Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-20
letter FROM FORMER
BATH, MAINE, BOY
NOW IN BERLIN, GER.
Oath Times)

The following interesting cOmmunl-
cation has been received by Postmas-
ter z. w. Hyde from Arthur E. Dun
ming, former Bath boy who is in the
Office Of the military attache Of the
American Embassy at Berlin. Mr..
Dunning is also secretary and treas
urer OF the American Luncheon Club.
kantstrasSe 1913 A. Charlottenburg.
Il writes as follows:
American Embassy.
Office of the Military Attache,
Berlin.
January Is. 1915.
Edward W. Hyde. Esquire,
Postmaster,
Bath, Me.
My dear Mr.. Hyde:
I am enclosing some international
coupons and would be very grateful
if you would send me in the enclosed
envelope the equivalent in American
two-cent stamps.
Mrs. Dunning and ] will probably
remain here: conditions at present
are very good. There is no scarcity
of food. and the general appearance
of the city is nearly the same as in
the good old days of peace. The Ber-
liners are not eating up the Zoolog-
jcal Garden as reports in American
papers have it. If it comes to that
there is, by the way, some very good
eating there The barracks for pris-
oners of war and the concentration
camps in and around Berlin are very
Interesting to see. This war of eX-
haustiun is a terrible thing. Thou
zr - nynn
streets wearing mourning. In Frank
furt a Main alone there are over TO-
600 widows.
The Germans are very confident OF
winning Their peace strength OF %
Army Corps has now been increased
to 105 and still Germany can put into
the field several million From a
selfish point of view this war is in
tensely interesting to me. For the
last eight years my department at
the Embassy has been engaged in a
study of the German army in prepara-
ton of reports for our government at
Washington. The whole military ma
chine was up to the outbreak of the
war a theoretical proposition, now it
is being practically tried out; the OBJ
servations are valuable and interest
ing.
The Germans have never belleVeo IN
the Survival Of the fittest" alone. II
has been their supreme effort during
the last a. years to make themselves
undisputably the ''fttest." Troops pass
the Embassy almost continually on
the way to the front. They now in
clude many older men, the fathers.
The country's sons have gone out. But
the enthusiasm and patriotism every
where evident are just what every
American would be glad to see al
home under similar circumstances.
At the last meeting of the American
Luncheon Club we had with us the
President of the Reichstag, who cor
responds to our Speaker Of the
House. Senator Beveridge was also
present. He leaves soon for the front
preparatory to some magazine work.
Last year ] secured a piece Of land
near Berlin, put up house and I'M
dertook some farming for health rea-
sons. In view Of the probability Of
Germany being cut off from supplies,
am intending to do some Intensive"
farming there this year so far as my
time will allow. Last year I raised all
that we needed, among other thing
sweet corn-45o ears of BLACK Mexi-
can" 'Howling Mob" and "Bantom"
all of which grow very well here.
Pardon this lengthy note; / thought
a note from here at this time would
not be entirely uninteresting.
With good wishes,
Yours very sincerely,
ARTHUR Z. DCNNING.