New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-31

edness in wealthy Munich.
People arc starving" they declare
and sent me to church to see poverty
at its worst. The church belongs TO
group Of Dominican monks. The friars
beg on the street corner for food.
Whatever they get they put into big
pot and boil The liquid mass so made
is served each day free to the poor.
The hour for distribution is noon
At II humsnity's dregs begin to as
semble. lettering old men with white
boards and tsttered clothes; skinny
bent old women swathed in rags, and
bsrefooted, dirty, CHASTITY pale emil
dren. Some of the children had cup
They mean to take a portion home 20
mother or grandmother. But most
couldn't afford cups They possessed
only a spoon.
Crowd Around Big Iron Pot
A big iron pot was placed on a stool
The little crowd gathered about. There
were no chairs. lettering old people
and tiny children huddled over the
sickeninc mess. simultaneously tney
dove in spoons and began shoveilIng
down the LIQUID. There was clstter
Of gurgles ard snorts. Iney sha'cneu
and showed and Grunted.
One old man, Tucker than the resi-
possessed a cup. In spite o. his rags
ne was stately. He had white hair,
n white beard and a splendidly shaped
head. He looked a second Carlyle. ne
took his cup 10 the churchyard. BUY
there he stood. lie was too hungry 10
70 further. He drank raYenousiy ana
licked every inch OF the cup. 9,
A terrible nausea seized me. | iookeo
away. still had some money from the
Christian Work Fund. | turned to the
young Social Democrat. 81 know u
isn't solving any problem" ! said but
let's feed them" She nodded and her
face lighted up Suppose we take
them TO the city feeding kitchen she
suggested. | agreed. IT..
TIE lined Up the little company. 1hey
couldn't believe the news. bacn was
afraid 20 be last lest he be left. Down
the street we went, great row OF
bowed and bent old people shutting
after US and little children clinging to
our skirts. We bought meal tickets
for each FOR a week. As the checks
were handed out 2 gnarled and twisted
old figure would shoot down the entrance
hall 70 the big eating room. Youth Tor
4 moment came hack 90 those tottering
feet. They ran. half tumbling. There
was no time for thanks. Death was al
the door and life had suddenly been
thrust out 20 them.
Meal Tickets for Children
We stayed with the children. There
we're nine in one family. The father
7-as in the var and the mother OH IN
bed. Another group of seven had no
mother. and tho father WAS in muni-
ton factory. We bought those fam
lies meal tickets for month.
turned over all that remained OF the
Christian Work Fund and asked my
young guide to buy as many meal tiek-
cts as possible for united school chill
drcn.
This is one side OF Munich. But
there is another Munich doesn't IN
dulge in material luxuries. There are
no private autos, but il does continue
70 keep I'D its intellectual refnements.
Concerts and grand opera prosper. Wy
friend and | went TO hear "farsitai.
We paid "a marks for two ordinary
seats. The theatre where the perform
ance is given i, small opera house.
perfect in every way. The ground
floor is devoted TO a big eating hall
and buffet, which are very popular be-
tween acts.
The performance began At five. Every
person was promptly in his seat Cult
ure was written large across each face.
A slender, ultra-rehned mother in deep
mourning sat directly behind me. On
her right side was a son in soldiers
uniform, on her left two more sons IN
der sixteen in deep mourning. An intel
lectual calm brooded over the place.
There was no chatter, even the young
bows we're silent. The lights went out.
For five minutes ve sat in darkness and
pondered. Then soft music lulled our
senses.
Minds Soothed by Music
When the world Rad been eliminated.
the lights came on and the opera be
gan. Il was a gorgeous display o. light
and color. music and incense. The rich
red robes OF the Parsifal priests, the
goblet o. wine which Turned 10 fiery red
as the Holy Spirit in the form OF dove
descended, TIE singing, music. every
thing combined TO stir. elate and soothe
mind and sense. The audience vas
transported from the Twentieth Cen
tury back to the Middle Ages.
But something in me rebelled. felt
was being drugged. | and the others
were being hypnotiIed into a disregard
OF reality. The Session. preached was:
Forget the present, live for the hero
after. Only one thing matters -Kul-
tur u must be spread over the earth
though mankind be destroyed in the
process" Suddenly a picture of bat
field Uttered with dead flashed upon
me, and saw the little group at the
church eating like dogs. He'll ragged on
earth.
At tn. end OF the first act said to
my friend: "I'vc got TO get out into
the air" As we walked on the terrace
my friend chung to my arm. Don't you
ike IT," she asked. ''It's beautiful, but
sufocsting" was my answer. She
turned quickly and Rugged me. Thank
Cod" she said; 81 was afraid you'd be
carried away with its beauty like the
re.t."
intellectual Freedom Gone
You mean" said, OTIS this sort o,
thing that is taking intellectual free
dom out OF Germany"
That's IL Even art and literature
are organized. There is no originality
no new thought, no progress We live
on the glories Of the past Technique
and appreciation have been raised TO
the nth power, but we don't encourage
the new
A. We went home that evening I
though, much Of our talk. Germany is
producing a very definite culture. bu,
IL is culture that i, like Dresden