The Washington herald., 1914-10-05
WAR CAMELIKE
bolt FROM Blue
News that Austria Would
Fight Servia Caused Ger
mans TO Realize Situation.
10000 JOINED PARADE
kilograms to Washington Refused by
Clerks. Who Gave Anxious Persons
No. Words Of Sympathy.
10000 JOINED PARADE
by A. c. wILKIE,

Especial Cousspondsut Of The WaShihgtoa Herald
The only American English correspondent to
remain in Berlin after The OutbTeAk Of Warl
The Hague. Sept. Is Cby maiL)-This
war came upon the people Of Germany
as It came upon the rest of the world
like bolt from the blue. 1t found most
Of them far from all thoughts of wars,
politics or business-engaged in pleasure
seeking.
Last July thousands Of Berliners with
families were taking their annual mid
summer holidays.
Thousands learned Of the crisis quite by
chance. as / did, when, late In the
month. friend tossed me an extra of
the Lokal Anzieger, while was sailing
on the Scharmutzelsee. I returned to
Berlin on the 18th to find the city on
edge with suppressed excitement and the
railway stations chokd with returning
vacationists.
On the evening Of the 26th, with the
definite announcement that Austria was
going to fight Servia and that Germany
would back up its all, came the first
'of the street demonstrations which have
been a feature Of the night life of Benin
ever since.
It brought things to a focus, so far
as public sentiment was concerned.
All the latent patriotism and hatred
of foreign foemen were brought to-
gether and poured out in that man.
moth, shouting, bare-hesded process
sion of 10000. as it swept through the
streets, singing. He'll dir I'm Sieger-
kranz" Deutschland, Deutschland
uber Allies" and Die wacht am
Rhein."
At that time Italy was still supposed
to be loyal to the dreibund and II was
while standing in front Of the Italian
Embassy that 1 first saw the march
ing crowd and learned how high the
feelings of the ''phlegmatic Germans"
can run
'Hutab," shouted the leaders of the
procession as they swept by the place
where l was standing with two Amer
lean friends and we hastily uncovered.
1t is unwise to dispute the wishes OF
such a crowd on such a night, however,
whimsical they may be-
Nights of Fever Followed.
There followed nights of fevor and
nights when Unter den
Linden and the vast, open places about
the royal castle were made impassa-
BILE from early in the evening well on
toward dawn by surging, cheering,
singing crowds.
The pressure upon every ofhcial agency
of traffic or communication through all
this time was steadily on the increase
and upon the telegraph ONCE fell the
greatest burden Of all.
War had not yet been declared, mo-
bilization had not even been ordered, but
no one any longer doubted what was to
come.
We all had been looking forward to-
the evil-hour when cable communication
with America should be interrupted. I'll
came sooner than we had expected.
Walking up to the receiving desk of the
once one night I offered 4 telegram ad-
dressed to the Washington Herald.
wouId Not Accept Message.
The receiving oricial glanced at the
message long enough % see the address
and hand 1t back. kilograms to Wash
Ington are no longer taken" he said
WHAT'S the matter?' I asked. Gable
cut?'
''Telegrams to Washington are no
longer taken" he repeated methodically
and from his tone I knew that further
was not forthcoming.
As a rule Prussian officials do not go
in for explapations. above all, not in war
time Since then Germany and America
have been conversing at long range with
two OF Germany's neighbors listening
curiously to every conversation whether
conducted by wireless or over the Britishi
cables.