The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1914-10-01
BEREANs JUST FROM EUROPEAN
WAR ZONE
BY Louis J. Karnosh

To the Editor OF The Citizen:
am venturing the assumption
that perhaps the readers of The Cit
izen would be interested in re-
cital of the experiences of two Be-
reans, who were fortunate, or rather
unfortunate enough to have found
themselves in Europe at the out
break Of the present war.
We saw our first soldiers at Ak
la-Chapelle in the Rhine valley. A
whole regiment OF these German
youngsters was there. With their
drab-olive uniforms, their KNAPP
sacks, and their shining helmets,
which looked like photographs in the
morning sun, they marched and
sang with the same carefree, holt
day spirit that characterized the ad-
vance of our Federal soldiers before
that first disastrous battle of Bull
Run.
Mr.. Randolph Sellers, with whom.
I graduated from Berea 1913, and
myself, left for Europe late in June.
We landed in Holland, and avu,d-
ing the beaten path Of the "stick-
him in-the-slot" tourist we travel
ed thru the land OF wooden shoes,
old cheese and windmills to Falken-
burg, the country Of old Charla-
magne. OF chief interest here arc
the wonderful catacombs cut out Of
the limestone formations in the hills.
These are an exact duplicate of those
found under the Seven Hills" in
1.-THE Eternal City," Everything Is
reproduced with catholic medieval
patience and care-the cracks in the
walls, the encrusted murals on the
walls, the broken in tombs and
burying places, the crumbling arch
es and columns-everything give.
the identical impression one gets
in visiting the original hiding places
OF our Christian martyrs in Rome.
Patience and long-enduring effort
is the ear mark of all building con
struction throughout Europe - an
element which America in her I'M
settled and pioneer condition sadly
lacks.
We visited the ruins of the abbey
and castle of King Charlemagrc.
The walls and towers are still well
preserved. However, there is one
criticism that can be directed to-
ward all Europeans in the matter of
caring for such reliques as those
found in Falkenburg. In every
crumbling old tower, under every
clump Of time-seasoned oaks, be-
hind every old rampant, one comes
upon that perfect symbol OF modern
European mercenarism-th cafe. |
So while the mind of the tourist is
trying to acquire the atmosphere OF
olden times, Of brush-covered floors,
OF clanking knights in armor, OF the
simmer of gold tapestry, OF the bay
OF the hunting hound thru the Goth
ic corridors, one experiences in
stead, the click OF a National Cash |
Register, the green OF the ported
palm, the strains of an automatic |
organ, or the purring of an automo-
bile motor.
Miss Welsh, Of the German class
es, had so often set before US the
thrills and pleasures that were hers
on seeing the wonders OF the Rhine,
the river OF rivers. That valley
with its peaceful vineyards and cas-
ties has undergone a sad transfOr-
nation. AS II a modern Alladin's
Lamp had been rubbed, with the
miracle OF an Arabian Night, a huge
military Genii had deposited within
a weeks time one million men along
the Rhine, armed and fully equip
ped for war.
II has been the experience and
privilege OF life time 10 see and
study the wonderful military sys-
tenn OF Germany. Like a silent we'll
oiled machine, without a single rip
pie OF confusion or delay, its wheels
began TO turn, uniforms were pro-
duced, men left their vocations OF