The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-12-07
Burden of Tar Falls Heduiest
Upon Backs j Ger777anysP Poor
Food Is Limited and Trade At . s~tandstin, But Mihtar-
ism Thyives IN the Kais ers Empire-Enmity For
America Is Dying Out, Says Writer.

er's Empire-Enmity For
Out, Says Writer.
Military Class Fiourishes.
Then my eye rests on the Bismarck
Deiikmal. I gaze al that massive, me-
~thodfcal, solid wal god at whose feet
this human tragedy is being enacted
Rage seizes me and brilliant and
the military Denkmals as a way Of
freeing Germany from h val bug?
The allies are stupidity making wofn-
en- n children suffer while the mill
tary class and militarism flourish.
What is wanted is a bomb for each
Bismarckian and royal Denkmal.
From the monument we go to the
residential quarter. We try to get a
taxi, but there is none I saw just
three during that day. 1t has become
a popular cafe. Here al last is a
large group OF people. There are many
well dressed women, retired officers on
officers home or leave, and some
slightly wounded soldiers.
The tables in the big building or
scattered about on the sidewalk are all
occupied. A band is playing gay mu-
sic. On the surface all looks well. But
a line of Whitman flashes through my
mind:
"smartly attired, e%ountenance srnil-
ing, form upright. death under the
IhoneS.'
There is no chatter. no laughter.
The faces are lined with sadness. EN-
cept among the women there is no
youth. All are shrunken, ~listless. dis
traught. Coffee ".ersatz' Coffee mixed
with a substitute) and tea "ersatz' is
being served. There is no milk and no
sugar. The few cakes are MADE of
unknown substance. | try one, but
cannot swallow it. Only the music Is
playing in Germany. 1t is eeded to.
hide the lack of laughter and talk.
Life. Is Mere Existence.
There are only two topics of CONVEX.
~sation-War and God shortage. That
is the whole of life. There is little
business, nc trade, no reforms, no sci
entific discoveries, no creative work to
discuss. Life has become mere eNis-
tence, Mind and bodies are shrinking
from a shortage of intellectual n
physical nourishment.
This first lay in Germany is the
worst. Fresh. from war-free countries
the impression is vivid. After a little
l became adjusted. All who live in Ger
many get adjusted.
The changes have come gradually.
One month sugar stops. When this is
an old story then n must learn to dc
without milk. Herr Smyth fails one
week and Herr Bauer weeks later. This
slow decline blinds Germany to what
is really occurring. But the total, seen
by a stranger. is appalling.
Bread Rescued From Dirt.
Across the street from the cafe is q
little circular space with benches. On
a bench is seated a tragic, well dressed
mother in deep mourning. Her child
plays beside her, innocently happy.
Il lS III o1iraLC ~, o1,l l,-,r arl 8 a no 1yxy
knocks a paper bag from the bench. A
roll tumbles into the ust and rolls un-
der the bench, covering itself with dirt.
The mother picks it up, carefully
brushes it, gives it to the child, who
eats eagerly. Everywhere are Similar
pathetic incidents.
My spirits sink lower and lower.
look here" l say firmly to my COM
panion. I've got to have a square meal
We are going to the best n most TX
pensive hotel in town.
That evening we dine at the Atlantic
and have q meal hat is satisfying. BY
a skillful use Of wine, salt and some
stray scraps Of fat, the table d'hote din
ner is equal to that of a second rate
American hotel. The slice Of meat
served is no bigger than my hand
brown and juiceless, but the soup, fish
!. vegetables and dessert would pass
muster anywhere.
It seems cruel to eat Of Germany's
best, but henceforth I decided to live a,
the most expensive hotels.
hat night a picture flashes before
me. 1t is the vision of a big unoccu
pied building. In large black letters up
on Its front is the inscription: Eng.
lish Reform Church. and in it's gaping
. windows are plastered printed sign:
, reading "Zu zermieten" (to rent). NJ
wonder the Diety's buildings are to rent
? The spirit of owe must have difficult.
Il flndlng 2nV nl2nn tn raSf those d9Vc I
Starts Trip to Berlin.
The next morning my companion anc
t l separate. She starts for Switzerland
e and I for Berlin. My inability to speal
German is disconcerting. / manag,
1 to get on the train. but in the dinin,
car l am helpless. l content mysel
with tea, bread and cheese, the onl,
: words I know.
In the compartment with me is al
attractive young woman and her hus
band. They offer me magazines an,
: papers. l summon up courage to say
X "Ich kahn NIGHT Deutch sprechen," an,
SHOW them my credentials. The youni
woman is Immediately interested. Sh
: speaks to me in excellent English.
In May, 1915, / spent 10 days in Der
lin. Then English could not be spoke
with comfort. Flushed faces and angr
4 is tolerated. Occasionally eyes follov
me ~questioningly: the official class re
sents il. but the people are Away
friendly.
Hate For America Dying.
A year ago there was bitter hatre
Lof America. American Bullets wer
flung in ones face everywhere. Toda
the average person is pathetically cage
to be friendly. Slowly the people al
awakening. For months the newspaper
have fed them on the triumphs Of Gel
It many and the perfidy Of other nation
Blu these stories of glorious Germa
Is victories have resulted in what?
1t lean and barren country, under noul
tshment, death, the hatred of other ne
tons. The people begin to doubt the
II leaders.
y To call these people %"barbars'' is a
70 outrage. They are like ourselves. ju!
folks, kindly and generous. deceive
and brow beaten by a ruthless milita1