Evening star., 1914-08-18

railways, which simply addeQ TO tne
interest of the old Brandenberg CAPT
tai and the fine parks and roads be-
tween it and the modern imperial me-
tropolis.
| "On our return that evening the
rumors at the hotel were so alarming
hunt up the New York Sun and the
Associated Press offices and find out
the truth. We found the Associated
Press Office, which is also that of Reu-
ters agency. the corresponding: or
ganization OF Europe. Here we found
in charge l. ]. H. Lawrence. clear
headed, informed, calm and courteous,
an ideal newspaper man. ] commend
him to his employers. To our ques-
tions as to whether there was any real
prospect of Germany being involved In
war he replied.
Involved? Germany is already at
war with two countries, with Russia
on the east and with France on the
west Inside of three days she will be
at war with England
This made US sit up and take
notice. Said we:
".Do you think it advisable for us
to go to Dresden tomorrow and from
there to Vienna?'
He replied: 1T is doubtful If any
train. except for troops, will go to
Dresden tomorrow. and 1t will be Inn
possible for you to go to Vienna"
Advised to Take Train for London.
HE advised US to take the next
train for London, saying that the only
open route was via Flushing. and that
he was positively Informed that the
1913 pm train Monday would leave
Berlin, and it would doubtless be the
last He said:
"'Do not let anything prevent you
taking that train: Do not walt for
passports. and go il YOU have to stand
all the way
while we were talking Mr. Law
renee was called to the phone and when
through he told us that an American
had just been trying to phone to the
American ambassador. but was not per-
mltted to do so because he could not
talk to the ambassador in German.
we followed our mentors advice.
Early Monday morning, while my
friend and his daughter were making a
the missing baggage, went to Cook 8
to get tickets for Flushing. Luckily
I had some Cooks travellers checks,
which were accepted In payment, and
route. Nothing else was available. The
banks were not recognizing letters of
credit. and / took a hastily written
note from a weeping Seattle woman to
her husband to mail in London. She
could not get money to pay for a
ticket to London, because her checks
were not Cooks. I was even able to
reserve a compartment on the train.
1T was interesting to note how
rapidly the lid shut down in Berlin.
another telegram to the Herbesthal
railroad official she was put out of
the telegraph Office. Only official tele-
grams could be sent. Loyal citizens
were requested not to use the tele-
phone, and strangers were forbidden.
When we left the hotel we could not
get a conveyance. All motor cars had
been taken over by the government,
inadequate to meet the demand. So
We walked. For the moment our lack
OF luggage was q convenience.
Packed With Refugees.
'.The train was of unusual length and
packed with fleeing Americans and Eng
lishmen. The dining-car was soon de-
pleted. but luncheon obtained from our
| hotel served us for supper. All went
well until we reached Wesel, on the
Rhine. barring delays caused by numer-
GUS troop trains, the un-uniformed re-
serve being packed in freight cars like
cattle.
'.At Wesel our train was searched and
eight or nine persons were taken off and
put under arrest, one Of them a Russian
with whom we had been talking. He was
trying to reach London, where two Of his
sons lived.
AT Goch. on the frontier, there was
another long delay. The train was
searched again by soldiers. An ofic sr put
his head in our compartment "English? ??
| said he. Americans we replied. We
were then told that we must leave the
| train. because no German cars were per
| mitted to cross the frontier. It was the1
after midnight and raining. A Holland
| train was awaiting us, which had just
| arrived from Flushing. 1t was only hall
| as long as the previously crowded trair
| from Germany. Our ladies found seats
two for the four, but most Of the mer
| had to be content with the corridors
| Those who had bags sat on them. The
rest either sat on the radiator shield Oh
| stood. My friend and l found couple
| of small folding serving tables. abou,
| ten inches square, on which We percheC
| for the night; whenever we nodded we
| fell of.
Before we reached the actual bound
| ary we were searched for the third time
This time passports were demanded
| Fortunately / had obtained one before
leaving Washington. The official obvious
| ly could not read 1t, but was satisfied by
the big red seal. SO used it to pass tn,
1 entire party. Anything with an officia
look went. One American used an auto
mobile license.
again we stopped, on the actua
boundary, with the train partly in Hol
| land and the rest in Germany One O
site our window. Here were soldiers O
the two nationalities on opposite sides o
the imaginary line. So far as our car. q
| least, was concerned nothing happenet
| here except delay, but we breathed NOR
freely when we were safely in Holland.