The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-11-16
son and conscience

SOD ana conscience
Tho tireless energy OF the German
peasant freebooter and the scientific
effort of the great estate owners have
braught it about that the bleak
steppes OF northeastermost Germany
produce rich harvests OF grain and
potatoes. 1t is mostly the harder
and oats. The potatoe yield OF tho
province is largely worked for alcohol,
for use in the arts; and for domestic
use, such as cooking, lighting and
heating; and for power engines
Potatoe dlstillerIes arc numerous
throughout the country adjacent to
Koenigsberg and along the sea.
East Prussia borders on West Rus
sla. over its whole extent and
throughout the Russian Baltic prov
inces, Slav and Teuton have mingled
pretty thoroughly. The East Prus-
sian has in his veins considerable
Slavic blood; while the Baltic Rus
sian on the other hand, possesses a
strong strain OF Teutonic blood. Sla-
von!c names are heard on every hand
in East Prussia, both folk.names and
place-names-all place names ending
in "ltz" and low" being Of the Slavic
origin. About 20 per cent of East
Prussia's two million people speak a
Slavic tongue.
of the northern provinces of France,
lying in a direct line between. Namur
and Paris. Only very small section
OF It's northern boundary touches Bel.
GUM. the Department OF the North
leaving it only a five-mile parttcipa-
ton in the international boundary.
Within its borders many historic
clashes of arms have taken place-at
ST. Quentin in 1857, and during the
andFranco-Prussian War; at Sots.
sons and Laon during the Napoleonic
and the Franco-P russian wars; ana ut
Craonne year before Waterloo.
balm; and many other places in the
Department have figured in the hls-
tory making of the past few months
In France.
The country of the Aisne Is sue.
cession of long, rolling sEclIs, t7ek-
en- here and there by unexpected hills
and freted with wonderfully well-kept
little farms, with fields Of grain
mainly oats and wheat-and with
large stretches of potatoes, sugar-bect
and fiber plants. All around and in
between are tho carefully groomed
Government forests typical Of France
and Germany extensive wooded
shaggy growths are not allowed to
spoil the general effect.
There are many small Industries
scattered throughout the Department.
1t contains some excellent clay beds,
which supply a number Of brick
small plants for the weaving OF cot
ton and silks, the milling of -four
and for distilling and brewing. It's
beeet.sugar manufacture Is one OF its
most important industries. It's mir
ror works at st. Gobain arc famous
wherever telescope equipment is
used, perhaps the finest telescope
mirrors in the world bearing the
hallmark OF st. Gobain.
Tho Aisne Is essentially an agrt-
cultural department. Its northeastern
lands form good pasture and sup
port considerable amount Of dairy
of Europe's most effeefalng, onmr.
farming. One of Europe's most effec.
lively insistent cheeses, simple
peasants cheese is ripened there.
This cheese is sold n the form OF lit
tie yellow-green Cylinders, and has q
sturdy individuality about It which
ALWAYS commands the immediate re
spect and attention or the Stranger.
Inwardly, 1t is related to German
product, which takes its name from
the Harz mountains.
The Departments area is about b
s66 square miles-a little more than
that Of Rhode Island; and the popu-
lation numgers more than halt mil.
lion. Peasants holdings abound.
Trig. Intensely worked, though small
farms fringing the roads, the rivers
somme, Escaut, Sambre, Atsne.
Marine, ourcq, and Disc, and the miles
and miles of interlacing canals, give
the American visitor vastly diner
emit idea Of the European peasant
from that which he cherished at
home. In northern France, probably,
the peasant proprietor REACHES his
fullest dignity; and his industry, thrift
and pleasing appearance remove him
from the class OF objects that demand
pity.
Laontis the capital OF the Aisne. It
is built all on top of o Y:shRpsd hiIl,
the spur Of the = being given over to
t6raaSatiops sand military camps: