The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-08-20
.BRIDCEpORTER FOUN TROUBLE
 GETTING HOME Had to Fight Way Into Of fees and Tip English
 Ticket Sellers r SAYS LONDON HAS DRIVEN OUT GERMANS Found Food Supplies Limit ed In Capital of Great
 Britain

Max Lustig, the Main street mil 1 liner, living at 175s Park avenue one Of the American victims of war bot tied sl1p in London after the dec1ara- ton of war caused a general dfscon-
 tinuanee of sailings, arrived in this abroad He left these shores on June Is to purchase fall and winter hat 1 models and other novelties, visited Bremen, Breslau, Paris and other
 French cities during which time he
 heard not the slightest whisper that to London a little in advance of his sailing date 6August 10 on the Inpera,- tor when war was declared.
 Instantly all was confusion, with the greatest bitterness shown against all Germans. In London, all those l leave for their own country or become persona non. grata. In Belgium, fam l lilies of Germans living in the country flor twenty and thirty years were giv- en 24 nouns to get out or be suspected of spying English war vessels mob dlized on the shores of the channel. Prize ships were frequently brought 1 Into seaports and one large vessel was seen at Dover as MT Linstig sailed. Altho1gh he arrived In London. from Paris on July 20 and expected to sail ] the following Saturday, a notice post l ed in the offices of the Iu1perator on ! CockSpuw street, London, announced that the boat had been withdrawn. At that time there was estimated to I be 40Se0O Americans in London with others arriving at all times. MT Lus- tig hastened to the steamship section and found an army struggling to get l within the doors of the sailing offices. were positive and consequently every body wished to get off at once They accepted anything from the steerage up, even though they were accustomed to travel fn affluence.
 Mr. Lustig on Friday tried in vain l to get within the portals Of any. steam
 ship oface.sY On Saturday it rained. but the crowds were undaunted, for pEiva-
 ton stared them in the face.
 Anticipating being the first at the Edoors of the steamship offices Mir. Lus- l tig arose very early and went to Cock ahead Of him in the Line, but by pa tiently and perseveringly advancing himself in the lines when the doors opened he was carried inside with the rush. After hours of struggle to reach ! a counter he was told that there was
 not even steerage aecomn odation for 1 him. His quest was then similarly re- peated at the other offices. He ap- piled for a berth on the Finland and was told there was none, but by re- 1 turning again and using diplomacy plus gratuity he was able to get first
 class passage on the ship sailing a week later.
 1 Merchant Lustig estimates that, 1 with the uncertainty of saffings and the limited accommodation available, it may be weeks before the last strag- gling American is able to secure pas sage home.
 1 At the hotels, he noted that food
 supplies were limited, and. while no great attempt was made to take ad- vantage of those short of funds, every
 thing is charged for, even to the 1 toothpicks and matches used at table. 1 Little news of the armies engaged on the Continent tr1ck1es into London. 1 The London papers carry but meagre
 details of the engagements, but Brit l ish enthusiasm and confidence is at the highest pitch.
 After a weeks wait in London, the I offices of the Red Star line were un- able to announce positive sailing of
 the ship even late Friday night, and
 the clerks did not seem to care par ticularly, closing their doors at the usual hour, though several Americans. 1 including Mr. Lustig, absolutely re- Efused to be elected to the streets l which were flooded with water from the constant downpcur. Finally, late lin the evening the bedraggled crowd l that had waited expectantIy in front Of the window LOOK hearI at Une sign which announced they should take train for Dover that night.
 1 At the seaport further anxiety was felt, when it was learned that, owing to the harbors being mined, the ship l had not come to port. It was the general belief that she would not sail and few slept during the night for many had to secure accommodations in barns and wayside houses. The sudden influx of travellers waiting l ship had swamped the hostleries MT.
 Lustig was among the fortunate, hay 1 ing used good judgment in securing a room as soon as his train arrived at Dover.
 l They were taken out to the ship on the following morning and were soon | under way. Asathey steamed down l the Channel, a fine view was had of l the magnificent navy that protects IsBr1tish shipping 4 war vessel halted .lcontinusd on. Page Two9