Of the people are for Russia.
"At KrOnstadt we had the irst taste
Of military rule. We were all carefully
examined, but well treated. Our spe-
cial war passes enabled us to get to
Budapest on August Is, the Emperor's
birthday. Budapest had very dis
tressed look. Cafes we're all empty and
the people looked crestfEllen.
Between Budapest and Zolna We
were sidetracked for twelve hOurs
while thirty-eight troop trains and
fifteen field artillery and cavalry trains
passed us on the way TO the Russian
border. The troops were feeling hne
and cheering ell the time.
AT Zolna we had to change again
and had also 20 get fresh police pass
TO take us to 0derberg, on the Austro-
German border, where We saw lots Of
that the Austrians were pushing
through from Craeow, across the Rus
sian border, toward Warsaw and were
still said to be going there when eve
left.
Magic of American Flag.
"By the way, at Zolna we had q
pleasant experience showing the magic
Of American flag. All the cOmpart-
ments on the train were reserved for
Austrian officers. Three of the officers,
who saw US standing, and noticed the
American flags in our buttonholes,
promptly gave up their compartment to
US and told the conductor to see that
nohady bothered US for the rest OF the
journey.
AT Oderberg there was lots of ex-
citement. AS near as ] could make out
IL was due to the movement of Aus
trian troops into East Prussia to help
the harp ressed Germans. Troop
trains kept passing through all night
long.
From oderberg we got to Breslau,
where we were treated finely by the
J especially officers, through
whose kindness ! had prfect freedom.
Mining of the town was in operation
and / had the good luck to see 1t.
They were digging trenches about
three miles outside Breslau, burying
horrible looking bombs eleven inches
in diameter in row after row as far
as l could see in circles, which / eX-
pect, went clear around the city.
think they were absolutely expecting
an attack on Breslau by the Russians.
II was also allowed the privilege of
looking over their Zeppelins at BresEeu
for use against Russians. They were
in tents with doors wide open and oper-
ators, officers, men and equipment all
aboard, ready to start on a moments
notice. They've sure got system. /
also saw some forty aeroplanes here.
"From Breslau we had slow, but
not uncomfortable trip to Berlin. Ger
man officers who spoke enough 'Ameri-
cam to make themselves understood,
say to it that VIC got coffee and food
st stations along the way. You must
know American is now official recog-
hized as a language. Signs are up
everywhere saying American spoken
here Bills Of fare no longer reads
English roast beef but American
iscber roast beef So all along the
line it's all American, now not English:
HAs we got to Berlin on August 70
handbills we're thrust into our hands
announcing the fall Of Namur. We and
our luggage were met at the station by
Germans and transported free Of
charge to our hotel. You would not
have known a war was one. I've been
in Berlin many times, but noticed no
change. Hotels and cafes were full
and there seemed 10 be just as many
people about as usual. Theatres were
open.
"With four hundred other Americans
we left for Berlin on a special train
for Holland and passed trainload Of
French prisoners on the way to Berlin.
They looked very cheerful, as if going
TO 8 picnic instead of TO prison.. At
the station German guards passed them
bottles of the non-alcohoic beer they
serve now along the railroads, but the
prisoners went through all the motions
as il it had been the real stuff.