Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1914-12-10
berlin IN WAR TINES.
City Aflame With Enthusiasm
When War Is Declared.
Emperor Received PIaudlts Of PeopIs
With Stern and Inserutable Face
Ordinary Life of Metropolis
Not Normal.
BY HERBERT TEMPLE.

London. DR.. H. ]. Poutsma.
secretary OF the Railway Mems
union of South Africa. has just arrived
in London from Berlin and tells an in.
teresting story of conditions there
since the war began.
Doctor Poutsma is one of the nine
labor leaders who was deported from
South Africa several months ago in
connection with the general strike
there. He was in Berlin for six weeks
after the outbreak of war and had a
rather exciting time making his way
slowly to England. He said:
Il left Berlin ten days ago, and have
Just arrived in England. Ny stay in
the German capital will be unforget.
table, so crowded has it been with vi
vid impressions and great events.
AT the risk of my life left Berlin
with my wife and children on that
date with Dutch passport had been
lucky enough to obtain. With the
help of my knowledge of the Dutch
language and through the kindness OF
a foreign ambassador, managed to
slip over the border into Holland.
When it became known that Ger
many had declared war, the whole oil
Berlin was aflame with an enormous
enthusiasm. The streets were dense
with marching throngs singing the
patriotic songs of the Fatherland, and
making their way to the kaiser's pal.
ace 1t looked as If the whole city
had gone mad.
There was at that time a confident
belief that Great Britain would re.
main neutral. Just after Great Britain
had entered the conflict l was told
that no British subject would be al
lowed to leave the country, and had
to report myself every day to the po-
lice. had in my possession an Eng
fish passport which l had taken out
only two hours before England sent
her ultimatum to Germany.
During my enforced stay in the
capital saw the entrance of the kai-
SER the kaiserin and the crown prince
with his wife and the princes from
Potsdam. 1t was a scene of the wild
est enthusiasm. The picture of the
is vivid memory. He did
not bow once in acknowledgment OF
the shouts of the crowd. The crown
prince and his wife nodded and smiled
but the emperor sat with
one hand at his golden helmet, stern
and inscrutable, figure of destiny.
There was not during the whole time
he faintest flicker of a smile a-...,
Scenes very different from these
occurred on the arrival Of the refugees
rom eastern Prussia in consequence
If the Russian advance. They came
n thousands, rich and poor alike,
packed in freight cars, with all their
belongings in small handbags or bun
lies. The women and children were
,rying. Their arrival created very
BAD impression in Berlin, and gave
Use to alarming speculations that the
Russians would be In Berlin before
hey were expected.
Meanwhile the ordinary life Of the
lily was not quite normal, although
he authorities did their best to keep
t 80. Food prices were regulated by
he government as one step to keep
If panic. From my house could see
,eppelins and aeroplanes continually
ircling overhead. Nearly all the tram
conductors had gone to the war and
he trans were equipped with women |
chiefly wives of the con-
cript tram-men.
ut must be said that the organiza-
ion and equipment of the German
rmy is remarkable and the mobiliza-
ion went like clockwork. There is a |
ceiling of cocksureness about victory |
n Berlin. The people feel that Bel
ium was stupid not to allow Germany |
o march through, and that the severe
inflicted is quite just"