The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-10-05
my four YEARS
IN GERMANY"
fcouttnasd Prom Ftrs. Page,)

, etc Some or the German nople ldIu~
flies are not far behind. In fact. it may
! be said that aannoet any person. in what
is known as society" in the Central
Enpirsa. has . title Of some sort.
Tho prefix won" shows that the per
son is a noble. and IS often coupled
with names OF people who have no title.
BY custom in Germany. won" whom
he goes abroad. Is allowed to call him
self Baron. But in Germany he could
not do 80.
These noble families in the Central
Empires, by the system OF Ma3orats
which 7 have described hold largo
landed estates, and naturally exert
great influence upon their laborers. AS
q rule, the system OF tenant farming
does not exist: that Is. estates are no.
leased To small farmers-as was the
custom In Ireland and Is still in Eng
hand-btt estates are worked as great
AGRICULTURAL enterprises under Superin-
:. tenGents appointed by the proprietor
This system. impossible IN America or
even In England. Is possible in the Cen
trail Powers. whero the villages are full
of peasants. who not so many genera
N~ttions ago were serfs. attached to the
LAND. and who lived in wholesome fear
lof the landed proprtetors.
81 This Is the first method by which
ifnflusnce Is exercised on the population.
There Is also the restricted franchise.
tor circle voting. which gives the con-
Sitrol of the franchise to a few rich pro-
prietors.
As q rule, the oldest son enters the
army as an officer and may continue
there; but If he has not displayed any
special aptitude fer the military profess
These estates arc calculated BY their
~-uroprietors to give at least per cent
hterest income on the value OF the land.
MANY younger sons. after q short term
yof service in the army. usually as or
lficer. and not as "ein Jahrtger." leave
tho army and enter diplomacy or soms
)t8ther branch Of the government serF-
lice. The offices OF judge, district at
ltorney. and so on. not being elective
Ahis career-as we'll as that leaolhs 20
position OF landrat and over-pTesi-
SMt Of q provInce--ts open 70 those
who. because they belong To old Prus-
'sian landed families. find favor In the
eyes of the government
Hpartan Virtues OF Prusstas Jun1ers'
There Is no leisure class among the
Junkers. They are ali workers. patr'-
otto. honest and devoted TO the Emperor
Hand the Fatherland. II 1t is possible.
4 ~
suffered, then the Trussian Junkers have
.proyed themselves more At for rule than
! any other class In all history
Their virtues are Spartan. their minds
narrow but iucorruptible and their
brayery and patriotism undouheed. One
cannot but admire them and their stern
virtues That class. largely because OF
Is poverty and itR constant occupation,
oes not travel. Nor does the casual
u, ~
ONE IN contact with these men, The
mixers will fight hard to keep their
riytleges, and the throne will fight hard
Tor the Junkers. because they are the
Greatest supporters OF the Eohenzol-
Terms.
The workinErnen in the cities are hard
workers. Probably they work longer
land get less out OF life than any other
\ {wcrkingmen in the world. The laws SO
A,nuch admired and made ostensibly for
heir protection such insurance
sainst unemployment. sickness. Injury,
d age. and SO on. are in reality skill
measures which bind them TO the
IL as effectively as the serfS Of the
"a iddle Ages were bound 70 their mas
ixers' estates.
I have had letters from worlsinEmen
who have worked In America. begging
.rne for q steerage fare to America and
( !sayinH that their insurance payments
s were 30 large that they could not save
! jmoney out Of their wages. or course
s%fafter having made these payments FOR
S$kmany years the workingrnan naturally
,hesitates to ernigrate and so lose all the
premiums he has paid to the State.
Hard-worked German Farm Women.
In peace times a skilled mechanic IN
sGcrmany received less than 81 day
FOR which he was compelled TO work al
StSSse~ ten hours. Agricultural laborcrs
n the Central Empires are poorly paid
The women do much Of the work done
here by men. For instance, once when
istaying at a nobleman's estate In Hun
gary noticed that tho gardeners were