The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-16
THE BIRMINGHAM AGEHERALD, sUNPAY JANUARY 16, 1916

plain the reason why. So thA rumor man explained. It was because GSTeece had joined the Germans and Italy 9ad made prize of her. Ten minutes llater he said Greece had joined the allies and the Italians were holding our ship until they could obtain a convoy of torpedo boats. Then it was because tvfo subma- rines were waiting for us outside the harbor. Later. it was because the allies had blockaded Greece and our Greek cap- tain would not proceed, not because he was detained by Italians but lby fear Every time the rumor man appeared in the door of the smoking room he was welcomed with ironic cheers. But he was not discouraged. He would go outside and stand in the rain while he matched a new rumor, and then, in great excite ment, dash back to share it.
 War levels all ranks and the pAssen gers gathered in the smoking room play ing solitaire, sipping muddy Turkish cof- fee, and discussing the war. in seven languages, and everybody smoked. Els pe- cially the women. Finally, the military attaches put on uniforms of their re- spective countries, and were rowed ashorA } to protest. The rest of us paced the snowswept decks and gazed goomily at the wrecked city. Out of the fog boat brought two Sisters of the Poor wrapped
 
 were petitioners for the poor of Mes sina, and everybody in the smoking room gave them franc. Because one of them was Irish and because she had to live in Messina, I gave her 10 francs. Mean ing to be amiable, she said, "Ah, it takes the English to be generous!'
 I said I was Irish.
 The Kings messenger looked LID from his solitaire, and also wishing to be amia- ble, asked, What's the difference?"
 Nine francs,' she said.
 MAKING A BLUFF
 After we had been prisoners of war for "A hours John Bass of the Chicago Daily News suggested that if we remained longer at Messina our papers would say we thought the earthquake was news and had stopped to write a story about it. So we sent a telegram to our consul We told him unless we were instantly re- leased, to go ahead and declare war on Italy, but not on the other allies Either the uniforms of the attaches or our rltj- matum alarmed the commander of the port. for he gave us leave to depart For the last time the rumor man ex- pla1ned. We had been delayed because Italy had declared war on Greece and did not want the food on board our shin to enter that country. The Cigarette King told him if the food on board was +be AoOb 1t into any country was a cause for war in itself
 We passed in safety between Scvlla and Charybdis, just as, a year before the Goeben and Breslau slipped between them under the guns or the British war shlps AS the harbor mouth is so mar row that it is difficult for boat to na ss through without scraping off her paint how they escaped is still a mystery. The next morning we were in Athens
 ON WAR FOOTING
 Greece is not at war, but she is a s firmly on war footing as is Francs or Italy man out of uniform was conspicuous, and all day regiments passed through the streets carrying the campa gn Kit and followed by the medical corns the mountain batteries and the transnort wagons. In the streets the crowds were cheering Denys Cochin the special am passador from France. He made speeches to them from the balcony of o1l,, hote1 and the mob waved flags and shouted Alto! ZitoE I once wrote the same scene and placed it in the same hotel in Athens Tn play Colonel Savage produced. Tn Athens the local color was superior to ours, but George Marion stage managed the mob better than did the Athens no- lice. po-
 Athens was in perplexed state of mind She did not know if she wanted 10 go to war or wanted peace She did not know, if she did go to war on which side she wanted to fight. Peo pie told you frankly that their heart beats were with France, but that they Were afraid of Germany.
 If Germany wins" they asked "wbat Will become of us? The Germans al ready are in Monastir, 20 miles from our border. They have driven the Ser Nlans, the French and the British out or Servia and they will make our King a German vassal."
 Then why don't you go out and fight for your King?" I asked
 He won't let us" they said
 When the army of country is mob lllzed 1t is hard to understand that that country is neutral. You expect to see evidences of her partizanship for one cause or the other. But in Athens. from shop window point of view. both the allies and the Germans are equal ly supported. There are just as many pictures of the German generals as of Joffre, as many post cards of the Ger man Emperor as of King George and King Albert. After Paris, it is some thing of surprise to see German books, portraits of German statesmen, composers and musicians. In one shop window conspicuously featured, evi- dently with intent. is an engravins showing Napoleon III surrendering to Bismarck. In the principal book store books in German on German victories and English and French pamphlets on German atrocities stand shoulder to shoulder. The choice is with you.
 ON BRINK (F WAR
 Meanwhile, on every hand, are the 1 signs of a nation on the brink of l war: or armies of men withdrawn from trades professions, homes of men 1 marching and drilling in squads com l panies, brigades. At times the columns | were so long that in passing the win | dows Of the hotel they would take an i hour, All these fighting men must be 1 fed, clothed, paid and while they are