Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-17
BI IGNtTIIS KINtSr.
a German Socialist Who just Returned IN
Zurich, After Sin Months Trn,ci
ThrouC lOut Germany.
International New. NMrc.ul

! international News Burc.U.l
! When il was agreed that my mission
TO ,ie"m:l. should be- nnnnccd. tins
shor, and rather curt instruction was
! flashed to mo:
American editors do not care about
one mans observations: proceed On the
mission you have proposed: stay in
Germany as long as necessary 10 find
out what the German masses are say
ing and thinking about war ana peace"
Before proceeding with my report.
let me make plain this much: am
highly connected with many fraternal
organizations throughout The Father
land. Through a serious prcicnSc OF
making necessary VsitatiouS. I finally
succeeded in having ways and means
arranged Tor my extended travel in
Germany. which had not visited since
! the early part OF 1sli-Somc months
before tho outbreak OF the war.
| In the following chapters Will not
attempt 10 give information regarding
military matters in Germany. will
not violate the confidence of friends
who have helped me 10 secure inforrna-
zion. military and otherwise. and who
made i. possible for me 20 interview
mon and women of working classes:
soldiers and civilians: .Iunkers Of all
shades and colorS: Socialists of all hues
ana iinscs. and. last and perhaps not
the least clcrgymeu and educators
TRAGIC SCENES IN GERMANY
DESCRIBED BT WRITER
After six months | have returned TO
the serene atmosphere of Zurich with
heavy heart. find it is not possible
TO report only what other Germans are
to-day saying and thinking everywhere
in the Fathcrlind. As a German. find
II Impossible" 10 simply relate what
others say aud think. am IL German
too. and a German who has lived in
Germany these last six months cannot
simply report pa ssively Because
what good is Il German who cannot tell
others what he thinks. and he ia IL ba,!
Socialis, who will not anaIyzc The
causes and effects Of the sins of my
native land.
stayed i'll Germany six months.
saw with my own eyes sights that
can never forget.
heard with my own ears German
children by tho Thousands cry for
bread. and German workers curse their
rulers. In the secret confine of more
than one workinGman's conferences
heard the very name OF the Kaiser
'uiScl 10 the deepest hell.
MEN OF EVERY WALK IN LIFE
CURSE KAISER THROUGH TEETH
interviewed judges Of courts Of
Justice; ! talked With educators. men
cf many professions. lawyers and
clergy: and heard with my own ears
men OF every walk in life curse the
German rulers through cicnched teeth.
moved about from place to place.
mute and unwilling witness to the
tragic sufferings of my people until.
notwithstanding my age. was tempted
TO stand on street corners and call the
suffering Germans 10 rebellion.
On entering Germany I first could
not persuade myself &c believe that
was travelling in my land OF birth
wartime Germany is land different
from Deace-time Germany. found the
herman transformed, deterioratcd
physically. morally and intcllcc,ually
| found South Germany suffering pri
vations tina; We're beyond description.
found people lean. sallow- colored.
and sad. as though their country were
invaded and they were suffering under
the heel Of the invader. This was no:
the southern Germany ! had known
The sight Of incapacitated soldiers ON
the streets: The prematurely aged
young women; The total absence Of
Young men in civilian clothes: the al
most total absence OF old rcn and
women. and above all the Lack CT babes
IN German cities overwhelmed ne with
the heaviest grief and discouraged me
at once. wanted To escape from fur
ihcr mental torture: | wanted 20 return
10 Zurich; ! wanted 70 give up nv
mission in despair.
Bu; could no; do that. mad made
an engagement. aud must carry II
out IN spite Of my own feeling
SOCIALISTS SAY THAT PLIGHT
OF NORTH GERMANY STILL WORSE
A. Munich tSou;h Germany / me,
many Socialists from Berlin and other
F!ussian cities. They told me tina,
, they had managed 10 come TO South
Germany. so that they could escape
the still greater privations that North
Germany was experiencing
rs it possible" | cried out
cCmrade who had been u German
Methodist minister at q church in a
Berlin district told me that. compared
with North Germany, South Germany
was land of plentifulness became
afraid that | could not cndur. sights
worse than ! had already observed
ne" acquaintance. u fiery SocialiS,
OF many years, now in his seventeen
year king me to he Il Socialist
indebtedness professional man. flung al
me these words: War and conquest
was your religion. You were going.
OUT on forage. ioh your ncighhors
return with booty and make the Ger
man people rich with stolen goods
he was too angry tc 80 on. Another
I i''eh" present stretched out his arms
ma IN the bittcrcsi tone in which he
was capable Of expressing himself
SAT-" And look and see what Won
nave hr"uGhi us. third person in
= '"e Joh shouted: ''riraton. hunger
and starvation"' "if that was all. i, *
well and good. We may go through
all these. But YOU have taken !, mar,